The Blind Side

Most people would agree Sandra Bullock gave the best acceptance speech at the 82nd annual Academy Awards, but did she really give the year's best performance? That's a topic Meryl Streep's legion of fans would love to debate, yet even the staunchest supporters of the 16-time nominee would be loath to begrudge Bullock her Best Actress win, one of the most popular in Oscar's storied history. While there's no denying almost everyone loves Sandy (although she severely tested our collective affection with her well-deserved Razzie-winning turn in the cringe-inducing 'All About Steve'), it's often hard to divorce her bubbly personality from the parts she plays. Where Bullock ends and the role begins has often been difficult to pinpoint over the years, which may explain why she's never before been recognized by the Academy. Yet in 'The Blind Side,' the first film in which the actress tackles a true-life character, Bullock all but buries her patented screen persona. Portraying Leigh Anne Tuohy, a tough Tennessee wife and mother who opens her home and heart to a destitute black high school student, forced Bullock to venture outside her comfort zone and shed her own skin. Such a challenge required a huge leap of faith, but given the rewards her work has reaped, it's a safe bet Bullock still hasn't come down to Earth. I'd also wager a tidy sum that years from now her performance will still be deemed worthy of the gold statuette, despite the sentimental waves that swept her to the stage on Oscar night. Yes, she's that good.

What impresses most about Bullock's portrayal is that it contains no showy, award-baiting elements – no hysterics, no breakdowns, no tirades. (Her character, in fact, a true "steel magnolia," tries her best to suppress her feelings…at least those that provoke tears.) So there's no "aha" moment during the film that makes one say, "That's what won her the Oscar." Hers is merely a solid, consistent, convincing performance that strikes all the right notes. Just as we often believe Streep is Julia Child in 'Julie & Julia,' we also believe Bullock, perhaps to a greater extent, is Leigh Anne Tuohy, despite the fact – or maybe because – Tuohy is a much less recognizable figure. Did Child's notoriety make Streep's job more difficult? Of course. But Bullock's work required just as much preparation and, in many ways, is no less remarkable.

But enough about Sandra. Football also plays a big role in 'The Blind Side,' but it's only a small part of this well-made, absorbing family drama that chronicles the improbable journey of Michael Oher (pronounced "oar," like the paddle) from the Memphis ghetto to a scholarship at Ole Miss. Homeless, adrift, and socially and intellectually withdrawn, the 6'-10", 300-pound Michael – a gentle giant if there ever was one – is rescued from the streets one chilly evening by tough, blunt, well-to-do designer Leigh Anne Tuohy (Bullock); her good-guy husband Sean (Tim McGraw), who "owns like a million Taco Bells"; and their two children, Collins (Lily Collins) and S.J. (Jae Head), both of whom attend the same parochial school as Michael. Although initially, Leigh Anne only plans to house Michael for a few days, a mutual attachment quickly develops, and soon this upper-class white Southern family completely (and improbably) embraces this impoverished black teen, and seeks to become his legal guardian. The Tuohys also introduce Michael to football, and after a rocky start, he finds his gridiron groove as a left tackle (whose job is to protect the quarterback's blind side), and before long catches the attention of dozens of college coaches who hotly compete for his commitment. But once Michael makes a decision, the NCAA smells a rat and instigates an investigation into his story for possible improprieties.

'The Blind Side' shares much in common with another tale of an overweight, troubled, neglected, academically challenged black teenager. But whereas 'Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire' wears its inspiring message on its sleeve and adopts the syrupy tone of episodic television drama, the equally stirring and uplifting 'Blind Side' takes a much more straightforward, no-nonsense approach and, as a result, possesses a solid big-screen feel. Writer-director John Lee Hancock wisely lets the story speak for itself, and forgoes such manipulative trimmings as swelling orchestrations and cathartic speeches to wring an emotional response. Viewers might still get a little misty-eyed from time to time, but any tears emanate from the film's simple, innate power, rather than any sly machinations.

Hancock is no stranger to such material, having brought the same engaging, stand-up style to the popular Disney flick, 'The Rookie,' which focuses much more on baseball than 'The Blind Side' does on football. But the comparison is noteworthy, because both pictures break free from the constraining mold that sabotages many true-life sports yarns by concentrating on personal growth instead of – but not at the expense of – athletic success. Hancock makes sure we realize football didn't save Michael; the Tuohys did. And football doesn't define Michael either; the Tuohys' faith and love does, just as Michael's love helps define the Tuohys. Though it may be marketed as such, 'The Blind Side' isn’t really a story about an underprivileged kid who earns a collegiate scholarship and becomes a top NFL draft pick; it's a story about a caring family that widens its boundaries in an unusual way and changes a young man's life – just as he changes theirs – for the better.

Some have called 'The Blind Side' a "Christian" movie or an "Oprah" movie, and claim its appeal stems from white upper-middle-class guilt over not giving enough of ourselves, personally and monetarily, to the needy. Granted, most of us might not do what Leigh Anne and her family do in this film, yet watching their story play out, the argument goes, somehow eases our inherent sense of selfishness and inertia, and/or prompts a call to action. I say hogwash! (Actually, I say something a little more colorful, but we can't print it here.) Yes, there may be religious overtones in 'The Blind Side' (there's no denying it's a pretty miraculous tale), but only the viewer can make such a correlation if he or she chooses. (Let me tell you, there's no ray of light shining down on Leigh Anne like the one casting a heavenly glow on Glenn Close in 'The Natural.') And if the movie does motivate someone to get off their duff and make a difference in the community, then more power to it. But again, that's up to the individual, and most likely 98 percent of viewers will merely ingest the film's warmth, reflect on its goodness, and go back to their self-absorbed lives.

Inspirational movies are great as long as they don't try to shove their agenda down the audience's throat or slant situations to evoke specific emotional responses. 'The Blind Side' does neither of those things. What we see is what we get, and what we get is an entertaining, affecting, well-made movie whose appeal spans various age groups, backgrounds, and viewpoints. Like its admirable main character, it never tries to pull the wool over our eyes. And like its lead actress, it's a film that's almost impossible to dislike.