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ENTERTAINMENT
Ca t h o l i c INi t i a t i v e fo r
Enl i g h t e n e d Mov i e App r e c i a t i o n
African-American teenager Michael Oher a.k.a Big
Mike (Quinton Aaron) feels outcast in a Christian
school due to variety of reasons from his low academic
qualification to his big body frame for his age, skin color
and being oddly silent apparently due to his complicated
childhood. When Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock) sees
Michael wandering in the street on one cold night, she invites
him to sleep over in the house with her family -- husband
Sean (Tim McGraw) and children SJ (Jae Head) and Collins
(Lily Collins). The generosity of Touhy family does not
end with overnight place of sleep for Michael but finding a
new family where he is loved and accepted. On discovery
of his niche in playing football, he gets the full support of
the Tuohy family to the point of going all the way to process
legal guardianship for him and get a tutor to improve
his academic profile. When Michael starts to make a name
in sports, tempting scholarship packages come to his plate
from different schools. However, when he finally chooses
Cast: Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Quinton Aaron, Jae
Head, Lily Collins
Director: John Lee Hancock
Producers: Gil Netter, Broderick Johnson, Andrew Kosove
Screenwriter: John Hancock
Music: Carter Burwell
Editor: Mark Livolsi
Genre: Drama
Cinematography: Alar Kivilo
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Location: USA
Running Time: 100 mins.
Technical Assessment: ••••
Moral Assessment:
CINEMA Rating: For viewers aged 13 and below with
parental guidance
one, those schools that he rejects make him believe that
Tuohy family's motivation for helping him is to influence
his decision for choice of school. After all those things done
for him by Tuohy family is Michael up to be cynical about
them, isolates himself and feels outcast again? How about
the promising sports career?
Based on the book Evolution of a Game, The Blind Side
offers an inspiring story complimented by excellent treatment
by the director and the casting that fits each character.
There are combined drama and comedy, conventional and
unconventional family settings, and theme of social relevance.
The lines are meaningful and put to life by good portrayal
of the actors especially Bullock. The cinematography captured
the settings for a good production design to establish
highlight of each scene. Overall, film The Blind Side is way
above in the technical aspects and keep up to the essence of
a very good story.
The film shows that an act of kindness cannot be contained,
there is overflow. Leigh Anne influenced others
primarily her family then the coach, the teachers and school
officials to extend kindness to Michael, and this creates
a pleasant environment for everybody. It brings positive
change not only to the recipient but also to the giver. The
film projects both a strong and soft woman in the character
of Leigh Anne, an understanding and supportive husband,
obedient and loving children to their parents. The film is also
a good reminder for key people in the schools, sports, law
enforcer of their responsibility to make or unmake a person
especially at a young age. Rather to look at each young
person as an opportunity to see potentials of good citizens
in the making. Whilst the story is about Michael, the key
messages to address the moral dimension are found in the
people around him. Overall the film offers a lot of positive
values not only in the family situation but throughout the
school, community and society at large.
30
IMPACT • February 2010