A feel good movie opens the holiday season
I was talking with someone a few days ago who said he doesn’t
believe in soul mates. Initially, I told him I don’t really believe
in soul mates either. But then I thought a bit more about it and
realized that even though I may not have found a romantic one, I do
think there have been people in my life who deserve that title
– from a friend who helped me make it through the first year of
graduate school to mentors who have helped me believe in my own
potential. There are people who change our lives for the better in
little ways, though sometimes we might not realize it until
later.
A feel good movie opens the holiday season
I was talking with someone a few days ago who said he doesn’t believe in soul mates. Initially, I told him I don’t really believe in soul mates either. But then I thought a bit more about it and realized that even though I may not have found a romantic one, I do think there have been people in my life who deserve that title – from a friend who helped me make it through the first year of graduate school to mentors who have helped me believe in my own potential. There are people who change our lives for the better in little ways, though sometimes we might not realize it until later.
The movie “The Blind Side,” which opened last weekend, is a perfect example of the idea of soul mates and how people can change the lives of others. And it is a perfect movie to remind others of how much most of us have to be thankful for at this time of year. It is based on the true story of Michael Oher, a 2009 NFL draft pick for the Baltimore Ravens.
John Lee Hancock wrote and directed the movie, and it wasn’t his first feel-good movie about a disadvantaged athlete. He also directed “The Rookie,” a movie about a Texas baseball coach who tries out for the major leagues in middle age.
But “The Blind Side” is about more than a kid reaching his potential on the football field. Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) was a homeless black kid from the projects when chance brought him to a private Christian school. Despite his poor academic record, the coach sees a potentially great athlete in him. When Oher enrolls in school, most of the teachers scoffed at his abilities and he finds it impossible to concentrate in class. But then that might be hard to do when one is unsure about where the next meal will come from or where to sleep to keep warm. He carries around an extra T-shirt in a plastic bag everywhere he goes, and sneaks it into other people’s wash at the laundromat.
Things start to change for Michael when he meets the woman who changes his life. Leigh Anne Touhy (Sandra Bullock) notices him at her children’s school. Against the odds, she invites the disadvantaged teen into her home. Her son SJ (Jae Head) is excited to have a big, and I mean big, older brother. Her daughter Collins (Lily Collins) is less sure about having an unpopular kid at home. Leigh Anne’s husband Sean (Tim McGraw) just kind of goes along for the ride. Actually, the director probably made a good choice in limiting most of McGraw’s dialogue to one-line zingers or short conversations (If you haven’t seen him in the remake of “Flicka,” it’s really, really bad).
But Sandra Bullock is in her element as a privileged, rich Southern woman who has been taking her life for granted. It was a welcome change to see her in a movie with a little more depth, compared to the romantic comedies she does most of the time. Her turn in “The Blind Side” was enough to make me forgive her for “All About Steve.” She is a strong, reserved woman who doesn’t let anyone see her cry.
In some ways, she and Michael are not all that different. They both keep their emotions to themselves and they are fiercely protective of their family. But Michael has had many challenges – a father he never knew, a mother who is a drug addict and multiple foster homes are in his history. Despite everything that has happened to him, he starts to trust Leigh Anne and works hard to do better in school. When he finally brings up his grades enough to play football, but it doesn’t come naturally to him. That is until Leigh Anne puts it all into perspective – his job as tackle is just to protect his team.
Once he gets it, though, there is no stopping him. He is good enough that Division I college coaches start recruiting him. Anyone who follows football knows how the movie ends, but watching the relationship blossom between Michael and the Tuohy family is worth a look.
