The Blind Side (2009)

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.

Director:

John Lee Hancock

Writers:

John Lee Hancock, Michael Lewis (book)

Stars:

Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Quinton Aaron

Won 1 Oscar. Another 6 wins & 22 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sandra Bullock	...	Leigh Anne Tuohy
Tim McGraw	...	Sean Tuohy
Quinton Aaron	...	Michael Oher
Jae Head	...	S.J. Tuohy
Lily Collins	...	Collins Tuohy
Ray McKinnon	...	Coach Cotton
Kim Dickens	...	Mrs. Boswell
Adriane Lenox	...	Denise Oher
Kathy Bates	...	Miss Sue
Catherine Dyer	...	Mrs. Smith
Andy Stahl	...	Principal Sandstrom
Tom Nowicki	...	Literature Teacher
Libby Whittemore	...	Sarcastic Teacher
Brian Hollan	...	Jay Collis
Melody Weintraub	...	History Teacher

Storyline

Based on the true story of Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy who take in a homeless teenage African-American, Michael "Big Mike" Oher. Michael has no idea who his father is and his mother is a drug addict. Michael has had little formal education and few skills to help him learn. Leigh Anne soon takes charge however, as is her nature, ensuring that the young man has every opportunity to succeed. When he expresses an interest in football, she goes all out to help him, including giving the coach a few ideas on how best to use Michael's skills. They not only provide him with a loving home, but hire a tutor to help him improve his grades to the point where he would qualify for an NCAA Division I athletic scholarship. Michael Oher was the first-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens in the 2009 NFL draft.

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Plot Keywords:

football | african american | left tackle | private school | ncaa | 

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Taglines:

Based on the extraordinary true story

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Sport

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for one scene involving brief violence, drug and sexual references

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [jp] Official site [us]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 November 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Un sueño posible

Filming Locations:

Agnes Scott College - 141 E. College Avenue, Decatur, Georgia, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$29,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£1,313,317 (UK) (26 March 2010)

Gross:

$255,950,375 (USA) (14 May 2010)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alcon Entertainment, Left Tackle Pictures, Zucker/Netter Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

129 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Just before Leigh Anne Tuohy enters the gymnasium before the volleyball game, she mentions Patrick Ramsey. In real life, Leigh Ann was an interior decorator for Patrick Ramsey, then a NFL quarterback for the Washington Redskins.

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Goofs

At the beginning of the scene when S.J. Tuohy films Michael Oher at football practice, an over-the-shoulder shot shows that the camcorder's screen is blank, indicating that the camera is off.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Leigh Anne Touhy: There's a moment of orderly silence before a football play begins. Players are in position, linemen are frozen, and anything is possible. Then, like a traffic accident, stuff begins to randomly collide. From the snap of the ball to the snap of the first bones, closer to 4 seconds than 5.
[video rewinds]
Leigh Anne Touhy: One-mississippi - Joe Theismann, the Redskins quarterback takes the snap and hands-off to his running mate. Two-mississippi - it's a trick play, a flea-flicker. And the running back ...
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in Chelsea Lately: Episode #6.68 (2012)

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Soundtracks

"Get Crazy"
Written by Dan DiPrima and Alex Marlowe
Performed by Zombie Bank feat. Red Rida
Courtesy of Snack Time

User Reviews

Skillful, compassionate and dignified portrayal of an amazing, true personal drama

I have just returned from seeing the blind side. I was pleasantly surprised by the movie, particularly it's more poignant moments. Yes, this is a sports story, yes this is a biopic, but it is also in large part an interpersonal drama. It is rare to see a movie these days that relies on drama to carry it-not special effects, lush historically accurate wardrobe, or astounding make up- just a story that resonates with the viewer. That this story is based on contemporary facts makes it all the more resonant. Events that might have been handled superficially, predictably or exploited for dramatic purposes were instead presented in a nuanced and profound manner. Michael's biological mother was portrayed with dignity and compassion. In short, the aspects of Michael's story that make it moving and inspiring were captured with skill and integrity. As for the negative feedback regarding this movie that began when the only the trailers were available - I think the comments might be more a reflection of the world view of the authors rather than a reflection of the quality of the movie or the reality of Michael's story. Some people think the movie "To Kill a Mockingbird" was a story about racism in the south, or that "The Crying Game" was a movie about the IRA - to me those were the settings for the drama, and not the drama itself. John Lee Hancock really bit off a lot when he took on this project-but as it turned out, it was not more than he could chew. Remember when Attorney General Eric Holder commented on how we were a nation of cowards when it came to openly discussing race? With this movie, Hancock has demonstrated he is not one of those cowards. He did not ignore the racial or class differences of the characters in this movie, and he avoided using the movie to make a social statement with the movie. He allowed these character attributes to be what they were in reality, and told the human drama in an effective and sensitive manner.