A Movie Worthy of Your Ovation

A part of me didn’t want it to be good. I think I almost didn’t want to like it. It would have been easier. Easier to not have to go through the whole reevaluation process. Easier to simply know that I just don’t like her movies and therefore don’t have to watch them. And certainly don’t have to take up an entire week’s worth of blogging to talk about one. But then she had to go and win an Academy Award and force my inevitable reconsideration. I just never thought I’d see the day when I would not find one of her movies anything other than completely cloying. I never thought I’d see the day when I would really and truly whole-heartedly recommend one of her movies to you. I certainly never imagined I’d see the day when I would actually type the words “Academy Award winner Sandra Bullock.” Well bust my buttons, by George, for I was wrong and that very day has come.

The Blind Side is an inspirational, feel-good movie that avoids all of the clichés and various other problems that usually make me avoid inspirational, feel-good movies. There are no unnecessary subplots, no character turned cardboard cutout villain to encourage forced conflict, no added sugar for extra sweetness. In my experience, you might just as well hook an IV drip of sucrose up to your arm as sit through one of these usually sappy excuses for entertainment. The Blind Side is just not one of them. This is simply a really good movie, with a good story to tell and excellent acting that wins our affection by earning our smiles and tears rather than stealing them from us. The true story of Michael Oher and how he came to live with the Tuohy family, survive high school and eventually play football for Ole Miss makes for a compelling and enjoyable movie-watching experience. A story that could have easily slipped into cheap emotional trickery and preachiness, The Blind Side succeeds by maintaining throughout its running time a note of absolute sincerity.

Aside from Nick Saban, who gives a comically bad performance in a cameo appearance as himself (you can almost see his eyes moving back and forth as he reads his dialogue off the cue card), the acting is universally first-rate. Tim McGraw as Sean Tuohy, the supportive husband who knows from years of experience what every one of his wife’s looks means, was an inspired bit of casting. By his second scene, I had all but forgotten that I was watching a famous country singer up there on the screen. Quinton Aaron gives a solid and likable performance as Michael Oher. Although he is frequently forced to act in Bullock’s rather significant shadow, his impressive and natural chemistry with the actress ensures that his performance never the less shines through. Jae Head is a lot of fun as S.J., the Tuohy’s young son, who immediately takes to his new role as Michael Oher’s little brother. And Lily Collins offers great support as the teenage daughter who shows a lot of maturity in her ability to see beyond the cruel words that can come out of the mouths of judgmental adolescents.

As for my new friend Sandra Bullock, well, she simply gives a terrific, star re-making performance that guides this movie far away from predictability and right on into sheer likeability. Now, this is not a knock-you-off-your-feet, earth-shaking kind of performance. You will not once forget that you are watching Sandra Bullock playing a part. That is, mind you, not a bad thing here. Leigh Anne Tuohy is for Sandra Bullock what Erin Brockovich was for Julia Roberts. Merely a perfect match between character and actor. I don’t know any other way to put it. I absolutely loved her in this role. In fact, this performance is so good, it goes a long way in helping me in the still ongoing erasure from my memories of any trace of reminder that I have ever seen Speed 2 and both Miss Congenialities. I sincerely hope Ms. Bullock has a lot more movies like The Blind Side in her future.

And so, yes, I was short-sighted and arrogant and I apologize. For there is indeed a Sandra Bullock movie out there that is every bit as worthy of a recommendation as every other movie I’ve promoted on this blog. I guess you could say this one just sort of…blind-sided me. And there goes the remainder of my credibility. Oh well. The Blind Side. If you haven’t already, see it.

Until next week, here is my hope that we all find our Shangri-La. Good night.