Turn to ‘The Blind Side’ for ‘Twilight’ relief
Sandra Bullock image from Flickr.
“The Blind Side” has some really tough competition at the box office this weekend, thanks to the ravenous “Twilight” fan base. However, anyone looking for a more grown-up movie can skip “New Moon” and take your instant cash loans over to “The Blind Side.”
Pete Hammond from Boxoffice Magazine goes so far as to say that Sandra Bullock delivers an Oscar-worthy performance as main character Leigh Anne Touhy. Hammond compares Bullock to Julia Roberts as Erin Brockovich.
‘The Blind Side’ movie reviews
“The Blind Side” tells the story of Michael Oher, who was a first round draft pick this year for the Baltimore Ravens. However, a few years ago, he was a homeless, uneducated boy from a broken home. The wealthy, white Touhys took in the “oversized” African-American, says IMDB, and “groomed (him) into an athletically and academically successful NFL prospect.”
Joe Leydon from Variety says “The Blind Side” is “Another uplifting and entertaining feel-good, fact-based sports drama.” Heaping more praise on the star of the show, Emanuel Levy says “Sandra Bullock renders a strong performance as the feisty Southern belle in this inspirational sports saga.”
Breakouts and books
In his first lead role, Quinton Aaron plays the other main character, Michael Oher. Leydon says:
“Aaron gracefully treads a fine line, playing Michael as neither dullard nor idiot savant, but making him emotionally vulnerable, painfully self-aware and surprisingly resilient. Better still, Aaron more than holds his own opposite Bullock.”
The film is based on the book “The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game,” and “The Blind Side” movie reviews are typical of films based on books. Many critics comment that the film doesn’t have much depth or subtext. “What you see is what you get,” says Levy. Critics consider it a fault when movies don’t contain the complexity and layering that books do, but most movie theater audiences would likely walk out of a film that contained all of the elements of a book complaining that it was long and slow.
Can’t win ‘em all
Of course, not every film critic gave “The Blind Side” a good review. Mark Palermmo from Coast, based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, says the film doesn’t contain “understanding or identification, just white self-congratulation.” Even reveiws that were positive overall, such as Michael Rechtshaffen’s, said that the movie contained “missed opportunities and surface gestures.”
While several reviewers criticize “The Blind Side” for not delving deeper into the complex racial and class themes present in the film, critics such as Ann Hornaday from the Washington Post, see this as a plus: “Viewers get the sense that this isn’t a story about race or redemption or the complexities of class and culture. It’s a story about a person who witnesses need and responds, simply and honestly, with unfussy compassion and authenticity. It’s a story about family.”
Blind predictions
I think this film will be intriguing for American audiences, who are living in a race-obsessed culture. Much like in the film, racial issues are certainly presents everywhere. However, this lack of focus on race that many critics cite will likely be a refreshing aspect for viewers who understand that race is an issue but are tired of having it in the spotlight all the time.
I think obsessive teenagers will drive “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” into the top-earning spot at the box office this weekend. However, I think “The Blind Side” will hold its own by continuing to draw audiences long after “Twilight” lovers have spent their allowance.
