A very American (and inspirational) story

Rating: Null/10 (7 April 2011)

This is not a film which is going to play well outside of the United States. It is the true story of how a tough Memphis mother in a wealthy family (Sandra Bullock as Leigh Anne Tuohy) befriends a huge, homeless and ill-educated black man (Quinton Aaron as Michael Oher), enabling him ultimately to become a highly successfully professional American football player. Of course, outside the USA, few people will have heard of Oher or have much interest in American football. Even the title - a footballing term - is unhelpful. Furthermore, as a narrative, it has the additional problems of being slow and lacking dramatic tension.
Having said all this, it is a fine performance by Bullock who has to adopt a Southern accent for a role which sees her playing a much more assertive and less cute character than is usually her wont. It won her the Academy Award for Best Actress. And, in its own way, the tale is inspirational, showing that with some tender loving care (and in this case a lot of money) the most unlikely and ill-equipped can be enabled to succeed.