Publisher's Synopsis
This is a set of six films starring Julia Roberts. 'Steel Magnolias' (1989) is a female-bonding story based around the lives of six women who regularly get together in a Louisiana beauty parlour to discuss their lives and the men that invade them. Shelby (Roberts) is the youngest of the group and despite suffering from severe diabetes, plans her wedding and then the birth of her first child like any other newly-wed. Ouiser (Shirley Maclaine) is a bitter divorcee, while Truvy (Dolly Parton) is the sexy, sassy hairdresser. In 'Erin Brockovich' (2000), based on a true story, Roberts is a brassy, unemployed 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. Roberts stars as Julianne Potter in 'My Best Friend's Wedding' (1997), who has just realised that she is in love with her best friend Michael (Dermot Mulroney), but there's a problem: he has recently announced his up-coming marriage to the hare-brained Kimmy (Cameron Diaz). Enlisting the help of her gay friend George (Rupert Everett), Julianne resolves to sabotage Michael's big day and win him back for herself. But when Kimmy turns out to be such a kind and likeable person, Julianne wonders if she's doing the right thing after all. In 'America's Sweethearts' (2001), Hollywood publicist Lee Philips (Billy Crystal) has a tough task on his hands. He must get the now-separated superstar couple Gwen Harrison (Catherine Zeta Jones) and Eddie Thomas (John Cusack) to appear together in public one last time in order to promote their upcoming film. Lee knows that they now hate each other, so he quickly resorts to underhand tactics, and asks Gwen's sister Kiki (Roberts) to give him a hand. However, just when things seem to be working out, Kiki and Eddie begin taking an interest in each other, which brings a whole new round of problems. 'Mary Reilly' (1995) is the story of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde told from the perspective of the doctor's chambermaid Mary Reilly (Roberts). When Mary escapes a difficult childhood and begins working in the house of the reclusive Doctor Jekyll, she soon finds herself taken into her employer's confidence. However, while she grows to trust and respect him, she also finds herself attracted to his mysterious and sinister assistant Mr Hyde. In 'Stepmom' (1998), the career-minded Isabel (Roberts) reluctantly takes on the role of stepmother when she starts dating divorcée Luke (Ed Harris). The children's real mother Jackie (Susan Sarandon) is still very much involved in their lives, and is suspicious of Isabel's parenting skills. However, when Jackie falls ill, the two women have to reach an understanding with each other - for the sake of themselves and the children.
