The football movie “The Blind Side” continues to rake in at the box office. At last look, it had passed the $225 million mark and was still going strong, long since its Nov. 20, 2009 release. It’s quite the small-movie phenom of the year, fueled by its amazing and true rags-to-riches story and its evangelical backing. About a big African American kid, one of 12 in his family, whose early years are horrific growing up on the rough side of Memphis, with a crack-addicted mother, and a father he doesn’t know. In and out of foster homes, “Big Mike” is intermittently homeless and sleeping on the couches of acquaintances when he can, one of whom takes him to a private Christian high school, which enrolls him on the athletic coach’s word. On a snowy night, walking back to school in shorts, Mike catches the eye of a rich white family that takes him in and helps him with school and to play football. He comes to play left tackle, protecting the quarterback’s “blind side” with such skill and power, that he draws the attention of college coaches who come clamoring to have him play.
The movie is a feel-good experience, with a wholesome view of the family and life that adopts Mike. Sandra Bullock, as the no nonsense mom who shepherds Mike, and country singer Tim McGraw play the parents. It’s definitely a good, strong character for Bullock, who plays it well. The movie is enjoyable, combining nice family and sports scenes in Mike’s rise out of his circumstances. Though I found it rather sugary, and a bit Disney like, it still is an inspiring a story. It seems Mike is made a bit simplistic in the movie, docile with a low IQ, and parts of the gritty stuff and prejudices seemed airbrushed lightly over. Still the photos of the real people at the end of the movie lend to its strength as a true story; that Mike Oher went on to play offensive tackle this year as a rookie for the Baltimore Ravens is amazing. See this recent New York Times story.
Interesting to note, Oher said he mostly liked the movie but said his character was portrayed as too stupid and his football skills were misrepresented in it though he didn’t elaborate. (He did go on to make the Honor Roll at Ole Miss a couple times.) Oher doesn’t seem to care a lot about the fuss over “Blind Side,” which was based on the 2006 bestselling book by Michael Lewis. Apparently the film’s budget was a mere $29 million, which Sandra Bullock took a pay cut for and agreed instead to receive a percentage of the profits. Seems like a bright idea now.
