Roberts shines in new role

Picture this: a divorced, unemployed Los Angeles mother of three who cannot seem to find opportunities in the workforce or in her love life. Sound like a typical Julia Roberts character? Well, it isn't, but that is exactly her role in the film Erin Brockovich.

Roberts sasses onto the screen in a scanty, teasing array of miniskirts, platform heels and of course, that gorgeous chestnut hair - all reminiscent of her Pretty Woman days - while still pulling off the idea that she is dirt poor. This type of glamour is different from what Roberts has previously portrayed. It involves more that just playing a preordained heroine; this role takes talent. Roberts proves in Erin Brockovich that she is a versatile actress.

The movie begins with the trials and tribulations of Brockovich (Roberts) coping with the difficulties of being a single mom of three: finding a job, feeding the kids, and forgetting the no-good ex-husband. After a struggle with a law firm, she lands a job there as an assistant. This new job ultimately leads her on a Grisham-esque quest to shut down a very powerful corporation accused of polluting a small, neighboring town's water supply. The problem comes when she attempts to cope with a combination of inefficient law skills, a demanding boss, and an accumulating neglect for her children and her boyfriend.

The movie itself is a very attractive package of Roberts' glamorous charm and an uncompromising screenplay. It is a film that appeals to most all moviegoers ญญ a typical Julia Roberts flick in an atypical storyline.