They don't make feel-good movies like this anymore, and it's about time that they did.

Rating: 9/10 (21 December 2009)

One of the ironic things about "The Blind Side" is that it's a feel-good movie that is too good to be true, but in this case, it actually is a good movie that happens to be based on a true story. Many people going into this movie are not going to have an idea in hell that this movie is actually based on a true story, but those people are only going for a reason and one reason only, and that is to see Sandra Bullock put on the best performance of her career. The performance she puts on is the likes of what Julia Roberts did with "Erin Brockovich." It's that good.
You will also be glad to know that not only does Sandra Bullock put on one hell of the show, but so does the entire cast. It's a rare feat to see in any movie. Frankly, I've never seen Sandra Bullock like this before, because for one, she's embodied a character fully and completely, and secondly, she's not the center of attention. It's a nice change. I also failed to recognize that Tim McGraw played a pivotal role in this film. That's what makes a really good movie, is that you are so enveloped in the characters that you forgot (let alone don't even know) who is portraying them. It makes everything feel real.
This film is not along the lines of "Remember The Titans". Yes, it does have it's scenes of football games, and the players around it, and it does tend to drag just a little bit, but while the film is a feel-good movie, it doesn't overdo it one bit like "Titans" did. In fact, I can't stand watching "Remember The Titans" again, either because every teacher in my high school had a copy of it on VHS and played it at least weekly, or of its excessively overdone feel-good story. "The Blind Side" should be awarded with multiple viewings, and has a good balance of light and dark, and an overall sense of realism.
However, there are places in the movie where you can tell some bad things are going to happen, and of course, they do, and that is my only complaint is that maybe that director and writer John Lee Hancock made it too obvious. Still, it doesn't drag this movie down, and once things play out, it is a rewarding viewing experience. The movie isn't without its PG-13 rating though, it's obvious because of the dark drug-related material and the antagonists, even if both do play very small roles.
But I have to say it again: This is the performance of Sandra Bullocks career, and I will be disappointed if she doesn't take home at least a Golden Globe award this year. But this is not the reason you should see "The Blind Side". You should see it because of the moving story, the strong cast, and the diverse characters that they play. What else could you ask for? Another really positive thought on this movie is that the director has made a movie for all audiences, not just blue-collar audiences. The characters, while religiously conservative and based in the south, do not adhere to hypocrisy. Neither do they bash each other with politics or religion. These are very good people, and they mean well, and they try their best to do things well. It just goes to show you that religious denominations or political affiliations are not what define you. It's who you are that defines you.
They don't make feel-good movies like this anymore, and it's about damn time that they did.