The Blind Side

I must confess I was weeping 5 minutes into the movie and that's unusual for me. I had read the book and in the book nothing is that black or that white for that matter, but this is as movie and as a movie it works. I was expecting commercial interruptions every few minutes, the film felt so much like a TV movie. But that is not necessarily a bad thing. The Michael Oher story had to be told even with the poetic licenses that the film takes, shamelessly. Sandra Bullock plays herself beautifully as always and her character with all her saintly stern, southern modern American woman could not move away too far from "Miss Congeniality". But it works and at the end of the day, after paying the prices one pays at the box office, it's almost enough. Why they had to ruin it with an Oscar nomination? The nomination makes you look for something in her performance that clearly isn't there. If you go to a Sandra Bullock movie, the quality of the movie may vary but she is always terrific, playing that Sandra Bullock character. Good for her.

I've been reading lot of horrible comments that are based solely on the issues surrounding the movie rather than the movie itself. I wasn't excited to see this movie, I'm not interested in sports at all. The movie kept my attention though and well. It moved along quickly and pulled me into the story and left me feeling inspired. I wasn't excited to see a blonde sandy bullock in a sports movie, I think that's what might have turned me off the most, but she did really good job! It's rare to see a movie where there's a really strong lead female character. Whether you like Leigh Anne Touhy or not in the end, she is certainly entertaining and Sandra Bullock does a great job of bringing her onto the screen. The youngest son did an amazing job! So much talent in him. The character of Mike I think could have used a few more lines, even if he's supposed to be shy and reserved. All the actors really did a great job though for the most part. No it's not an epic Oscar winning film, although I wouldn't be surprised if Bullock got nominated for something for her acting. It is NOT loaded with propaganda as the other reviews might suggest. It's a light entertaining pick me up film that would be an excellent choice to bring the family to, most likely the reason why they released it over the Holidays.

I have just returned from seeing the blind side. I was pleasantly surprised by the movie, particularly it's more poignant moments. Yes, this is a sports story, yes this is a biopic, but it is also in large part an interpersonal drama. It is rare to see a movie these days that relies on drama to carry it-not special effects, lush historically accurate wardrobe, or astounding make up- just a story that resonates with the viewer. That this story is based on contemporary facts makes it all the more resonant. Events that might have been handled superficially, predictably or exploited for dramatic purposes were instead presented in a nuanced and profound manner. Michael's biological mother was portrayed with dignity and compassion. In short, the aspects of Michael's story that make it moving and inspiring were captured with skill and integrity. As for the negative feedback regarding this movie that began when the only the trailers were available - I think the comments might be more a reflection of the world view of the authors rather than a reflection of the quality of the movie or the reality of Michael's story. Some people think the movie "To Kill a Mockingbird" was a story about racism in the south, or that "The Crying Game" was a movie about the IRA - to me those were the settings for the drama, and not the drama itself. John Lee Hancock really bit off a lot when he took on this project-but as it turned out, it was not more than he could chew. Remember when Attorney General Eric Holder commented on how we were a nation of cowards when it came to openly discussing race? With this movie, Hancock has demonstrated he is not one of those cowards. He did not ignore the racial or class differences of the characters in this movie, and he avoided using the movie to make a social statement with the movie. He allowed these character attributes to be what they were in reality, and told the human drama in an effective and sensitive manner.

Just watched this after reading a news article in the entertainment section of an online newspaper and thought I'd look it up.

Went onto YouTube because the newspaper's video clip wouldn't work, YouTube didn't let me down and I was able to watch a clip.

I have to admit that although I have enjoyed all the films that Sandra Bullock has made and have a bit of a soft spot for her, which means that I will watch anything that she is in, I've always thought of her as a bit of an acting lightweight, always seeming to be in those slightly off, quirky type of acting roles in the films she's appeared in.

In The Blind Side she's had me change my view of her as an actress, as in this film we get to see her really act seriously, making the role her own and showing that she can really act.

Her character is so believable and I so hope true to life of the real person that she was playing in the film - and to me showed a different side to her acting talent that really up until now I haven't really seen before.

This film is worth watching for the story and all the great acting in the film from all concerned.

If you have a couple of hours to spare this film is well worth the time to watch and enjoy and end up feeling warm and cosy by the end :)

I don't usually feel the need to leave comments, but this movie was just to well done not to. I went in expecting more football, more hits & highlights & as a huge football fan that was one of the main draws of the movie. The football actually takes a back seat to a wonderful story that is well executed by everyone involved. I've always thought Sandra Bulluck has been over-rated, but she nails this role & deserves some recognition down the road. The movie is so fantastic that anyone and everyone can relate and feel connected to the characters. The ideal target audience for this movie is children and adults alike. This movie should be an Oscar contender but I know these types of movies rarely ever win. Definitely deserves my vote!