Very fortunate was I to be able to go and see this film. Thanks notSupermum and thanks http://www.seefilmfirst.com/.
What I didn't realise before going to see The Blindside is that it is a true story. This is perhaps what makes this award winning film even more extraordinary than it otherwise could have been.
Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) is an enormous young African American man with learning difficulties who has been bounced around from foster home to foster home all his life.
His friend's father manages to get him enrolled in a prestigious Christian school based on his athletic abilities. With no home to go to, it's a chance meeting with Leigh Anne Tuohy (Oscar winning Sandra Bullock) one night as he's walking aimlessly in the cold that changes the course of his life. It certainly changes the course of hers, for her thoughts, rather than Oher's, dominates the film.
Leigh Anne and her husband Sean (Tim McGraw) invite Mike to stay the night and when in the morning, he has gone, having folded up his bed sheets so neatly, they go after him and invite him to their Thanksgiving Celebrations and then to become a member of their family.
Bullock is great as the strong willed, ball breaking, compassionate mother who succeeds in getting her family to accept Big Mike and her wealthy friends to open their non liberal eyes a little to the wider society they live in. Kathy Bates is brilliant as the tutor Miss Sue, who's bought in to get Mike's grades up to university acceptance levels.
This is a feel good, glossy film. The 'blindside' is an American Football term but could just as easily refer to the subtle societal and racial divisions, the prejudice and cynicism of certain individuals, that underlie but certainly do not engulf John Lee Hancock's direction.
More of Mike's past would've been good but how do you navigate so much in so little time? Go see, go see! Tis good, tis good!
(Right, and now stiggers I shall take your take on it and clean it up to see if the journo course people will take it for their website!)
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OH, glad you went to see it and enjoyed it too! You know you can register on Seefilmfirst for future releases and previews? Just check the website. Thanks for the name check too. x
Yes, I've registered, all thanks to you mamma!! Hope you get to see some good ones too! x
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