Erin Brockovich (Julia Roberts) is a brassy, unemployed, twice-divorced single mother. When she is injured in a motor accident and her lawyer, Ed Masry (Albert Finney), fails to win her any compensation, her solution is to insist that Ed provides recompense by employing her at his firm. Erin's new colleagues do not take her seriously at first, but when she discovers a cover-up by a water company who have been poisoning the local community, she and Ed set out to win the victims a multi-million settlement. Based on a true story; Julia Roberts won an Oscar for her performance in the title role and the real Erin Brockovich also appears briefly in the film as a waitress.