The Blindside: A Different Kind of Sports Film

Imagine a life growing up in different households, being passed around from family to family only to be dumped out on the streets with nowhere to go and no hope for the future. This is where young Michael Oher finds himself in the very touching and inspirational film The Blindside (2009). Luckily, the very rich Leah Anne Tuohy (played by Sandra Bullock) takes him in and gives him and gives him something he's never had before: a real, loving family. Leah Anne struggles immensely with Michael at first--he scarcely tells her anything besides his name--but she is just as stubborn as he is reluctant. She doesn't give up on him and she is determined to break through the barriers he's built around himself at all costs.

Soon enough, Leah Anne introduces Michael to football. Although he has no idea how to play, his natural assets (such as his raw strength and huge build) prove him to have great potential as a defensive player. Football gives Michael a sense of purpose, and as he becomes a better player he feels more at home with the Tuohy family and all other areas of his life improve greatly. However, Michael isn't in the clear yet. His past quickly comes back to haunt him and threatens to prevent him from moving forward with his life. Furthermore, certain situations may tear him away from the Tuohys forever and make him unable to trust them.

I found this film to be simultaneously heartwarming and dramatic. There wasn't a single moment where I thought it was boring or wished that it would hurry up and end. Every single character is memorable and quirky in their own way and the acting truly made it seem real to me. The bond that forms between Michael and Leah Anne is palpable and fresh. After all, many films these days focus on relationships in terms of romance. It's nice to see a very deep and intense relationship that is not romantic in any sense. It sheds light on the many different kinds of love that actually exist.

I'm not a huge sports fan, so I really liked the fact that the focus of the film wasn't really on football. All of the other sports movies I've seen, although inspirational, follow the same formula of the unlikely team forming and winning the game at the end despite having all odds stacked against them. That's a nice formula and all, but I really enjoyed seeing something different in a sports movie for a change.

The Blindside is a wholesome, enthralling film that explores deep issues and deep relationships. It is certainly worth watching and definitely not to be passed over as just another sports film.