A Hollywood-ized version of an inspirational true story

Rating: 7/10 (25 September 2010)

"The Blind Side" tells the true story of Michael Oher, a recent first round NFL draft choice whose path to the pros was fraught with adversity. As a homeless teenager he is taken in by a woman and her family who help him to succeed both academically and on the football field.
The story as presented in the film is compelling but it also bears the unmistakable imprint of Hollywood at every turn. The feel-good, inspirational plot points often seem too good to be true and, from what I've read, many (unsurprisingly) aren't true. Moreover, the Tuohy family life is portrayed as little short of idyllic and their clan even includes a precocious youngster. More troubling than these manufactured elements, though, is the fact that the script seems to treat Oher as little more than a prop, never giving us much of a glimpse into his personality.
As for the acting, Sandra Bullock was rewarded with an Oscar for her performance as Leigh Anne Tuohy, the woman who takes Oher under her wing. As always, she's a likable presence and this is probably her best performance to date. Quinton Aaron plays Michael Oher, giving what I suppose is a decent performance, though it's hard to say since the character is pretty flat. The rest of the cast, which includes Tim McGraw and Kathy Bates, is up to par.
On the technical side of things, the film shows polish but not much character. The direction and score are both solid but forgettable.
In the end, the appeal of the "The Blind Side" is somewhat paradoxical. The film has all the hallmarks of a cookie-cutter Hollywood production yet it hits its targets so accurately that one can't help but get caught up in the story. Thus, the film is hard to dislike, even though it's not without its problems.