Sandra Bullock is unquestionably a good actress, but she’s inclined to make questionable career decisions, with the recent All About Steve being just the latest example. However, despite her initial reluctance to do The Blind Side, her ultimate decision was fully justified with the thoroughly enjoyable result being one of her strongest performances. Her hesitance came from a fear that the true-life story of a wealthy white family from Tennessee who take in a homeless black teenager, was so extraordinary that she would only succeed in ruining it.
It says much for the modesty and unwarranted self-doubt of the top line star, who chooses to live away from Hollywood, preferring instead the down home pragmatism of Texas. And it’s Bullock’s common touch that makes her perfect for the role of Leigh Anne Touhy, a ballsy mother of two with a penchant for Prada and an inability to accept “no” for an answer. If her character had been dreamt up, few would find her plausible, but Leigh Anne’s blunt manner, unyielding determination and ineffable charm, make her a force of nature to be reckoned with and the source of energy that drives The Blind Side towards its stirring climax.
Living what appears the perfect life in a Memphis mansion, Leigh Anne is married to the easy going and enduringly patient Sean, played with an engaging ease by country singer Tim McGraw, who owns a string of fast food restaurants. They have two kids, the teenage daughter Collins (Lily Collins) and her precocious younger brother S. J. (Jae Head). One evening, the family is out driving when they see the bedraggled and oversized figure of the Tuoy children’s school colleague “Big” Mike (Quinton Aaron) wandering the streets. When confronted by Leigh Anne, Michael Oher reveals he’s going to the school gym for shelter and to sleep. With little hesitation she invites Michael to spend the night at their home.
For Michael, the son of a crack-addicted mum and unknown dad, who was brought up in one of Memphis’ roughest neighborhoods, the night in the Oher’s house was the 18-year-old’s first in a bed. The night turns into weeks, and before long the soft-spoken gentle giant has become part of the family. And with that, Leigh Anne’s paternal instincts kick into overdrive as she sets about helping the underprivileged Michael fulfill his natural ability as a sportsman, in particular using his large size to excel at American Football.
Based on Michael Lewis’ book, The Blind Side is written and directed by John Lee Hancock who also helmed another excellent sports story, The Rookie. And although The Blind Side does involve some sporting elements, it’s less about sports than it is about humanity and in particular, one woman’s ability to dismiss conventions and prejudice. It shows, with a rich vein of humour and an admirable lack of sentiment, that with determination, courage and a huge heart, anything is possible.
Kevin Murphy
