Calvin’s Hub

I just saw this film last night with my wife after hearing nothing but praises about it the past couple of weeks. It truly is! It’s a heartwarming film that reminds me of The Green Mile… gentle giants touching the lives of people in an extraordinary way.

The Blind Side is based on a book by Michael Lewis with the same title which in turn is based on the true story of Michael “Big Mike” Oher, a big, traumatized and homeless kid from the projects with an addict of a mom but was given a chance by a caring family to excel in life. In Oher’s case, he made the honor roll during college and is now playing in the NFL for the Baltimore Ravens.

The film is led by Sandra Bullock as Leigh Anne Tuohy, a well-to-do mother of two who took notice of Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) one night trying to look for a warm place to stay. She invited him to sleep on their couch for the night which eventually led to how Michael touched the lives of her family.

I won’t spoil much but there are a lot of circumstances in Michael’s life that made his story special. He didn’t do well in school during his childhood, he transferred from one foster home to another, and being big and black made it uneasy for him to attend a pre-dominantly white school yet with the affection and care shown to him by the Tuohy’s made him succeed in life which is a true inspiration to everyone.

Acting here is top-notch especially for the usually-bland Sandra Bullock. In fact, she won Best Actress at the Golden Globe and the 2010 SAG Awards for this film. You’re going to love Jae Head here as Tuohy’s son, SJ, and Michael’s friend.

There’s nothing bad I can say about this film. The screenplay, the pace, the humor and the amount of drama is just right for me.

Why Blind Side you say? The Blind Side refers to the side opposite the direction a player (usually the quarterback) is facing. It’s up to the tackle to protect the quarterback’s blind side and with Oher’s built, he was a sought-after recruit in the country in his senior year in high school.

Verdict: 5 out of 5 stars. Yep, it’s that good. One of the best drama films I’ve seen in years. It may not end up in your DVD collection but it’s still a must-see film.

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