A Movie That is More Than the Box Score

Rating: 9/10 (30 March 2010)

The Blind Side is a film about Michael Oher and his inspirational journey in overcoming adversity, turmoil and an uncertain future. I am not that big on writing reviews of movies especially movies such as the feel good sports one because they all end the same, but for some reason this movie struck a different cord in me. The reason was because the movie focused more on the path to him achieving greatness then just him being good at football. It showed him rise above his GPA of .06 to succeeding to the Dean's list in college. Being a college student myself I can say that in just doing that there should have been enough to have a movie after him, not including the broke past of a drug addicted mother and gang affiliated friends that was leading him towards the short lived life of crime. Obviously the acting was superb, especially Sandra Bullock, but my main focus was on Michael's character. He brought a sense of innocence to the movie that I think can be lost in the script. He brought to his performance emotions that the audience can relate to, especially the depressing and hopeless ones. I think that many people have felt these emotions in their own life, where they think they cannot go on. His performance gives hope and courage to people and show them that they can be lifted above these vices that stain their past. To see the courage in his eyes and the slow smiles when he knew life can change is something that I personally hope everyone can relate to. Slowing know that not only is your life changing but it is because of you is something money could not buy him. The clothes and car was just a material plus but looking past the big and tall shirts and shorts is a man who did it himself and changed his own life.
As an avid movie watcher I would have to rank this on my top ten SPORTS movies just because of the different direction it took. It didn't just focus on the sports aspect but showed his courage to let someone, a total stranger, help him. It showed us to have the courage to take control of our own life because many times people feel as if everyone else just dictates us what to do. It shows us that family is not always the people you are related to, family is the people who love you and care for you regardless of the past or the present. Finally the movie shows that they are people in this world that do good for others regardless of the social norms but instead because it is the right thing to do. In the end doing the right thing can not only change others lives but yours as well.
In closing take what you want from this review but I thought it was not an underrated movie. Though will say that I was skeptical at first, Sandra Bullock did deserve that Oscar because she did more than just read the lines, she captured something that can easily be forgotten. She captured the sense that love and support can surpass any terrible thing past or present and lift us up to places that we thought we could never reach.