The Blind Side is a solid piece of well-acted, inspirational entertainment that has garnered multiple awards, primarily for Sandra Bullock's absolutely stunning performance, and with good reason. Well, the movie, based on true events, takes us along on the journey of Michael Oher, a stellar NFL Football player, from his days of homelessness to his rise as one of the greatest football players the world has seen.
Michael begins the film living on the couch of a family who wants him out of the house. Thrown out into the streets, the hulking Oher is stranded in a primarily-white school without a roof over his head nor any real means of supporting himself.
That is when Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock) and her husband Sean come into the equation. The benevolent Leigh Anne discovers that "Big Mike" is virtually homeless, and offers him a place to stay for the night. Yet, what began as a simple act of compassion gradually developed into a life-changing experience for Micheal and Leigh Anne's family.
What really amazed me about the movie was in the small things. How Oher neatly arranged the blankets offered to him by Leigh Anne. How "Big Mike" selflessly hurt his own arm to ensure the safety of his foster brother. The way Coach Cotton threw himself in front of the referee to protect the rights of one of his players. And it is really these rare gems in the movie that make the film what it is. A subtle, heartwarming tale.
The actor behind Oher (Quinton Aaron) does a wonderful job as well. Oher, is in his essence, a character of limited intellect but limitless compassion and the actor flawlessly conveys a world of emotion through his thoughtful gazes and simple glances. The film is without an excess of dialogue and yet I am left completely engrossed in Michael and what lied in store for the gentle-giant. That, my friend, is good acting.
Alas, Sandra Bullock steals the show as the shrew yet infinitely compassionate soul Leigh Anne. She embodies inner strength and power in women and yet deep down within, we see a kindly being who chose to take in an oversized, homeless black man wandering in the streets. She is truly the epitome of all of what it means to be a mother.
The show left me chuckling, smiling but most importantly, it left me contemplating. Contemplating about leaders. Contemplating about compassion. Contemplating about honor.
In spite of all that talk of video games and anything slightly related to testosterone, I'm always looking for a rousing and stellar movies where good things happen to good people. The Blind Side is one of those films. It is an excellent piece of art that is warm and emotionally gratifying, peppered with humorous performances by young actors and a portal into the amazing story of Michael Oher. You would do good to watch it.
4/5 stars by Nic.
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