CINEMA: The Blind Side
We all love a good old triumph over tragedy story.
Especially those in Hollywood, including the and the Academy, where films depicting paraplegics, alcoholics or those with mental problems who go on to overcome their disabilities or problems regularly win the top gongs.
So, no surprise then that Sandra Bullock won the Oscar for Best Actress this year for her portrayal of feisty white woman Leigh Anne Tuohy who takes a troubled black teenager (Quinton Aaron) into her home and raises him like her own son. He goes on to become an all-American football star, learning to call Leigh Anne ‘mom’.
There’s something very old-fashioned about the film’s structure as we chronologically follow Leigh Anne from the first time she sees mountainous Michael (Aaron) as he’s walking along on a freezing night in nothing more than a t-shirt and shorts, takes him home and slowly helps him to integrate into her family. Michael’s journey from destitute loner to star American football player is meant to be uplifting and so it proves to be although in pretty predictable fashion.
However, there are three things about the movie that do raise it above the standard of usual inspirational movie fodder; three rather wonderful performances. Yes, Bullock really is good here playing against her usual casting (and with blonde hair) with real pep and vim behind her WASP exterior. Then there’s Quinton Aaron who plays gentle giant Michael with great humility and humanity.
Finally, the real accolades must go to Jae Head who plays Leigh Anne’s 10-year-old son S.J. who looks up to Michael as to an older brother, not only becoming his friend but also a mentor to the much bigger boy. The scenes of S.J. negotiating Michael’s contract with seasoned agents are some of the best in the film.
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Author: Dee Pilgrim
Dee always knew she wanted to make her living from writing and so trained as a journalist before working for a variety of music and women’s titles including Sounds, Company, Cosmopolitan, Ms London, New Woman, and Girl About Town. After going freelance she concentrated on celebrity interviews and film, theatre, music and restaurant reviews. Her love of film goes back to her very first cinema experience at the age of five when her mother took her to see Bambi. She cried. At one time she was the Film Editor for NOW magazine and also the secretary for the film section of the Critics’ Circle and the celebrity coordinator for its annual film awards’ event. She has written a number of books for teenagers through Trotman Publishing, including five Real Life Guides to vocational careers (including Carpentry, Plumbing and Catering), and also three books on Real Life Issues (Money, Bereavement and Self Harm). Her favourite film is still Bladerunner.
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