'The Blind Side' scores with audiences

Cast: Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Quinton Aaron and Kathy Bates

Based on the Book "The Blind Side: Evolution of the Game" by Michael Lewis

Written and Directed by John Lee Hancock

Release Date: 20 November 2009

Genre: Drama / Sport

MPAA: PG-13 - Parents Strongly Cautioned - Some Material May Be Inappropriate for Children Under 13 - One scene involving brief violence, drug and sexual references

Runtime: 128 min.

Official Site: www.theblindsidemovie.com

"Based on the Extraordinary True Story" of Michael Oher, a neglected and homeless teenager who became an All American football player and first round 2009 NFL Draft pick with the help of a thoughtful woman and her family, "The Blind Side" (2009, PG-13, 128 min.) has scored a touchdown with audiences and remained one of the top three box office earners since it opened on Nov. 20. This is no easy feat, considering the competition during the year-end holiday movie season.

"The Blind Side" is a great vehicle for Sandra Bullock, who stars as Leigh Anne Tuohy, the aforementioned woman who takes Oher into her home and makes him a part of her family. Bullock is probably best known to mainstream audiences for light romantic comedies such as "While You Were Sleeping" (1995) and "The Proposal" (2009) and thrillers such as "Speed" (1994) and "Murder by Numbers" (2002). She hasn't starred in a hit drama since "Crash" (2004).

For her role in "The Blind Side," Bullock is nominated for all of the lead acting awards thus far announced for the 2009-2010 movie awards season, including the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) Critics' Choice Awards, www.bfca.org, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) Golden Globe Awards, www.goldenglobes.org, and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards, www.sag.org.

While Bullock is getting most of the attention in this movie, the other lead actors shine in their roles, including the rest of the Tuohy family, Tim McGraw as Sean the father, Lily Collins as Collins the daughter, and Jae Head as S.J. the son. Newcomer Quinton Aaron is excellent as Michael "Big Mike" Oher, and I've never seen a performance by Kathy Bates, who has a relatively small supporting role as Miss Sue, that I didn't like.

Sports enthusiasts should note that "The Blind Side" is almost as much a sports film as it is a drama. The movie opens with a prologue explaining the title by crediting Lawrence Taylor of the New York Giants for creating a shift in offensive football strategy. Because of Taylor, teams started to choose bigger players to fill the position of left tackle and protect the "blind side" of right-handed quarterbacks. Not surprisingly, the movie features some good scenes of high school football games. Fans of college football might especially enjoy this movie because many real college football coaches play themselves, including but not limited to Phillip Fulmer, Lou Holtz, Houston Nutt, Ed Orgeron, Nick Saban, and Tommy Tuberville.

If you want a solid drama with some football action thrown in, "The Blind Side" should be just the ticket.

(italics) The columnist can be reached at (712) 332-5043 and FJosephWilson@aol.com. His weekly column is published in the Dickinson County News and the Okobojian. It's also featured online at www.dickinsoncountynews.com, as is his blog, "Arts & Entertainment Matters."