The Blind Side (2009) Review

 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.

Well I had been looking forward to seeing this movie for such a long time now and have to admit that I am not amused about the long wait to see it in the UK. Surely they could have got it released before the Oscars, as watching something that has already been honored at the Oscars makes it harder for you to give the film a fair chance. Or at least that’s how I felt. Having known that Sandra Bullock won her Oscar for this film, it really makes you want her performance to be out of this world so it has to be better than if you saw it before the Oscars? Well that’s how I felt.

The film was very sad with a lot of “awwww” moments in which you really felt sorry for Michael who had a deprived childhood and life. Lee Anne (Sandra Bullock) takes Mike in one night and starts to really care about him making him part of the family. They help him with school and getting his grades up this leads to Mike being allowed to try out for the school Football team. It was very nice to see how the family really took Michael in and really welcomed him. SJ the young boy was just brilliant and so funny with the lines he got.

Sandra Bullock really did deliver a fantastic performance, very believable in the role and wanting to help Michael. She pretty much dominated anyone she was on-screen with. Pulling around the football players when explaining to Michael that he has to pretend that it is her he is protecting or the rest of their family when tackling. Telling the coach how to do is job, and in general being bossy towards everyone around her.

With most sport films I love to see how someones life can be changed depending on how involved they became in the sport. The team they are in becoming a family to them, that is something I liked a lot about this film. Michael becoming part of the football team and being told he had to protect his fellow players as if it was his family.

The film really did have such sad moments, involving Michael when he was at school and struggling as he did not really know anything in the different subjects and struggled to read. His mother never really cared for him or attempted to look after him. The scene between Lee Anne and his mother was quite heartbreaking especially when his mother could not even remember who Michael’s father really was.

While the film had its very sad and quite heart breaking moments it also had some very funny and amusing exchanges from a few of the characters. Giving the film a very nice feel to it at times lightening the mood. Throughout the film you have to keep remembering that this is based on a true story.

Michael really did have his life turned around by a brilliant family caring for him and welcoming him as one of their own. Helping him get into college and play football. He even went onto play pro by being picked in the 2009 NFL draft. I have to admit that I did not realise that it was only last year he was drafted until we saw real footage at the end of the film.

It was rather inspirational to watch this film and realise that people really do care and will often strive to help out someone who is in need.