Big Picture Big Sound

The Film

Sandra Bullock recently nabbed herself an Oscar for her performance in The Blind Side. We still aren't sure whether it was justified or if she's just the next Marisa Tomei. That said, it's hard not to be a member of Team Sandy, and we can't deny that this is a pretty effective sports movie -- just with less sports than we're actually used to in a sports movie.

That's because Bullock is the center of attention here. She plays Leigh Anne Tuohy, the real-life woman who brought Michael Oher, an African-American teenager, into her family. According to the movie, Oher had an absentee father who died and a mom that's so addicted to drugs, she can't remember each of her 12 kids' last names.

With that kind of backdrop, we expected nothing more than a movie of the week.

However, instead we got a true-life story that showed that there are still some good people in the world. Many critics and viewers have cried racism or that the film is politically motivated. While it's true that the movie could have focused more on Oher and his plight, can't it just be a nice movie with a nice message?

When all is said and done, nothing here would be remotely interesting if it weren't for Oher's real-life achievements. After all, the guy grew up to become a Baltimore Raven. If he became a banker, well... that wouldn't have made such a good movie. It's not that it wouldn't have been a nice story, but scenes of Mr. Oher making change for his customers could have been brutal!

So yes, The Blind Side follows the inspirational sports formula. And yes, we cried. Not Precious tears, but they were flowing nonetheless.

Now back to Bullock. Although we aren't entirely sure she should have been this year's best actress, we have to give credit where it's due. She delivered a great performance. After snorting her way through two Miss Congeniality movies, it's nice to see her give the rom-com a rest and try something new. Her starpower is what gave this movie legs and put more than a few asses in the seats. That said, we shouldn't discount some of the other good performances in the film, most notably Quinton Aaron, who plays Oher.

Need another side of The Blind Side? Check out David Kempler's review of the theatrical release.

The Picture

Bullock gets an angelic halo in some softer shots, but overall this 1.85:1 transfer has some very nice imagery. Every one of Jae Head's freckles pop out, as do the blades of grass on the field. Black levels are bold and clean, and the colors stand out really well throughout the entire film. Some of the skintones look a bit Southern fried, although that seems to be intentional, since others are on target. It's not the best sports looking sports movie of all time, but it's enjoyable just the same.  

The Sound

Like the film itself, this release's DTS-HD Master Audio track could have used a little more action. Many sports movies envelop you with crunches, crashes and grunts that only athletes can provide. Instead of a tackle from the surrounds, this track delivers more of a tap. Some of the sounds are there, but aren't nearly as effective as the film's sappy soundtrack.  

The Extras

For being such a big feel-good movie, the extras here are fairly skimpy. Like the film itself, the special features focus mainly on Tuohy's efforts rather than Michael Oher. Of course, Tuohy is a major part of Oher's life. However, there could have been more meat to "The Real Michael Oher," which is a super-short (10 minutes) sit-down with the actual man. It's nice to see the real Oher talk, but the piece comes off more like a recap of the movie, complete with key scenes.

The real Tuohy appears in "Conversations," which is a series of one-on-one chats between the woman and Sandra Bullock, as well as director John Lee Hancock and author Michael Lewis. The latter showcases some of the best (and longest, at almost 28 minutes) insight into the real story. The "Behind the Scenes" piece offers the least information, unless you consider the part with the real-life coaches (who appear as themselves in the film) to be a major element of the film.

Final Thoughts

Michael Oher has a great story. It's too bad that this movie brushes over major parts of it. Still, The Blind Side is a good movie that should tug at more than a few of those heartstrings. It's also a nice to see Bullock showcase a different side. It seemed to work out pretty well for her. The extras are a bit skimpy, but overall this Blu-ray should satisfy fans looking for an inspirational feel-good movie.

Product Details

• Actors: Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Quinton Aaron, Kathy Bates
• Director: John Lee Hancock
• Audio/Languages: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (English), Dolby Digital 5.1 (French, Spanish)
• Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Region: A
• Number of Discs: 2
• Rating: PG-13
• Studio: Warner Bros. Home Video
• Blu-ray Disc Release Date: March 23, 2010
• Run Time: 128 minutes
• List Price: $35.99
• Extras:
  • The Real Michael Oher
  • Acting Coaches: Behind The Blind Side
  • The Story of Big Quinton
  • Sidelines: Conversations on The Blind Side
  • Deleted Scenes
  • DVD + Digital Copy Combo Disc