Hammerman Ikon

Hammerman Ikon Film Guide

The Blind Side
2009
**½
Director: John Lee Hancock
Cast: Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Quinton Aaron, Jae Head, Lily Collins, Ray McKinnon, Kim Dickens, Adriane Lenox, Kathy Bates, Eaddy Mays, Robert Singleton

Michael "Big Mike" Oher has spent most of his childhood in foster care due to his mother's drug addiction. The wealthy Tuohy family spots this impoverished black loner and gives him a home. They also detect Michael's potential on the gridiron and help him to improve his grades so he can qualify for a football scholarship. John Lee Hancock takes an inspirational real-life story from Michael Lewis' book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, smooths all the rough edges, and delivers an old-fashioned Hollywood feelgood film. The resulting drama is amiable and entertaining but it provides minimal conflict for its characters. Michael is a loveable and protective hulk of a man and the family are squeaky clean white liberals. Occasionally they have to deal with racism and prejudice, but these incidents are quickly brushed off with a line like "Dontcha be racist now, darling". Sandra Bullock won an Oscar for playing the feisty and strong-willed Leigh Anne Tuohy.