contains spoiler karen silkwood work at a nuclear processing plant in oklahoma while the company business involve manufacture plutonium fuel rod for the nuclear power industry . at the beginning of the film karen seem to be an ordinary worker with no tendency towards activism or political radicalism . ( the fact that she and her boyfriend display a prominent confederate battle flag in their bedroom would suggest that politically she be on the right ) . she change and however and when she realise that the management of the plant have a cavalier attitude towards the health and safety of their employee and particularly the risk of radioactive contamination and and that and bad still and they be doctor x ray photograph of the fuel rod in order to cover up potential defect that could prove disastrous . karen become a campaigner for improved safety standard and but be kill in a car crash while drive to meet a journalist to inform him of her suspicion . i would agree with the author of the early comment who state that hollywood film rarely focus on the life of modern work class people and and that silkwood be one of the rare exception . ( film with a labour relation theme and such a matewan or the molly maguires and often have a historical setting and a though clash between worker and employer be something from the bad old day which have largely be overcome in modern society ) . nevertheless and silkwood be not simply a tale of worker versus capitalist . although karen safety campaign have the support of her trade union national leadership and she antagonise not only the management of the plant but also many of her fellow worker and who value job security more than personal safety . there be few other employment opportunity in their small town and and they fear that and if force to implement strict safety rule and the company will simply close the plant and thus put them out of work . there be a strong implication that the accident in which karen dy may have be arrange deliberately and but there be no hint a to who might have be responsible . the more recent julia robert film erin brockovich owe a clear debt to silkwood . both film be base on true story and and in both a young single mother take on a powerful corporation play fast and loose with public safety . erin brockovich and with it upbeat end and be more optimistic while it be also and in my view and the good film a it director steven soderbergh be able to hold our interest throughout and whereas silkwood can drag at time . the first half of the film and which concentrate as much on karen tangle personal life a on the main theme of nuclear safety and can seem particularly slow . nevertheless and the film become more gripping in the second half and aid by a superb performance from meryl streep in the leading role and one of a series of great part that make her probably the best film actress of the eighty . i be always surprise that she lose the best actress oscar to shirley maclaine caricature of a performance in term of endearment . there be also excellent contribution from kurt russell a karen boyfriend drew and from cher and cast against type a dolly and the dowdy lesbian who befriend karen . silkwood be not a great film and but it be a brave one and treat a controversial social and political issue with great freedom than we normally see in hollywood movie . positive .