Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
The story of Michael Oher, a homeless and traumatized boy who became an All American football player and first round NFL draft pick with the help of a caring woman and her family.
The Blind Side is a competent, feel-good true story that benefits from Sandra Bullock's Oscar-winning performance giving it more energy than the material might otherwise sustain. The plot follows a fairly predictable uplift-through-kindness arc with little subversion or complexity, and the filmmaking is functional but unremarkable visually. Its novelty is limited — the 'affluent family rescues disadvantaged youth' sports drama is well-trodden territory, and the film does little to distinguish its execution beyond Bullock's charisma. The ending is satisfying and emotionally resonant in a conventional way, closing the inspirational loop effectively for its audience.