The Blind Side

The Blind Side (2009)
Directed by John Lee Hancock
Length: 129 minutes
Rated PG-13 for one scene involving brief violence, drug, and sexual reference



The Blind Side is the story of Michael Oher, a young black man that has never had a stable home or family life, who is taken in by the wealthy (and white) Tuohy family and given a chance to succeed. With the Tuohy's love and support (both literally and monetarily), Oher is able to achieve success in the classroom as well as on the football field, eventually becoming a first-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens.

Alright, let me get my bitch list out the way so I can actually review this movie. First of all, coming from Memphis, as well as from a school that played Michael Oher in sports, the portrayal of the gentle giant is highly fictionalized. Yes, Oher came from a broken home with next-to-nothing, and yes he faced a lot of adversity in achieving the success he has; but the movie leads us to believe Oher is a functioning idiot that couldn't hurt a fly. This is a guy that faced serious racial tension in a predominately white community, often resulting in altercations or scuffles with opposing players or verbal conflicts with people in the stands. This isn't meant to convince you that Michael Oher was a bad kid; in fact, many people I knew in high school spoke highly of him. I assure you my intentions are not to paint Oher as a "thug" but to show that this wasn't some borderline idiot who never fought back.

Second, Sandra Bullock (The Proposal, One of the Guys) in her Oscar winning role as Leigh Anne Tuohy was definitely not deserving of her Oscar award or for that matter nomination. Is she atrocious? Not at all, but there is nothing here that makes her character outstanding or memorable beyond a feisty, southern accent. I have a hard time believing that Sandra Bullock's performance was better than the amazing Meryl Streep in Julie & Julia. Many of the scenes meant to show the demanding nature of Leigh Anne are so far-fetched that you almost cannot take the movie serious, even if they are meant for comedic effect.

With those major gripes aside, the movie isn't that bad. I honestly believe that if the film had been purely a piece of fiction or if it had loosely based its plot off of the Michael Oher story (i.e. changed the names, etc.), than it would have been a much more enjoyable experience. Watching a cheesy, "feel good" sports flick can be fun. What isn't fun is watching a biography that stretches the limits of the truth for the sake of making money. While it is most definitely not best picture material either, the movie does have some good laughs, heartfelt moments, and empowering scenes. The funniest parts of the movie are essentially anything involving the coaches recruiting Oher to play football; let's just say they shouldn't quit their day jobs (although I do find it funny that each of the coaches shown no longer coaches for the school shown in the movie).

Ultimately, The Blind Side is undeserving of the nominations it received at last year's Oscars, nor is the movie really worth the $200 million+ is drew at the box-office. What we have is simply another cheesy and clichéd sports movie that tries to make the audience root for the underdog. Entertaining it may be, but it certainly shouldn't be remembered as an all-time great or even as one of the best of 2009. Enjoy it for what it is: a decent sports movie and nothing else.

Final Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Favorite Quote:
Phil Fulmer (former coach of the University of Tennessee): In a serious, almost sexual tone " I want him. I want him bad." (in reference to Michael Oher)

Oscar Winners:
Best Actress in a Leading Role - Sandra Bullock

Oscar Nominations:
Best Motion Picture