The Blind Side (2009)
The Blind Side is a biographical sports drama film made in 2009 which written and directed by John Lee Hancock based on the 2006 book "The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game" by Michael Lewis.[1] It tells the story of Michael Oher, an American football offensive lineman who overcame an impoverished upbringing to play in the National Football League (NFL) with the help of his adoptive parents Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy. It stars Sandra Bullock as Leigh Anne Tuohy, Tim McGraw as Sean Tuohy, and Quinton Aaron as Oher.
Synopsis
"The Blind Side" depicts the story of Michael Oher, a homeless African-American youngster from a broken home, taken in by the Touhys, a well-to-do white family who help him fulfill his potential. At the same time, Oher's presence in the Touhys' lives leads them to some insightful self-discoveries of their own. Living in his new environment, the teen faces a completely different set of challenges to overcome. As a football player and student, Oher works hard and, with the help of his coaches and adopted family, becomes an All-American offensive left tackle.[2]
Controversy
In the film, Oher is characterized as someone with little football experience and drive. Leigh Anne Tuohy, on the other hand, appears to be Oher’s constant inspiration in the movie — the one who pushes him to become a football star. The controversy this film had is coming from Oher himself that saying “film deliberately left out his athletic past in the previous schools he attended, thereby robbing him of his own hard work and determination as an athlete.” And Despite the hardship, Oher describes himself as having a huge personality with a big laugh — totally unlike the quiet, reserved, loner character of Mike in The Blind Side.
While playing Offensive tackle for the Ravens, Titans, and then the Carolina Panthers, Oher felt the movie had a surprisingly negative effect on his football career. Too many people were focused on his Blind Side backstory, rather than his athletic career. On Super Bowl Media Day in 2013, Oher was quoted saying: “I’m tired of the movie. I’m here to play football.”
Not only that the man hate about the film, this film feels like pointing out the superiority of white people and how nice they are out there, which other race is not.[3]
Black Empower
Besides all the racial controversy of the film had, it have message that make us motivated and think about the importance of family support. The fact that Oher is finally a successful man after all his hardwork and endurance throught the hardship makes it more inspiring for black race.[4]
However in the present time, Oher has more or less changed his tune on The Blind Side. Per Oregon Live: “Oher has come to terms with the fact the movie will always be a part of his life,” and he now gives the movie a thumbs up. “It’s a great story,” the man who inspired The Blind Side acknowledged. “It’s helped so many people across the world. It inspired so many people. You’d be surprised how many letters I’ve gotten, people have adopted kids or how many lives have changed.”[5]
Reference
- ↑ https://www.variety.com/article/VR1118001814.html
- ↑ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0878804/plotsummary
- ↑ https://mclaytoncomedy.wordpress.com/2014/07/03/this-movie-sucks-the-blind-side-2009/
- ↑ https://www.andalusiastarnews.com/2009/11/27/the-blind-side-full-of-positive-messages/
- ↑ https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/the-blind-side-what-the-2009-movie-got-wrong-about-the-real-story.html/
External Link
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/jun/17/two-thumbs-down-michael-oher-says-the-blind-side-has-hindered-nfl-career https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3130028/The-Blind-inspiration-Michael-Oher-blames-Sandra-Bullock-hit-film-lackluster-NFL-career.html
