Blind Sided

I didn't expect to like this movie and intentionally passed on seeing it until after it's release on DVD. Okay, I was wrong...and promise to see all future Sandy B flix in the future--excluding (gasp) sequels to All About Steve, Demolition Man or The Lake House. Based on the true story of Michael Oher, a Black, homeless kid who becomes a standout football player with the help of a White, well-to-do family in the deep South. Leigh Anne (Bullock) is the tough-as-nails matriarch--a God-fearing socialite who despite her pretentious veneer really does give a crap about her community and those in it. Her genuine bond with Michael, played convincingly by Quinton Aaron, provides the piece de resistance that make great sports movies memorable by demonstrating how a simple game can transcend race, gender and age. The attention to detail and intense Southern passion and loyalty for one's team is also accurately portrayed here--especially when Michael is being wooed by the elite college football powerhouses and reminded by Leigh Anne that "Orange is not in my color wheel!" The movie also benefits from a capable Tim McGraw playing the father as well as providing tunes on the soundtrack.

Ultimately, not sure where The Blind Side will measure up in this genre along such gems as Hoosiers, Rocky, Rudy, The Natural, Bull Durham, Chariots of Fire, The Longest Yard, etc. but I think over time it will hold its own.