#41 "The Blind Side"

Stats: 2009. Starring Sandra Bullock, Quinton Aaron, Tim McGraw. PG-13. Based on a true story.

Background: I saw—and loved—The Blind Side when it was in theaters last year. I enjoyed it so much that I bought it right after it came out on dvd, which I rarely do because of the price drop dvds usually take within a year of their release. Soon after I bought it, I overheard my mom exclaiming to my aunt, “I love The Blind Side!” Since she hadn’t actually seen it, I thought we should sit down together and watch it. (She was right, even if her declaration was premature—she did love it!)

Plot: When Leigh Anne Tuohy realizes Michael Oher, a young man who attends her children’s school, doesn’t have any place to call home, she invites him to stay at their house for the night. That night turns into much more as Michael ends up joining the Tuohy family. The Blind Side, which is based on a true story, traces Michael’s and the Tuohy’s story from the time Michael begins attending the same school as the Tuohy children until he goes to college. It’s an inspiring and heart-warming story that, yes, made me choke up a bit.

Reactions: In my humble opinion, Sandra Bullock totally deserved her Oscar for this role. She absolutely became Leigh Anne Tuohy. Normally, when I see a Sandra Bullock movie, I still think of her as Sandra Bullock. (Not to say that’s a bad thing—I absolutely love Sandra Bullock movies. She is in my favorite movie of all time, after all!) But in The Blind Side, I actually forgot that she was the lead actress. Tim McGraw was virtually unrecognizable in his role as Sean Tuohy. (At least, I didn’t recognize him. But then I wouldn’t call myself a hardcore country fan, either.) And Quinton Aaron is absolutely phenomenal as Michael Oher. Fantastic performances coupled with a fantastic story result in a fantastic movie. Can you tell I liked it?

Verdict: Keep