Uplifting But Often Cliché Story

Rating: 7/10 (31 January 2010)

Based on true events, The Blind Side chronicles the story of Michael Oher, a homeless boy who, as a result of the kindness of a caring woman and her family, becomes an all American football player. Sandra Bullock delivers a performance that's miles away from her typical portrayals (Miss Congeniality, etc.) and with it has positioned herself as an Oscar favorite. The movie, however uplifting and celebratory it is, seems to miss the mark in a few places. It has come to light that Michael Oher is not as dumb as the film makes him out to be. It appears that the filmmakers took some liberty here in order to make the transformation of Oher look more astounding. Also, much of the writing is classic "feel-good movie" writing. There are certain lines and plot points that you just know are going to come back around in the story, making it somewhat predictable. I would have liked to see the filmmakers not resort to such cliché dialogue. The movie is entertaining despite it being fairly slow in the beginning. It's not among the year's best but it's worth seeing for those who enjoy a heartwarming story.