Review: The Blind Side

Sandra Bullock hasn't had the most consistent track record in recent years. For every Infamous, she's got an All About Steve and The Proposal. It's frustrating, because she has it in her to be an impressive actress.  Thankfully, she did The Blind Side with John Lee Hancock to even out the balance.

This "football is salvation" film opens with an explanation of football with a voiceover by Bullock. It seems like a gimmick, but it actually sets up the story well, and underscores Bullock's portrayal of the real-life woman, Leigh Anne Touhy.  It's a case of the truth being stranger than fiction; few would accept this story if it weren't based on the real-life story of NFL player Michael Oher, as adapted from Michael Lewis's book, The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game. 

Touhy is a Steel Magnolia of the first order. A wealthy designer and a lady who lunches, at first glance she's domineering, interfering and privileged. But that's just the surface. Michael Oher is a homeless teen who'd been admitted to her children's private school. A chance encounter not only results in Michael spending one night, but many, because she just can't stay uninvolved.

There are many obligatory familiar moments any feel-good family-drama must include, and The Blind Side doesn't shy away from them. Touhy's family consists of a loving husband who lets his wife take center stage (Tim McGraw), a teenage daughter on the cheerleading squad (Lily Collins), and a scrappy, smartmouthed little boy (Jae Head).  Fortunately, director John Lee Hancock (Alamo, The Rookie) sidesteps the sugar overload with some genuine substance.   There's quite a few sprinkling ofs "it's the Christian thing to do" as if any religion has exclusive rights to charitable acts, but thankfully they taper off after the first half of the film, and it's not unbearable. The story focuses on the relationships, and allows them to develop naturally. It's not an overnight transformation, but a gradual one.  

Bullock shines in the role, managing some nuances she hasn't made on film in quite some time. There's a maturity as well as vulnerability in her performance that's refreshing, and very welcome. At first Bullock's accent seems overly affected, but hearing Touhy's real voice and cadence, Bullock has her down pat. Her best moments are when she tampers her emotions. It's a performance that will remind people of why Bullock became a star. One scene worthy of a full-price ticket is with Oher's mother. It's a tribute to Bullock's acting chops, as well as Hancock's direction.

Quinton Aaron deserves a lot of credit for the film as well -- he's got great chemistry with all the cast. His scenes with Head (as SJ, the young son) are fun, and he is equally awed and equal to Bullock's Touhy. He's often quiet, but as he spends more time in the Touhy household, his walls dissolve and his sly sense of humor comes out. 

Being a true story, much of The Blind Side is predictable, but it's the moments that stray from the usual paths that make The Blind Side a film that stands out as a guiltless pleasure.