Filmikaze!

By: John Lee Hancock (director, writer), Michael Lewis (book)

Starring: Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Quinton Aaron, Jae Head, Lily Collins, Ray McKinnon, Kim Dickens, Kathy Bates

The story of Michael Oher, a homeless and traumatized boy who became an All American football player and first round NFL draft pick with the help of a caring woman and her family.

When I first heard of The Blind Side, I didn’t think too much of it. I usually enjoy Sandra Bullock, but am not always crazy about the films she chooses, and at first glance this one looked like another soppy feel-good cliche. At the time, I was unaware that The Blind Side was based on actual events, or even what those events were. This past Sunday when Bullock won the Golden Globe award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama, I found myself genuinely surprised and my curiosity was naturally piqued.

The Blind Side tells the story of real life football player Michael Oher, from being a homeless teen with a 0.6 GPA to an honor roll student and All American. I can say without any hesitation whatsoever that Oher’s story is an extraordinary one, and despite first impressions, this movie is absolutely wonderful.

The plot is tricky: young black man is taken in by wealthy white family and from there able to succeed. Were this not a true story, just the concept would make me a little dubious before even viewing the film, but I think that part of the film’s strength is the way it tells this story without making a caricature of the people within it. It manages to be compelling without losing its honesty, and bucks most of the rags to riches cliches in the process. Bullock is especially wonderful in her role as Leigh Anne Tuohy, Oher’s adopted mother; her portrayal is nicely subtle and reminds me of dozens of real Southern woman I’ve known in my life.

It’s entirely possible that this film hit me a bit harder because I am a born and bred Southerner myself and having the culture accurately represented is always a big plus for me, but I think that the story is something that anyone can relate to and be moved by. There were no hiccups to be had, here: it was all smooth sailing from the opening scene, drawing me effortlessly in and never once losing my attention. Beyond that, though, it made me feel good both in the immediate aesthetic sense, and also in being reminded that there are actually truly good people in the world. At its heart, it is a lovely, lovely story very well done, and a great choice if you’re looking for a pick me up.