The Blind Side (2009)

Michael Oher’s name is all over The Blind Side, but the story is told almost entirely from the Tuohys’ side of the dinner table. Michael spends most of the movie quiet and waiting, a gentle kid who needs a wealthy family to explain football, school and his own life to him, and we hardly hear what he wants. That’s a big blind spot for a movie with this title. Sandra Bullock is a force as Leigh Anne, bossy, funny and fearless, playing her like a woman who wins every argument before the other person sits down. Jae Head’s S.J., a tiny hype man who negotiates like a sports agent, gets the biggest laughs. Quinton Aaron finds real warmth in a role that gives him little to say. Audiences loved it, with an A+ CinemaScore and $256 million domestic on a reported $29M. A 5.9 because the heart is real and the story belongs to the wrong person. $596.01 says the next football game you watch, you keep your eyes on the left tackle instead of the ball.

What works: Sandra Bullock is commanding and funny, and Jae Head’s S.J. gives the movie its best laughs.

What doesn’t: Michael Oher is written as a passive figure in his own story, and the movie never lets us hear much from him.

Who it’s for: Families who want a feel-good football story and don’t mind that it’s more about the family than the player.