Blind Side delivers hard-hitting performances

By Jackie Ammons     12/3/09 6:00pm

In response to those who attempt to trivialize sports, proponents point to the range of emotions found within the sporting spectrum, highlighting especially those of indomitable spirit and underdog status. Hollywood has taken note. From the timeless Rudy to the near-decade-old (can you believe it?) Remember the Titans, moviemakers salivate over a sports tale of David trouncing Goliath, whether in society or on the field.

The Blind Side, as entertaining as it is inspiring, could fit stride-for-stride into this canon. And that's not necessarily a bad thing, though one might find the syrupy, soft edge of these movies a tad trite. Fortunately, Sandra Bullock's acting and a fantastic screenplay take the The Blind Side beyond the realm of feel-goodness and into a higher league.

Based on Michael Lewis' best-seller The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, the film centers on the life of NFL player Michael Oher (Be Kind Rewind's Quinton Aaron) - also known as Big Mike - and the family that helps him overcome his tragic childhood.

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Perhaps the strongest force in Michael's life is his adopted mother, Leigh Anne Tuohy (The Proposal's Bullock). She is a strong, stubborn Southern woman armed with a fiery tongue and a Chanel purse.

A mother of two children (Hancock's Jae Head and 90210's Lily Collins), Leigh Anne, and her husband Sean (Flicka's Tim McGraw) take in Michael, a homeless teenager who has been stranded by a murdered father and a crack-addict mother. With their support and the help of the local high school football coach (The Last Lullaby's Ray McKinnon) and Oher's personal tutor (Personal Effects' Kathy Bates), the overgrown lineman plays his first game of football, graduates from high school and receives a football scholarship from Ole Miss.

The film may be based on the real-life triumphs of Oher, who was drafted into the NFL last spring, but Bullock is the real star of this film. Long held back from true greatness, Bullock brings perhaps her best performance in The Blind Side, surpassing even her Academy Award-winning role in 2004's Crash. She plays the strong-willed Leigh Anne with grace and determination that push this already-inspiring story to even greater heights.

McGraw should also be applauded for his dexterous crossover from the country music arena to the big screen. In The Blind Side, he plays the role of Leigh Anne's husband with the ease and seriousness the role requires.

Head's role as Taylor's kid brother adds charming comic relief to this film, which occasionally leans toward the staid side. His character's chatty personality and tiny body play excellent - and often entertaining - foils to Oher's quiet nature and massive frame.

The Blind Side's story in and of itself is truly inspiring. It isn't melodramatic, and it isn't corny: Director John Lee Hancock (The Rookie,) and Lewis, who helped Hancock write the screenplay, separate The Blind Side from the rest of the run-of-the-mill pack.

Perhaps it's the acting. Perhaps it's the writing. Perhaps it's the lack of sugary, over-the-top speeches that are genre staples. Or perhaps it's the near-perfect blend of all three, creating a remarkable, heart-warming tale that should keep you warm through the winter's chill.

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