The Blind Side
Directed by: John Lee Hancock
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Quinton Aaron
Rated: PG-13 for one scene involving brief violence, drug and sexual references.
Some say that love is blind, meaning that your feelings go beyond your perception. A good assessment, especially when compared to John Lee Hancock’s new heartwarming drama The Blind Side. The film, which is based on a true story, stars Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw as parents of a wealthy southern family whose lives are changed when ask a homeless African-American teenager from the ghetto to stay in their home. Bullock, who has received some critical praise for the film, balances her compassionate nature and southern-belle strength extremely well, and Hancock (who has been absent since his 2004 remake of The Alamo flopped) tries to hit every emotional chord that exists in the script. While the film has a certain amount of tenderness that hits the soul, it still comes across as slightly lost and out of place. It’s as if, by attempting to blend in with other emotionally-driven films, The Blind Side exposes its own weaknesses. Bullock’s performance, while good, won’t hold up when compared to that of Meryl Streep’s Julia Child or Carrie Mulligan's Jenny Mellor. While the film has its heartwarming moments, it feels too much like packaged scenes (similar to that of The Rookie) than a plot, causing it never to achieve the emotional response of the story’s potential. And, especially when compared to the other winter releases, the film has too many technical flaws and with no real sense of style. But, recognizing these issues, I still loved the movie. It was exactly what I imagined it would be, warts and all. However, as exemplified by the characters in the film (and in real life), can love not be blind?
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