Movie review: The Blind Side

3.5 of 5 stars

Not since “Remember the Titans” has a true story graced cinema screens with such poise and vision. “The Blind Side” is more than just a feel-good story. Director John Lee Hancock skillfully and honestly crafts a two-hour tale of inspiration and resilience from the biography of Michael Oher.

Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock), a fiery Southern belle with good Christian values, welcomes Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) into her home.  He’s never had his own bed, and he thrives under the support of the Tuohy family after a lifetime of struggle.

Sandra Bullock makes up for a weak showing in “All About Steve” with a believable portrayal of Leigh Anne Tuohy that hits the mark all the way down to the Southern accent. It’s clear that no one, not even her friends, should mess with this Terminator in designer jeans. From her snarky comments to traipsing onto the football field to give Michael pointers, her care for her children jumps off the screen.

Quinton Aaron’s portrayal of Oher shatters all of our ideas about a troubled teen from the projects without being cliché. Both sweet and strong, his ideas about family life allow him to put his troubled past behind him. From coaxing the family to eat dinner around the dining room table to using his protective instincts to defend them, Aaron makes a connection with the audience despite speaking little — the real life Michael Oher now plays for the Baltimore Ravens.

Although it sounds a bit cheesy, as most feel-good sports movies are, the clarity and startling performances protect it from ever wandering down that path. “The Blind Side” is not just a story of football, but one of family and forgiveness — one that will not be easily forgotten in a long line of true sports stories.