"The Blind Side" depicts the remarkable true story of Michael Oher, a homeless African-American youngster from a broken home, taken in by the Touhys, a well-to-do white family who help him fulfill his potential. At the same time, Oher's presence in the Touhys' lives leads them to some insightful self-discoveries of their own.
in his new environment, the teen faces a completely different set of challenges to overcome. In the blind side he act as a football player and student, Oher works hard and, with the help of his coaches and adopted family, becomes an All-American offensive left tackle. In the latest chapter of his inspiring story, Oher was a First Round draft pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, selected by the Baltimore Ravens. The Touhys were there to share the moment with him.
The Blind Side
Maxabout Review
An uplifting sports movie
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Based on Oher’s true story, “The Blind Side” is adapted from the book by Michael Lewis, about the sudden change in Oher’s life when Leigh Ann Tuohy (Bullock) became part of it, almost by accident.
The Blind Side" is about naturally charitable people who, dumbfounding everyone, help bring a kid from a nowhere position academically to college. Though The Blind Side excels at expressing the profound maternal affection and protective instincts Tuohy develops for this lost young soul, other troubling matters that come to light are skimmed over, and never quite resolved with dramatic assurance.
The attractively packaged movie occasionally runs the risk of straining credibility — or, worse, inviting skepticism — while dramatizing the particulars of what was, evidently, a best-case scenario for all parties involved. Indeed, there’s not even the threat of an insurmountable obstacle until the final half-hour.
The Blind Side is a sports movie, so locker room cliches are expected. It's a feel-good flick, so emotional manipulation is a given. The Blind Side also involves the recurring, irritating movie premise that African-Americans only succeed with white saviors assisting. Hancock can't avoid that problem because no self-respecting filmmaker can rewrite a true story that much.
The Blind Side doesn't hinge on a last-second shot at victory, but it may be the only shot for Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) to escape the defeat of living in a Memphis housing project. Oher is a giant too gentle for those mean streets, deserted by his parents, left with dealers and pimps for role models, and defensively shy.
Sandra Bullock is thoroughly convincing in the role — right down to her credible accent and the blonding of her normally brown tresses — and she’s not afraid to occasionally keep auds guessing as to whether Leigh Ann’s actions are driven by a heart of gold or a whim of iron.
Newcomer
Aaron gracefully treads a fine line, playing Michael as neither dullard nor idiot savant, but making him emotionally vulnerable, painfully self-aware and surprisingly resilient. Better still, Aaron more than holds his own opposite Bullock, enabling the pic to come off as something far more rewarding and complex than a mere star vehicle.
There are few big melodramatic scenes – a key football game, an encounter with his old neighborhood crew – but plenty of small and affecting dramatic ones. This moving film is about the little moments of emotional discovery – for both Leigh Anne and Michael.
The Blind Side won't go down in the annals as the greatest sports movie ever made but it does have its moments. It's a touching depiction of what can result when some, give others, a fighting chance.