The Blind Side - Michael Oher Story

Over the years, there have been some really excellent movies made about sports. The Longest Yard, The Replacements, Invincible, and The Game Plan have all been very good movies. Even though all of them have been extremely well written, my all time favorite is the Blind Side. The Blind Side was a true life story about Baltimore Ravens Offensive Tackle Michael Oher. If you have not scene this movie, then I highly recommend you take the time to watch it. This review does contain spoilers!

Michael Oher grew up in the housing projects of Memphis, Tennessee. Growing up with a drug-addicted mother and lack of father, Oher was in and out of state foster care. Eventually the Oher became homeless, but luck was on the young man's side. Through the help of Tony Henderson, Oher had a chance at a decent life.

Henderson had a son of his own, Steven, and upon the death of Tony's mother Steven was enrolled in a Christian school. While Henderson was meeting with the school, he tried to enroll Michael Oher, who everyone liked to call "Big Mike".

At first the Christian school did not want Oher. Oher had failed first and second grade two times, and did not even complete the third grade. Eventually the schools began passing him along, and Oher knowledge was at a child's level.

It was the school's coach that fought for Oher. With the idea in mind that Michael Oher would play football, the coach used guilt and compassion to get the committee to agree to enroll Michael Oher into the Christian school on a scholarship.

Like Oher's previous schools, he was scene as a lost cause, but one teacher stood up for him. Upon realizing that Oher was understanding, but failing to be able to read, the teachers began to work with him, and even went so far as to read the test to him.

Oher was on his own by this point, sleeping inside the school's gym at night. During a faithful night, Oher would encounter Leigh Anne Touhy, portrayed by Sandra Bullock, an interior designer in Memphis who would soon change his life.

After leaving the school, Leigh Anne say Michael Oher walking in the freezing cold. She told her husband to pull over, and got out of the car. Leigh Anne asked Michael where he was going, and eventually got back into the car.

Leigh Anne was only in the car for a few seconds before her compassion for Oher forced her to get out. In a no-nonsense voice, Leigh Anne told Michael to get into the car, and the Touhy's took Michael home with him.

Michael would never leave the Touhy's house. That following morning was Thanksgiving, and as Michael was leaving Leigh Anne insisted he stay for dinner. After a few weeks passed buy with Oher sleeping on the couch, the Touhy's made him an official part of the family.

Leigh Anne decorated a room in the house for Michael and in a quote from the movie:

Michael Oher: It's nice, I never had one before.
Leigh Anne Touchy: What, a room?
Michael Oher: A bed.

Leigh Anne than left the room for her own, where she began to cry. After that day the Oher would become the Touhy's third child when they legally adopted Michael Oher. They would also buy Oher a new truck. The same day Michael Oher was in an accident with Touhy other son, S.J. During the accident, Oher would reach out to protect S.J. from the airbag, saving the young man's life. It was this action that helped in his football career.

When Oher began to play football, he did not want to hurt anyone. Leigh Anne finally pulled him aside and told him that the team was his family, and like he protect S.J., he protects his family.

It was all the encouragement Oher needed, and become one of the top players on his schools football team. Oher was than offered a scholarship to some of the top colleges in the country. In order to get his scholarship, he was going to have to get his grades up.

The Touhy's hired Miss Sue, played by Kathy Bates, to tutor Oher. With Miss Sue's help, Oher qualified for his scholarship. The final decision was what college Oher would attend. In the end, Oher decided to attend Ole Miss, the same college the Touhy's attended.

This brought about controversary and Oher was called forward for questioning. It was believed by many that the Touhy's was using Oher in hopes of helping there beloved college. Hearing this, Oher was hurt that the Touhy's did not love him, and ran away from home. Leigh Anne searched for Oher, and when the young man finally realized he had no one left, he called Leigh Anne.

Leigh Anne did not stop in going to get her son, and told Oher then and dare that no matter what he decided to do they would support him. It was all Oher needed to know, and returned to his meeting. Oher tells Investigator Granger that he is going to Ole Miss because that is where his family went, and the Touhy's are his family.

The end of the film shows that Oher went on the become a professional football.

The Blind Side was a prime example of how the world can be with just a little bit more compassion. Many of Touhy's friends felt she was changing Oher's life but Touhy's response was "No, he is changing mine".

Compassion goes along way, and Leigh Anne Touhy has proven to be a compassionate woman. This movie is not only a good movie to watch, it proves there is still love in the world. Other known persona's in the movie is Tim McGraw, who portrayed Sean Touhy.