Review: The Blind Side

It was not my intention to go and see the Blind Side this week. Every Thanksgiving it is a family tradition that we all go out and see a movie. Now on actual Thanksgiving this is usually quite hard because my mother is busy in the kitchen, but some time during the holiday break we find the time to catch a flick. The hard part is agreeing on what movie to go see. My dad loves football, and my mom and I like Sandra Bullock, so The Blind Side was chosen. I do not regret this decision. In fact, I’m very glad we came to this agreement.

The Blind Side tells the story of Michael Oher, who grew up in the projects of Memphis. After getting accepted to a Christian private school, Oher is taken in by a classmate’s family: the Tuohy. Michael struggles through school, but works hard enough to earn grades high enough to join the football team. This is where he finds his niche as an offensive lineman, protecting the QB’s blindside.

The script is very strong. The dialogue is witty and humorous, breaking the tension with some of the dark racial aspects of the movie. My mother had read the book and several articles about the real Michael Oher and said that the movie ran very similar to the book by Michael Lewis. Also, kudos to director/writer John Lee Hancock for not putting “Based On A True Story” at the beginning of the film, a personal pet peeve of mine.

But don’t be confused going into this film expecting a sports movie, this is an inspirational, dare I say, Christian film. Not to say other religions aren’t about generosity, but the word Christian is used throughout the film and it has a very strong “Christian”-based theme. The story is essentially linear, but the few differences in the time line do work and are not confusing.

But the best part of this film is the stars. Tim McGraw surprised me with his acting chops for a country singer, though the role is not that much of a stretch. Jae Head, as S.J. Tuohy is not overly cute, but funny. Quinton Aaron is a gentle giant playing Michael Oher, a harder combination than one would surmise. But the real standout is Sandra Bullock. She has got the southern lady down to a T and I can speak to this because I grew up in the South, in football country knowing these women.

I think that is one reason why I enjoyed this movie so much. It reminded me of home, both the good and the bad. The sense of verisimilitude whether it be the size and the designs of the houses or the use of the actual college football coaches all made watching the film a better viewing experience.

Overall, the film is full of inspiration. It makes the audience want to be a better person, in some way big or small. It also inspires others to reach for the stars, for if Michael Oher could make it as far as he did, so can viewers with even more resources. It is a great picture, especially for families and the holiday season.

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