Blindsided by cliches

The most interesting thing about this movie is that it’s based on the life of real life NFL offensive tackle Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron). Otherwise the film is flattened by countless cliches. 

While superficially endearing, the story about upper class white mom Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock) taking in a giant, undereducated, poor African-American is surreptitiously racist.

Oher is portrayed one dimensionally. The rich townspeople gossip and look on in fear. A trip to Oher’s former ghetto is an exercise in white voyeurism complete with 40s. An uncle calls to ask why there’s a big colored person in the family photo. Oher’s biological mother is stereotyped as a careless druggie, and in their brief encounter Leigh Anne is portrayed almost like a guardian angel.   

For a movie based on a book about football and the evolution of the offense since defensive linebacker Lawrence Taylor revolutionized the game, football is not even mentioned until half way through the movie. But the most brutal aspect of the film beyond the utter predictability of her lines is Bullock’s attempt at a southern accent.