Directed by John Lee Hancock
Average customer review:

The Blind Side

The Blind Side takes the true story of a young man who went from abandonment to success as a pro-football player and treats it with respect. The movie doesn't oversell what is, on the face of it, already compelling. It's almost impossible to describe the plot without sounding painfully inspirational: Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron, Be Kind Rewind), a hulking but gentle African-American teen in Tennessee, gets taken in by a well-to-do white family; the mother, Leigh Anne Touhy (Sandra Bullock), pushes and mothers the boy, who eventually wins a football scholarship to the University of Mississippi. In the wrong hands, this could have been maudlin, manipulative, and condescending. To the credit of writer-director John Lee Hancock, adapting Michael Lewis's acclaimed book, the result is intelligent, genuine, and alternately funny and moving. Leigh Anne could easily have been grandstanding and virtuous, but Bullock doesn't shy away from her vain and domineering side. The football scenes will be gripping even to non-sports fans because they've been so successfully grounded in Michael's emotional life. The all-around solid cast includes country music star Tim McGraw, pint-sized Jae Head (Hancock), and Kathy Bates as the tutor who guided Michael's academic success. Don't be surprised if you can't keep yourself from watching all the real-life photos of Michael, Leigh Anne, and the rest of the family that are featured in the credits; by the end of the movie, you will care about them all. --Bret Fetzer

The Blind Side

• Released on: 2010-03-23
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 128 minutes

The Blind Side

Customer Reviews:
A true story that will move you.
I go to see movies all the time while they are still in release.

At this time of year we have high profile movie offerings like A Christmas Story, New Moon (same vampires), and the world coming to an end with 2012. So. it's easy for this movie to get lost in the shuffle.

It would have been so easy to miss this movie, and such a mistake to do so. For, this is one of the best movies of the year, and one of the few I recommend whole heartedly.

Sandra Bullock gives probably the best performance of her career, playing Leigh Anne Tuohy, a tough business like mom, who sees big Mike, a young oversized kid who never had a role model, and who never did well academically, because he had no reason to believe in himself. He is the underdog we love to root for.

The Tuohys take him in to their plush house, and we get drawn into the experience, perhaps sucked into this story might be a more apt description. Yet Mike has a hidden gift which others like the sports coach can identify, and other teachers start to have faith in him, so who knows what will happen.

If you're like me it's a movie about the importance of a mentor and believing in people, the more you believe in them the more they start to believe in themselves. If you like this one, I also recommend Akeelah and the Bee, another five star movie. In its first 14 days The Blind Side has done over $108 million at the box office, assuring that it will be one of the big hits of the year.

While the Academy does not typically reward comedies with awards, Sandra Bullock may get a nomination, and so might the writers for best adapted screenplay, and she might win a Golden Globe for her performance.

A point of interest in the movie is Lily Collins daughter of Phil Collins who plays Sandra Bullock's daughter.

Update, Jan 29, 2010. As she has now won the Golden Globe, which is a dress rehearsal for the Oscars, I expect she will get the Oscar nomination, and it sets the stage for an interesting contest with Meryl Streep for her performance in Julie and Julia. Both actresses played real life characters, with an interesting mix of drama and humor. Although Oscars are not usually given for this type of performance, the exception is Marisa Tomei in My Cousin Vinny. I predict this will be the year of the exception. Streep has been nominated 15 times winning only twice. This would be Bullocks first nomination.

Update 2/3/2010. The Blind Side has been nominated for 2 Academy Awards, for Best Actress, and Best Picture. As of 2010 the Best Picture category has been expanded from 5 to 10 pictures, partly because of falling ratings, and partly because many popular movies have not historically received the same level of Oscar love, as movies such as The Blind Side has received from the public.

Blind Side has grossed over $238 million dollars domestically, making it the 8th highest grossing movie of 2009, and no 63 all time for domestic box office, and it's still in release.

I hope this was helpful to you, and I think you will enjoy the movie.

Sandra Bullock finally shows us how good she can be
My wife and I just went to a double-feature. I picked AVATAR and she picked THE BLIND SIDE. Now, there couldn't be two movies on a different plateau than AVATAR and BLIND SIDE, but I'm so glad that she brought me to see this movie. AVATAR, I gave 4 stars, BLIND SIDE, 5 stars. BLIND SIDE, for what it was, was flawless.

With BLIND SIDE, the story tells itself, because it's the true story of 2009 Baltimore Ravens Right Tackle Michael Oher, or possibly Michael Williams, or maybe something else, and his improbable escape from oblivion with the love and care of a rich white family in Memphis, Tennessee. Michael Oher's greatness, first showed up in his size and athletic potential and then in his courage to forget and go forward. Michael Oher, a kid who struggled at basic study skills and education, but scored a 98% in protective instincts. A tribute to his lifestyle and his ability to survive, homeless, with two shirts, a pain on his face that couldn't be explained.

Sandra Bullock plays Leigh Anne Tuohy, and I haven't seen a whole lot of nominated movies this year, but if she isn't at least a runner up to the best actress of the year, I'll be stunned. This was Sandra Bullock's shining moment. She is strong and she is funny and she is exceedingly brilliant at hiding the tears she sheds throughout the movie as her personna won't allow her to be seen crying. No scene was more poigniant than the one where she makes a bedroom for Michael in her beautiful home with a chipperness that you would expect from a spunky Tennessee mother. Michael says, "I've never had one of these before." and she says, "What, a room?" "No, a bed." he says. She looks at him, stoned faced, gives a quick nod and exits the room, enters the bathroom, locks the door and although we don't see it, we know exactly what she's doing.

THE BLIND SIDE is a testimant to what life is all about. The Tuohy families link to Michael Oher may have been a rare occurence, and that's why there's a movie about it, but if we all looked out for each other a little more, despite color boundaries, despite class boundaries and just showed a little love and extended a helping hand when we could, the world would be a better place.

The Tuohy's didn't just extend a hand, they extended their hearts and lives.

THE BEST WHOLESOME PARTS WERE FILMED--THIS TRUE STORY TOO BIG FOR ONE FEATURE LENGTH
Not superficial but it did avoid issues like Micheal's prior lifestyle, NFL negatives, racial issues, continual violence (there is a bit), sex (there is one word), and the opportunistic feminist topic---IN FAVOR OF---FAMILY, COMMITMENT, PERSEVERANCE, AND ADOPTION. A very pleasant trade of options. Hallmark-like in a positive way.

This is a highly emotional presentation, emotional highs and lows. It's not only the dramatic story of an underprivileged youth that causes it, but fantastic acting.

Yes, a true story of a Baltimore Ravens player. Sandra Bullock makes Mom, Leigh Anne, come alive, a mother every hero would want to have. That's at the expense of Sean, Dad's (Tim McGraw), contributions to the boy in real life. In this movie they are downplayed, unlike the book and actual truth. But with every book-to-film production, something must be minimized, something accentuated, to make it desirable for 90-something minutes. The story could have been done many ways, but the director/writer used the mother/child relationship at the forefront.
_____A favorite dialogue line, given by Sean, "who would have thought we'd have a black son before we knew a democrat?" Michael (Quinton Aron) delivers another tear-jerking line, at least it was at the moment and manner it was given, "Need a proper hug!"

A warming story, good for now, when there is enough strife and negative aspects to everyone's real life. It's nice to see a positive story coming up on the big screen. It will likely be even bigger as a DVD--I want one when they are ready.

Bullock was her usual awesome self, presenting a realistic and desirable southern Christian rich belle. Keeping up with her was her movie son, S.J. (Jae Head) who should get a supporting role award for his fantastic acting as the enthusiastic comedy role in the movie. He is a delight you'd like to take home and adopt.

Inspirational! See it!







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