Bejeweling the true story of Michael Oher’s metoric rise to NFL fame with Sandra Bullock was a smart move as the Oscar winning turn as Leigh Anne Tuohy elevates what could have been a fairly mundane biopic to something more satisfying.
Despite the focus on Oher’s rags to riches story this is Bullock’s film, and her homespun philosophy fires from her like a roman candle and she makes up for the rest of the characters in the film who fall in line as their relationship to her dictates. Therefore her family are Supportive Husband, Huffy Teen Daughter and Irritating Kid Brother who each play out their designated reactions to the decisions of Bullock’s character and the arrival of Oher in their lives.
Yet for the lack of dimension inherent in the background players Bullock’s sassy, smart mouth matriarch stands out, riding the line between irritant and engaging with great support Quinton Aaron as the deprived young man.
Andy reviewed The Blind Side for HeyUGuys and we talked the film over on Mouth Off and I can only add that on Blu-ray the film works very well and perhaps feels more attuned to the home audience as there is an almost Movie of the Week touch which a fiery Bullock performance belies.
The special features on the disc are exactly what they should be for a film of this sort, and the tagline of ‘Based on an Extraordinary True Story’ begs for a deeper look and the featurettes focusing on the real life characters and Bullock’s transformation are good fun. The deleted scenes add very little but they all help flesh out what is a fun, though perhaps slightly mawkish, look at this inspirational story.
Here’s the list of special features to illuminate the Blind Side,
Special Features:
• Acting Coaches: Behind The Blind Side
• The Story of Big Quinton
• Sidelines: Conversations on The Blind Side with Sandra Bullock and Leigh Anne Tuohy
– Tuohy On Set
– First Meeting
– Becoming Leigh Anne
• Sidelines: Conversations on The Blind Side with director John Lee Hancock and author Michael Lewis
– Why The Blind Side
– Sandra and Leigh Anne
– Michael Oher
– Miracles
– Meeting Leigh Anne
– Gender Identity
– Finding
– Book to Screen
• Deleted Scenes
• The Real Michael Oher: An exclusive interview
