MyRating: YYY1/2Director: John Lee Hancock
Cast: Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Quinton Aaron, Jae Head, Lily Collins, Kathy Bates
MPAA: Rated PG-13 for one scene involving brief violence, drug and sexual references
A true story about Michael Oher (Aaron), a poor, homeless and under-educated African-American teenager, who finds his life changing when a merciful wealthy American white family, the Tuohys, takes him in from the road and later adopted him as part of their family.
Leigh Anne Tuohy (Bullock), a driven mother, makes sure Michael get anything he needs, from food, clothes, until his own bedroom. And she is supported by the whole family, her husband Sean (McGraw) and her two children. When Leigh Anne finds out that Michael has a very high score in protective instincts from his past career aptitude test taken in his eighth grade, and the boy shows interest in football, she puts him in his school football team. Not only he fits, but also he shows talent as a good defensive player. And soon his talent is being spotted by college football scouts from all around the nation. Seeing a good opportunity in front of him, the Tuohys hires a tutor to help him improve his grades in order to qualify him for the NCAA athletic scholarship. And history has stated that Michael Oher became the first-round pick by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2009 NFL draft.
This is an uplifting story about a nobody with no future to become somebody in life, because of the loves and cares from total strangers. Sandra Bullock is great and very believable as Leigh Anne, an opinionated, straightforward and dominant woman. Her firm gestures, expressions and the way she talks, make her sweet image in Speed, While You Were Sleeping & Miss Congeniality seems to be in her another life. I thought Meryl Streep was the best last year in Julie & Julia, but after watching this, I have to admit that Bullock was great either. And I am happy whoever of them win the Oscar, because both of them deserved it (and Bullock won it). Both of their characters are just so likeable and memorable.
The Tuohys is the real Good Samaritan. They did what other people can only preach about what is taught in the Scripture, "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, and when I needed clothes and you clothed me.". (MJ)
