Sweet Without Being Maudlin

Rating: 7/10 (2 October 2011)

I have always disliked Sandra Bullock with "dislike" being the most polite word I can come up with among the rather ample stable of pejoratives that come to mind when looking over her past work. Add to this the fact that I'm almost embarrassed to glow over this type of movie which is like a glorified after-school special. I read a few reviews on IMDb of the film before I watched it and something someone said sort of stuck and I had an altered approach to the viewing. The Blind Side is almost relentlessly upbeat and Pollyannaish. You could say the same thing about The Beatles "All You Need is Love" and not many people mock that song. They director manages to be unmercifully sweet without it every being corny or maudlin. It helps when whatever message you have decided to deliver is served with a heavy dose of humor. You can get away with a lot of sermonizing if you disguise it with a few jokes.
What struck me about the movie, and something I thoroughly appreciated, was that race wasn't anywhere near the biggest issue. I would also rate this film as more of a comedy than a sports movie or anything else. It was truly funny.
I'm sure that this movie has zero to do with the actual events of the lives of the people it claims to represent but it's a damn movie, people. If this movie wasn't political enough for you, or you thought that it condescended to the adopted black boy and that he served as basically a family pet then perhaps you should remember that this wasn't intended as a documentary. It's a movie, folks.