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Saintly White People Do the Saving in The Blind Side

A A A Comments (118) By Melissa Anderson Tuesday, Nov 17 2009

Another poor, massive, uneducated African-American teenager lumbers onto screens this month, two weeks after Precious and obviously timed as a pre-Thanksgiving-dinner lesson in the Golden Rule. But unlike the howling rage of Claireece Precious Jones, The Blind Side's Michael "Big Mike" Oher (Quinton Aaron) is mute, docile, and ever-grateful to the white folks who took him in. Directed by John Lee Hancock and based on a true story recounted in Michael Lewis's 2006 book of the same name, Blind Side the movie peddles the most insidious kind of racism, one in which whiteys are virtuous saviors, coming to the rescue of African-Americans who become superfluous in narratives that are supposed to be about them.

It's not whether you win or lose. It's whether I win or lose.
Ralph Nelson
It's not whether you win or lose. It's whether I win or lose.

Details

The Blind Side
Directed by John Lee Hancock
Warner Bros.
Opens November 20

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The steel Magnolia who takes pity on homeless Big Mike after she sees him walking in the freezing rain in just a polo shirt and XXX-large denim shorts is Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock), a frosted interior decorator, wife of Taco Bell franchise owner Sean (Tim McGraw), and mother of teenage cheerleader Collins (Lily Collins) and hyper half-pint S.J. (Jae Head, giving the year's most excruciatingly muggy performance by a child actor), who attend the same Christian academy that recently accepted the mountainous youth. An officious caretaker, Leigh Anne clears out the guest bedroom for Michael, earning the nervous praise of the Tennessee doyennes with whom she regularly lunches. Though they congratulate their friend's altruism, they're convinced Leigh Anne's new charge will either rob her Memphis McMansion or violate her daughter: "You're changing that boy's life," one applauds. Her response, of course: "No. He's changing mine."

In a way, Oher's story does change Bullock's life, giving her an awards-bait role filled with preachiness and thickly accented speech—"seriousness," after this year's rom-com humiliations The Proposal and All About Steve. But for all the supposed uplift, Bullock's facile Good Christian Materialist Southern Woman is part of The Blind Side's desperate cynicism, succinctly expressed in Sean's comment to his wife: "Michael's gift is his ability to forget."

Viewers, however, are constantly reminded of the pathologies the black gentle giant has escaped: the crack-addicted mother ("I can't even remember who the boy's father is," she weeps to Leigh Anne), the thugs of the country-ghetto housing project who offer him a 40-ouncer. Life with benevolent white people gives Michael the golden opportunity to partake in one of the most patronizing, we-are-the-world scenes imaginable: dueting with S.J. on "Bust a Move." S.J. becomes an unbearable martinet, bossing Michael around during drills for football practice, where the large lad shines as a left tackle at the Christian academy, eventually drafted to Ole Miss (and, as real-life footage of the actual Oher shows during the closing credits, later to the Baltimore Ravens). But Michael is unable to figure out what he actually needs to do on the field—until his white momma explains it to him: "This team is your family. You protect them."

In every scene, Oher is instructed, lectured, comforted, or petted like a big puppy; he is merely a cipher (Aaron has, at most, two pages of dialogue), the vehicle through which the kind-hearted but imperfect whites surrounding him are made saintlier. "Am I a good person?" Leigh Anne asks Sean non-rhetorically—as if every second in this film weren't devoted to canonizing her.

Michael is aggressively courted by SEC football coaches (many playing themselves, an unintentionally grotesque parade of bad orthodonture and worse-fitting suits), and, after an unpleasant run-in with an NCAA official toward the film's end, Leigh Anne soothes Michael by assuring him that "the past is gone, the world's a good place, and it's all gonna be OK." The filmmakers would like to lull you to sleep with this milk of amnesia, hiding behind the fact that this bewilderingly condescending movie is based on an actual person—but one who you end up knowing almost nothing about.

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  • Jim R 11/27/2011 10:49:00 AM

    Brilliant article. I too am a middle class white guy and I found this toe-curlingly patronising. If I was black I'd be wanting to burn hollywood down after this. In fact, I think I do anyway. Utterly nauseous trash, but worse, the sort of middle class do-good racism that does muxh more harm than overt prejudice. -10 out of 100.

  • Runnerstockcar 11/16/2011 2:32:00 PM

    When I finally agreed to watch this nauseating film with my wife, it was all I could do not to stand up in the living room, point to the TV, and scream. And I'm an upper-middle class white guy. I can't imagine what most black people think of this patronizing garbage deifying the lily-white family and painting Oher as a stupifyingly idiotic automaton. This article is spot-on. Well done, Melissa.

  • Ben Telford 11/16/2011 12:32:00 AM

    I think you missed the point. The article wasn't about condemning the movie for portraying acts of kindness, but for cynically stealing the spotlight from a young black athlete, and putting a white woman. The movie is about HER. All of his achievements get attributed to her. It isn't about him becoming a footballer, it is essentially about her making him a footballer. Hollywood believes that white people will not watch a "black movie", which is why movies such as these invariably cast a white person as the hero, even if the movie is specifically about black people. This implies that a) despite making these feel good, anti-racism movies, they are still locked in the mind set that we don't want to see too many black people on screen; and b) That every black success is because of a magnanimous white person, not the blacks. It is the same with most minorities or non-white stories: Dances with Wolves, The Help, Last of the Mohicans, The Last Samurai, District 9, and even Avatar. All have white protagonists, who become the champion of the minority de jeur.

  • sarah smith 08/12/2011 11:29:00 PM

    couldnt have put it better..thanks!

  • 07/27/2011 11:28:00 AM

    expressed in Sean's comment to his wife: "Michael's gift is his ability to forget

  • 06/24/2011 7:35:00 AM

    Nice Looking...great!

  • 06/21/2011 6:59:00 AM

    Very Nice

  • 05/30/2011 6:25:00 PM

    Why is it such a problem when ANY human helps any OTHER human out? Even if the plot of this movie embellishes the actual events, it still represents the pursuit of what is important in this world, hence trust, caring, and willingness to help others. There are several reasons that it would be more likely for an affluent white family to take-in a less fortunate black person, than the converse. Those reasons do not need to be displayed here because they are obvious. I find anyone's contempt and disdain toward those would try to help anyone (regardless of who helps who), bitter and difficult to endure.

  • 04/20/2011 5:58:00 AM

    If you were a man I'm sure you would have actually realized what a great movie this was. You would have actually given this a good score. But why should I care? You are a woman after all.

  • 04/11/2011 6:19:00 AM

    I would welcome that kind of a movie, God knows there are plenty of poverty stricken white kids for rich black families to save and possibly adopt. Maybe it would inspire similar actions in real life, so some of this obvious hatred for white people that a lot of blacks have, could decrease a little.

  • 04/11/2011 6:05:00 AM

    blacks are actually paid more than whites when they are in the same class, have the same IQ etc. The only kids who experience full on racism in schools, are whites.

  • Rbsvenson 01/25/2011 12:12:00 AM

    I'm a retired high school football coach and teacher and I would bet that a majority of coaches/teachers have worked with kids in similar situations. Not to burst the windy bubble of the "...Voice" but players are not drafted by colleges. My wife and I loved this movie and laughed hardest at the scene where Leigh Anne phones the coach during the game and he hangs up on her. Parents actually do things like that more times than you can imagine. The real Michael Oher had been a football player before meeting Leigh Anne and Sean. The NCAA investigation made no sense without knowing that part of the story.

  • 01/19/2011 7:13:00 PM

    So. let me get this straight: If I act and think racist, I'm a racist; but if I don't act or think racist, deny that I'm personally racist and recognize the tremendous progress minorities in the U.S. have made, I'm a "modern racist". Thanks for clearing that up. By the way, those statements you made aren't 'facts', they're 'talking points'. The truth is much more complicated and, as John Adams (famous dead white guy) once said, "Facts are inconvenient things."

  • anon 01/10/2011 3:36:00 AM

    I know this is an old review, but I had to pull it up because I had yet another black friend tell me today that this was a good movie. I had all I could do not to call him an Uncle Tom. I saw this film shortly before it came out that Sandra Bullock's hubby was a Klan fan. Somehow, having seen this film, I was NOT among those that said she was too good for him. Rather, I could see that they have some kind of racial complex in common.

  • Branescolon 01/01/2011 3:55:00 PM

    So funny to see the left and right get all worked up everytime a hot button issue comes up. Dear right: Of course the movie is racist. It was designed to entertain the same group every movie ever made was designed to appeal to. It's called a TARGET AUDIENCE. In this case, middle class white america. Therefore, the characters which that targeted audience will feel most kinship with will be represented in the best possible light with full stereotypes blaring. The big dumb black kid can't even figure out how to block until momma let's him know that his teammates are his family, etc.... Dear left: If the target audience was black america, the white family would have been extremely dorky and the girls would have had a hard time keeping their hands off of him (aka White Chicks). However, your angst would be replaced with.....well, white people deserve it so let's let that pass. It's all calculated business folks, nothing more, nothing less. The only color Hollywood, or any other big business for that matter sees is green.

  • Allen Johnson 12/27/2010 4:12:00 PM

    Typical woman, not knowing anything about real life stuff. You do realize that your the one being racist, not the movie? Oh well, I'll give you a break since your a woman. If you were a man I'm sure you would have actually realized what a great movie this was. You would have actually given this a good score. But why should I care? You are a woman after all.

  • demian 06/29/2010 8:02:00 AM

    One of the above comments was "our society is almost free of racism". This is called "modern racism", the belief that people of minority status are no longer oppressed in any way. I am sure that the fact that minorities and women are paid less across the board won't change the mind of those who posit such ideas. What about the fact that more when all other variables are controlled for, black people are given the death penalty substantially more than their white-counter parts? This movie is a prime example of the culture war that is in full effect in America. I hope that people see this movie for the bullshit that it is...

  • Stephen 06/25/2010 2:31:00 AM

    The only racism as regards this movie comes from this reviewer, Melissa Anderson, and other reviewers and commenters like her. Her hatred for the kind of white American Sandra Bullock’s character represents is blatant and disgusting. I am a white man, and as I watched this movie I did not see a black boy and a white momma. I saw a young kid coming from an unimaginable situation get the lucky break that comes to one kid in a million. As I watched the car slowly approach Oher walking in the rain with no place to sleep, the only thing I could think about was that the real hero in this kid’s life was the first man that fought to get him in the school where his new family would discover him. Our society is almost free of racism. The lingering holdouts are arrogant intellectuals like Ms Anderson and ignorant jerks like the commenters here who support her twisted logic.

  • ohflattery 05/24/2010 9:29:00 PM

    I love the defensive commenters on here- Somehow "Its a true story" is supposed to negate all the insidious racism in this horrible movie. I call bullshit, first of all because this isn't a "true story." The book is a true story, and this is based on the book. Its a small difference, but apparently that one extra degree of separation took what was an amazing book on empowerment and working together and turned it into a story about how awesome white people are. The thing is, in the book it was a story of a kid who uses his talent and hard work to excel in sports. There were actually multiple families who helped him out. And I mean helped- they didn't do it for him or teach him everything he knows, they gave him some assistance to reach his goals. In the book he had a personality and drive and worked his ass off for what he got. It was a book about dealing with the shit life throws at you and being determined enough to get through it. His family was appreciated, not hero worshipped. They took this story and instead changed the focus, completely eliminating any trace of his personality, removing all mentions of the hard work he did, and giving all of the credit to the family. They changed it so the Tuohy's overcame adversity FOR HIM, the kid was just some sort of blank football automaton. Just because the kid ended up succeeding does not make this an inspiring movie, and just because people point that out does not make them "mean spirited." Reviewers that realize this just understand that there is a difference between a community working together to help each other out and straight up white people saving black people. While this is a much better moral to get teary eyed about, it still is a completely overdone plot line that really should have been done away with by now. If you want a feel good football movie with bonus race relations that doesn't make you want to rip your hair out just go rent Remember the Titans.

  • Marc 05/11/2010 6:50:00 PM

    I am a white male who teaches at an inner city school. I have many black students who come form situations similar to the one portrayed in the movie. I am not wealthy, as I said, I am a teacher. The message that I get from this review is that if I am able to help a young black man, I should not do it. If I am able to help him, it will signify a white man lifting up a black man, and I now understand that such things should have ended years ago. I also understand that those with means should not help those without, because they will be chastised for doing so. I guess if a white person gets a feeling of happiness and satisfaction from helping someone, and that someone happens to be of a different race, that positive feeling is simply a veiled justification of a feeling of superiority that has been repressed. Wow, and to think that by helping to lift less fortunate students up by offering the guidance and unconditional positive regard that they need was a good thing. I am glad that I now know that when I do such things I am simply acting out my deep-seated racist tendencies, and that I belittle black people when I do that. I will be sure to stop doing such things. Or, is it only because I am white that offering help and guidance when I am able to is a negative?? Is the basis of the reviewer's argument that if a black family had acted as the white family did it would have been acceptable? Is she basing her opinion solely on the race of the characters? I think there is a term for making an assumption based solely on one's race. Can't seem to think of what that term is right now... I am sure that my students will thank you. When a black student asks me for help, I will tell him/her no because I don't want someone to think I am racist, and solidifying my higher social position. I guess I can help my white students though. Your review has done a great job at showing me how racist I am. Thank you. I will have about 75% less work to do now. I will be sure to give my students your contact information so they can thank you directly.

  • Me 05/09/2010 2:05:00 PM

    To the Village Voice: it would be nice to be able to edit and correct typos - I apologize for posting three times. So shame on me too I guess. _________________________________________________________________ It's been six months since this film opened. I didn't see it in the theaters and I'm not going to rent it on DVD. So am I entitled to have an opinion on it? Yes - I saw the trailer at the theaters last year and my jaw dropped. It was given 67 % "fresh" votes on Rotten Tomatoes. Sadly, only a few critics dared to write about the blatant so-called white man's burden/white savior tones and themes in the film: Village Voice, NY Times, and a few brave souls who went against the current. One thing that has not been mentioned at all is the fact that most Hollywood films usually make black characters the sidekick, the best friend, and they are most often less attractive than the white male or female lead (never outshine the bride!) and often overweight. The black male characters especially are made "non-threatening" to white audiences: they rarely get to play the love interest and are always good for a laugh. And interracial love and sex is a still sight on the big screen. Blood and gore gets rated PG-13, but a black man and a white woman kissing or having sex? Hollywood still think it's too much for white audiences to handle and that is the demographic that the industry will do their best to please. Thus, in "The Blind Side" we see an attractive, white mother take in a young black man. But he MUST be a big, cuddly docile teddy bear - if sexy, strong and masculine he will be perceived as threatening to the target white middle class audiences. This is a very, very disturbing film to see in 2010 - I had to check my calendar to make sure I had not been sent back to the 1930s in a time machine. It is even more disturbing that so many critics failed to speak up about this insulting film and did not call everyone involved in the production on the carpet. Bullock won an Oscar for this! How is this possible? I like Bullock and she did an excellent job in "Hope Floats" (directed by a black man by the way, actor/director Forest Whitaker) and should have been nominated for awards back then. I'm white, female, in my early 40s, neither a Dem or a Rep. And I'm stunned and saddened. How many more insults are to be hurled at black Americans? (I simply refuse to use the expression African-Americans and have black friends who also detest this strange term.) Oh, had President Obama not been born a white mother, he would have not been elected - many whites, even so-called liberals, no doubt feel less threatened because he is bi-racial and light skinned. Shame on you, Hollywood and shame on the film critics.

  • Me 05/09/2010 1:39:00 PM

    It's been six months since this film opened. I didn't see it in the theaters and I'm not going to rent it on DVD either. So am I entitled to have an opinion on it? Yes - I saw the trailer at the theaters last year and cringed. It was given 67 % "fresh" votes on Rotten Tomatoes. Sadly, only a few critics dared to speak of the racist "white man's burden"/white savior tones in the film: Village Voice, NY Times, and only a few brave souls who dared to go against the current. One thing that has not been mentioned is the fact that most Hollywood films usually make the black characters the sidekick, or the best friend and they are most often less attractive than the white male or female lead (never look better than the bride!) and often overweight. The black men especially are made "non-threatening" to white audiences: they rarely get to play the love interest and are always good for a laugh. And interracial love and sex is a still a pretty rare sight on the big screen. Blood and gore gets rated PG-13, but a black man and a white woman kissing or having sex? It's just too much for white audiences to handle and that is the demographic Hollywood will do their best to please. Thus, in "The Blind Side" we see a feisty, attractive, white mother take in a young black man. But he MUST be a big, cuddly docile teddy bear - if sexy, strong and masculine he will be perceived as threatening to the target white middle class audiences. This is a very, very disturbing film to see in 2010 - I had to check my calendar to make sure I had not been sent back to the 1930s in a time machine. It is even more disturbing that so many critics failed to speak up about this insulting film and did not everyone involved in the production on the carpet. Bullock won an Oscar for this! How is this possible? (She did a fine job in "Hope Floats" and should have been nominated for awards back then.) I'm white, female, in my early 40s, from Northern Europe originally. And I'm stunned and saddened. How many more insults are to be hurled at black Americans? (I refuse to use the expression African-Americans and have black friends who also detest this strange term.) Oh, if Obama was 100 % black and did not have a white mother, he would have not been elected - many whites, even so-called liberals, no doubt feel less threatened because he is bi-racial and light skinned. Shame on you, Hollywood and shame on the film critics. Shame on the left and on the right.

  • Me 05/09/2010 1:32:00 PM

    It's been six months since this film opened. I didn't see it in the theaters and I'm not going to rent it on DVD either. So am I entitled to have an opinion on it? Yes - I saw the trailer at the theaters last year and cringed. It was given 67 % "fresh" votes on Rotten Tomatoes. Sadly, only a few critics dared to speak of the racist "white man's burden"/white savior tones in the film: Village Voice, NY Times, and a few brave souls who dared to go against the current. One thing that has not been mentioned is the fact that most Hollywood films usually make the black characters the sidekick, the best friend and they are most often less attractive than the white male or female lead (never look better than the bride!) and often overweight. The black men especially are made "non-threatening" to white audiences: they rarely get to play the love interest and are always good for a laugh. And interracial love and sex is a still sight on the big screen. Blood and gore gets rated PG-13, but a black man and a white woman kissing or having sex? It's too much for white audiences to handle and that is the demographic Hollywood will do their best to please. In "The Blind Side" we see a feisty, attractive, white mother take in a young black man. But he MUST be a big, cuddly docile teddy bear - if sexy, strong and masculine he will be perceived as threatening to the target white middle class audiences. This is a very, very disturbing film to see in 2010 - I had to check my calendar to make sure I had not been sent back to the 1930s in a time machine. It is even more disturbing that so many critics failed to speak up about this insulting film and did not everyone involved in the production on the carpet. Bullock won an Oscar for this! How is this possible? (She did a fine job in "Hope Floats" and should have been nominated for awards back then.) I'm white, female, in my early 40s, from Northern Europe originally. And I'm stunned and saddened. How many more insults are to be hurled at black Americans? (I refuse to use the expression African-Americans and have black friends who also detest this strange term.) Oh, and if Obama was 100 % black and did not have a white mother, he would have not been elected - many whites, even so-called liberals, no doubt feel less threatened because he is bi-racial and light skinned. Shame on you, Hollywood and shame on the film critics.

  • ajay 05/09/2010 5:58:00 AM

    I agree with your review. These movies "supposedly" about real black people always wind up being more about the "good" white people portrayed as saviours. Did not deserve all the attention and award recognition it attracted. A big con game. And yeah that little kid actor was annoying as hell.

  • ty 05/01/2010 3:05:00 AM

    you are so right

  • Pab 04/24/2010 9:15:00 AM

    I can't believe this was up for best picture.. I have to totally agree with the review..I'll add that this movie does nothing but uphold solidified southern white and black stereotypes..it portrays southern African Americans as dumb and incapable robots who must bow to the old guard southern whites, the saviors, who are in their own right unfairly portrayed as shallow, lost and materialistic; numbed by SEC sports and suburban sprawl, bored and needing of something to occupy their time..The lunch group, still stately southern and racist and unwilling to accept African Americans..I bet the book is much better and its too bad that the politics of hollywood still care more about feeding us the same calculated feel-good boring storyline with another typical overly market researched- to make millions movie- formula than providing a fresh perspective into the subjects' (on both sides) life..Was Sandra's husband really that passive, ambivalent and agreeable in real life after putting together a string of 100 franchises? (plays into the typical household commercial scene where the white male is always put into a position of subordination and stupidity.. "honey, i told you you should of called empire carpet company"). Were we really unable to reach deeper in to Mike's past besides the occasional public housing scene and 10 second flashbacks? This was more about pushing Under Armour sports wear and Pepsico junk food than a real reflection of a true story of "best picture" pedigree..If you're going to portray a real story, then please don't insult the people you are trying to portray, the person who wrote the book or your viewers with the same movie we saw 20 years ago...It took the cake for me when Sandra, the "tough" rich bitch rolls into the Memphis hood to tell off one of the locals who on cue cowers and says nothing. Really? That's how it goes off? Of course, Sandra the entitled and self righteous white overlord lays down the law on these incompetent and poor black folk and they back down fearing the wrath she may bring.."Listen to me, I'm white and better than you and I can come into your neighborhood and tell YOU how things work in this world"...Really? Is this 2010 or 1910?..The reality is this. If she walked into a hood like that in any major city and said what she said, I don't think there would be that much respect given if any...Its sad that this is still how we think things are in this country..Step outside of your living room. America really is different than this.

  • Matt 04/20/2010 11:11:00 AM

    You are fucking stupid. Put yourself in his shoes or her shoes, or would you be too racist and self-centered to try to do something other than write crappy reviews for the people in your shithole village? That is all.

  • Stephen O. 04/19/2010 4:02:00 AM

    This is a wonderful movie, beautifully written and cast. It makes no "general statement" about whites and blacks. It's about one specific affluent family that took in one specific young man. People like Melissa Anderson are made uncomfortable by the movie because it shows good actions by people she is used to looking down on: southern Republicans. Anderson's failure to read the film correctly shows up her own bigoted and narrow viewpoint. I would imagine Anderson's only experience of black inner-city life is reading a few radical screeds assigned by lefty white teachers and professors at some lefty white university. As a teacher for over a decade in the worst inner-city schools in Los Angeles, I can vouch for the accuracy of the movie's toxic picture of life in the projects. People who reach out to help youngsters from these hopeless neighborhoods should be admired, no matter whether they're white, black, or any other color. Anderson should be ashamed of her blinkered, retro, white liberal hang-ups.

  • Zio 04/13/2010 5:29:00 AM

    "Blind Side the movie peddles the most insidious kind of racism, one in which whiteys are virtuous saviors" Whiteys is just as racist as calling a black guy a nigger. Are you saying it's ok to be racist against whites? Your review is far more racist then that movie ever was, and not to mention completely unjust. It wasn't the greatest of movies, however far disserving then the 0/100 your review gives.

  • Leah 04/08/2010 8:00:00 AM

    The Blind Side is NOT a true story--it's BASED on a true story. I had plenty of cringe moments but I don't have a problem with a white family giving a black kid a home and the love he needs. White people enjoy the privilege of racial hierarchy so if every once in awhile they clean up the mess that their forefathers created and upheld--good on them. Furthermore, black people need to be challenged on the lack of solidarity in our communities and held accountable for the way we treat one another. What sucks about the Blind Side was that there was not one redeemable black person in the movie. I grew up in the hood and there had to be at least one person, a girl he grew up with, somebody that would have been happy for Michael. Hancock should have taken the opportunity when the boy goes back to the hood and winds up living through a gun fight without a gun (yeah right)--Here Hancock could have given us a black voice that urged him to go back to his family that he found in the Touhys. We will never know what Michael Oher's reality was. Perhaps Memphis is a much meaner ghetto where there are only soulless black folks. I wish Michael Oher would speak up and clarify the fiction from the reality. For all their benevolence, he has certainly paid them back.

  • you 04/01/2010 9:38:00 PM

    Of course you'd have to bring racist-tones towards the movie. Whiteys? So darkies is okay? Fuck you. The movie is based ON ACTUAL shit, racist fuckholes.

  • Sue N. 03/28/2010 1:21:00 PM

    I just came from seeing this film at a local theater and this reviewer expressed my sentiments exactly. This film offers an embarrassing, outdated presentation of race relationships. The black young man is not even given a personality. I am a Sandra Bullock fan and she looks hot in this film, but we do not even get to know her, really. This film's main message is that white people can love black people -- a provocative point of view for a film set in 1962. I do not know the reception of this film in the black community but it presents blacks as needing a white patron to succeed.

  • Earl 03/26/2010 8:38:00 PM

    I read no reviews prior to seeing the movie, but I left feeling a similar way. I would not describe the movie as "racist," though, just misguided. Throughout the entire movie I could not help thinking, "what does Michael Oher think about his portrayal in this movie?" He's a left tackle in the NFL - which, arguably, is one of the most mentally challenging positions in football aside from quarterback - yet the movie portrays him being taught his position by a 9-year-old. He has no voice, personality, or intellect, and his only talents before being molded by white suburban elites are size and strength. I would like to think Michael Oher was more of a person than was portrayed in this movie.

  • JJS 03/25/2010 6:35:00 AM

    Thank you so much for writing this review. There are some people out there that JUST DON'T GET IT! This movie obviously picks and so carefully chooses what to portray for the eyes and ears of the ever-so-vulnerable American viewers. Nice to know there are still some people out here who are AWARE. I was and still is disgusted by this movie.

  • wayne 03/24/2010 8:45:00 AM

    What do you want? it's a football movie for godsakes! and guess what? it's based on a true story.oh and by the way all those racist stereotypes? i grew up in Detroit in my place and time,all those people exsisted and sometimes saintly white people do save the day.you sound like someone who needs a bit more real life experience or maybe your the racist in the crowd?

  • Tracie 03/22/2010 6:10:00 AM

    Melissa, You saw the same movie I saw. What a load of crap! Thank you for an insightful review.

  • Tanisha 03/18/2010 5:58:00 PM

    I had no real desire to watch another 'great white hope' movie, but I ended up seeing it anyway with some friends. They all loved it, black and white. I, on the other hand, was uncomfortable throughtout and left really offended. It was wierd because I went with the same people to see Precious, and they all hated the movie. They said it was too difficult to watch, but I did not feel the same. I was deeply moved by the movie. It inspired me to do more within the community. I totally agree with this review.

  • elle 03/13/2010 3:43:00 AM

    We can acknowledge that there are some "white savior" movies and that a lot of movies featuring white and blacks together are frequently told from the white person's point of view. This could even be seen as a type of racism. But to heap it all on one movie isn't right. I think we can explore the phenomenon without trashing what was probably a decent movie and open a dialogue about how we can have more balanced portrayals of African Americans. Also, I will say, if this movie influences one Southern White Republican family to realize their black neighbors are people to and gets them to reach out to them, GOOD.

  • Noah Greenberg 03/12/2010 8:17:00 PM

    I think I read about thirty reviews of this movie, because I knew there was some underlying issue or an issue that some one else got that I missed and I was right. So I appreciate this reviewer as well as the comments, some of which are written as well and many that have good points. My point is that this family did not get him into the Christian school a black mechanic actually attempted to use his athletic ability to get his son and Big Mike in at the same time. A scene that no reviewer I came across wrote about. Both the mechanic and the coach where exploitive in that they had a motive that was to use Michael for there means. Another point was that the tutor and families concern for Michael's grades did not happen till a division 1 scholarship was offered. I thought high schools had GPA requirement and it showed the families priorities or lack of concerns for his academic success. On the defense no one praised the teacher at the school who did take an interest and discover that he was learning and could give answers verbally yet needed help with his writing. One last point, I think if the father would have given every one in all his 89 resturants a two dollar an hour raise, he would have made a bigger impact on society as whole than to take in one kid. Just my thoughts...

  • Brandon 03/10/2010 3:29:00 PM

    to author Melissa Anderson It's quite sad but you have missed the whole point of the movie. The reason you have is because the your are a racist yourself. The fact that you start off your chilish review with "peddles the most insidious kind of racism" then continue to call a whole race of people "whiteys". The blind side is an obvious title to make refence for how sandra bullock acts in the move, to be blind to race or colour. but even past that the Greater point of the movie is to show if more children (of any race, color, or creed) that live in poor living contditons have sports or have extra guildance will have a much higher chance at life, but see thats where you failed to explain what the movie is about it was just all your own racists personal agenda. I see how livning where you do can create hate but dont call something racist when its clearly not. being a racist is deep seeded in the current culture. the fact that you are promoting the hate of "whitey" and trying to act disgusted about all the sterotypes in the movies shows what kind of hipicrit you are please dont write anymore review's you have such a tiny child like veiw of the world.

  • Tim Rutten 03/09/2010 6:35:00 PM

    Helping others is great but it can also be a selfish act, to feel good about oneself and to justify one's own lifestyle. The Tuohy's are extremely rich and could be doing any number of things to help the less fortunate, but they single out one kid to 'give him expensive stuff and teach him football', as the movie seems to suggest. This particular kid is portrayed as a helpless victim of his circumstances, whereas the other black characters who grew up under the same circumstances are aggressive womanizing drugdealing thugs - they are basically bad people, not good people dealing with bad circumstances. There isn't a hint of nuance here. So it all boils down to being able to determine who is worth saving and who isn't - a Messianic task for (rich and white) Sandra Bullock, with the movie fully concentrating on the weight she feels from this "responsibility", but never reflecting on the desirability or honesty of this position. Which seems to be what Melissa Anderson was referring to.

  • The Sighted Side 03/09/2010 1:57:00 AM

    Thank God that you had the guts to write this piece. The White is Right and Liberals go Saving People into the Night left-wing brand of racism garbage stinks to high heaven and someone needed to call it out. Particularly bad is the fact that in the book, the young man was taken in by a variety of folks--most of which were Black families--and this "saintly" white family took him in because as one who protected the quarterback's "blind side" he was a shoo-in to make a ton of money for them. But somehow that got lost in the saintly arent-we-so-white-and-wonderful self-congratulatory coronation. Smells like that dreck from 2005-06 "Crash" Wait wasn't Bullock in that too. Wow. White is so right. Saving Blacks with all their might. Saving people who's skin is like night. Without whites what would be of the plight. Without whites...there would be no insight...white is so right. Those of you who get mad, you need to self-examine. But then again, since your white is so right--you don't have to! You're so awesome, white saviors! Yea! Great work thus far!

  • Kevin 03/08/2010 9:50:00 AM

    Oscar nomination for Best Picture. Oscar nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role and WIN for Sandra Bullock. With the possible exception of Titanic, the Academy does not reward dreck. This movie definitely is not dreck, and really only a tish below The Hurt Locker-- a very deserving winner-- and better than many others nominated in recent years.

  • Brandon Hernandez 03/05/2010 6:23:00 AM

    This review hit the nail to the board with "...African-Americans who become superfluous in narratives that are supposed to be about them." It is a true story, but this particular telling of the story exploits Michael as a means to an end. That end being the focus on the glowing altruism of the privileged few with a blatant disregard for both Michael and the systemic problems that necessitate such altruism. People can mind numbingly believe "the past is gone, the world's a good place, and it's all gonna be OK," but it isn't going to help the situations of the millions of other Michaels who aren't as "lucky."

  • Tee Role 03/04/2010 11:17:00 AM

    You are a fool. I bet you thought avatar was shite aswell? You are a poor excuse of a reviewer and reading your review made me sick. I think you need a new profession. Maybe a food critic?

  • Elizabeth 03/01/2010 10:04:00 AM

    I don't know what this publication is, because I googled "why do people think the Village is a bad movie" (apparently because its boring. I thought it was okay, but a friend and I discussed it tonight so I thought I'd google it) and somehow wound up here. My jaw kinda dropped reading this review, even though I haven't seen the movie...it was like someone reviewing Song of the South or something. It seems that the reviewer is looking for reasons to hate the movie and in turn becomes the worst kind of reverse-racist (which is still racism) ever....the person who perpetuates it and then blames it on everyone else. "The white man is keeping us down!" No...maybe YOU are keeping yourself down. Rise above your circumstances and don't blame anyone else. I'm half black. It's ridiculous in this day and age that while there still is racism towards non-whites, that other minorities will blame people who have nothing to do with them on their own problems. Tired of seeing black people portrayed as crack addicts, ex-cons, and single mothers? Then maybe take a reality check and fix these negative issues in the real world so that people, black, white, asian, christian, muslim, atheist, whatever sees the best in everyone. The stereotype that black people are ALL uneducated thugs is definitely NOT true, but let's check the statistics. Let's fix the system and our culture from the inside out instead of railing against a portrayal and spewing hate on the internet. If it makes the reviewer feel better to pretend that those circumstances don't exist, so be it. However, she should learn some journalistic integrity if she plans on making a career of writing, instead of seeing things that are not there, distoring or glossing over the things that are there, and biasing everything else towards herself. Objective writing is obviously not her strong point. As an aside: In some situations, being white or black has nothing to do with anything; as a previous commenter pointed out about a white cop pulling a black man over for speeding then maybe it was because he was speeding, not because he's a black man. Get over yours

  • Ben 02/19/2010 1:18:00 AM

    These review is quite absurd. What is bad wrong with a white family helping a black child? I could see people taking some offense (Though I wouldn't agree with it) to it if the story was made up, but it's an (I'm assuming) semi-accurate retelling up a true story. And of course there are more stories about white people "rescuing" black people. In the US, white people are generally better off financially so they are in a better position to help others (But they don't always). Not everything is racist propaganda... And can people please not lump all of us northern liberals with this reviewer? I find that really insulting

  • Scott 02/09/2010 8:00:00 PM

    So Melissa I take it that if you are white you should never try and help someone that is not white and if you are black you should do the same! we all should just live in our own little walled off world and keep up all the racial barriers instead of being "color blind" and just do the right thing....I think even if it had been a homeless white or hispanic this family would have done the same thing....your mentality on trying to find the bad and racism in everything is a large part of what is wrong with our society and why so many can't climb above it. Great Movie...Great Message...but I think Melissa Anderson would prefer it if there were some gang violence and drugs like so many of the ATL type movies that do so much for improving the view of the inner cities.

  • Anthony 02/09/2010 12:43:00 PM

    I totally agree with this reviewer. "The Blind Side" was an absolutely atrocious movie. It was so syrupy sweet. Treacle. The message was horrible. The only reason this kid was accepted into the school in the first place was because the coach wanted him for the football team. Nice. His education doesn't seem to matter to anyone. Not really. The coach claims that accepting this kid into the school is "the Christian thing to do." Gag. Is anyone going out and looking for other kids who need help, because it's "the Christian thing to do?" Or is it just the ones who are good for the football team? Education takes a backseat to playing football through the whole movie! Getting Big Mike's GPA over the minimum is only a means to the TRUE end of getting him to play football. What a terrible message! The one teacher who actually has educational standards is made out to be the bad guy who is standing in Big Mike's way! Even the one person who should only be thinking about Big Mike's education, the private tutor, lies to him and tells him scary stories about "body parts under the football field" at the rival college that he is considering. All anybody cares about is football! Here's an idea: Teach him his lessons! The college recruiters are falling all over themselves to get this football player who has not received a basic education. No one questions whether Big Mike is ready for college-level work. We all understand that it really does not matter at all. He can play football. Jesus. The acting (what acting) was ridiculous. Sandra Bullock plays a spunky southern gal!!! Sandra Bullock has played a spunky southern gal in every movie she has ever made. Sandra Bullock IS a spunky southern gal! The actor who plays Big Mike barely evens talks. What has he got, like two pages of dialogue in the entire movie? He's more or less used just as a big prop. He does make a number of sad, dopey faces, at nobody in particular. He's just a prop in the very preachy Sandra-Bullock-is-a-saint movie. This movie is totally condescending and patronizing. Just because it is based on a true story doesn't mean that they were actually faithful to the true story. My understanding is that the real Michael Oher was not totally inept at playing football, that is, until the smiling Christians taught him about "family." Just because it is based on a true story doesn't mean it doesn't have a right-wing, Republican "spin." Just because it is based on a true story doesn't mean that the story isn't told in a really insulting condescending way that celebrates the white lady who helped him, instead of telling the empowering story of the man who actually had the talent to make it to the NFL. Just because it's based on a true story doesn't mean that it doesn't have a racist point of view. White Christianity fixes everything! White mansion people "good." Black ghetto people "scary." This is syrupy white guilt at its worst. And the funny thing is, everything that the investigator, the lady from the NCAA, everything she said was TRUE. These patronizing Christians are rushing in to save a poor black kid with the brilliant football career ahead of him, AND steering him toward their beloved alma mater. (But the only one who is truly and blatantly unscrupulous about it is the self-confessed Democrat.) Are we not supposed to notice that every single member of this family is a rabid football fan? Isn't it funny that they just happened to choose to help the one kid who is a brilliant athlete, and a monster football player? I didn't see them take an interest in helping any other poor black kids. It was the "Magic Negro." This movie was slimy and gross.

  • Jean-Pierre 02/05/2010 10:16:00 PM

    I think it's funny that most of these reviewers rally don't see the racism in all this. "It's a true story" so what? do we really need to see another movie like this? There have been so may, it sickens me. The white hope comes and saves the poor black people. Why not be original and make a movie the other way around, OR just stop making these movies all together! The people that are saying they don't see the world as black and white (or any other skin color) are just fooling themselves. "I don't see color" get real.

  • Jon Woodhouse 02/03/2010 9:11:00 AM

    What a mean spirited, ugly review. Like almost everyone commenting here I'm appalled by this reviewer's comments. I'm not a football fan and I didn't even know it was a true story until the end. And I loved it. Not sure it merits an Oscar, but I found it thoroughly engaging. And because of your nasty review it gets a "zero" rating on Metacritic. What a joke.

  • R 02/03/2010 4:10:00 AM

    Brilliant Review. Absolutely spot on.

  • Andy 01/24/2010 2:13:00 AM

    Get serious everyone, there is no way that a Village Voice critic would ever like a movie that portrayed a southern, white, christian, republican family in a positive light. Add to that the fact that they helped a young African-American man and it destroys their entire paradigm.

  • Scott 01/11/2010 8:26:00 AM

    Melissa, you have no bloody idea what you are talking about. You suck as a movie critic, a social critic, and any other kind of critic. And regarding your charge that this movie is racist - YOU ARE WRONG. That's par for the course for left-wingers, though. "The Blind Side" was a fabulously uplifting movie. No doubt about it. And it's a true story. Wow, that must really eat away at you that a rich white family made a difference in somebody's life, and that somebody happened to be of color. Seriously, don't you see the idiocy of what you are trying to argue? - "Don't help about a black person, and we will call you a racist. Do help out a black person, and we will call you a racist." Well, screw that "logic". You make no sense.

  • Leigh 01/06/2010 8:43:00 PM

    The racism seems to be in your article and the way you are viewing this true story. Not every thing is about "Racism", its about people caring about other people. Kindness, Caring, Love...I choose to focus on the positive . PEACE

  • Patrick 01/06/2010 8:10:00 AM

    How is it racist when it's a TRUE STORY? You're the one who sounds racist with your review talking about "whiteys" and poor African-Americans that need saving. This is a pathetic excuse for a review. Having your opinion is fine and simply writing that you disliked the movie is fine, but coming out saying that it's racist garbage makes you sound stereotypical and unintelligent. I would say that I've lost all respect for you, but that's not possible seeing as how I've never even fucking heard of you. Maybe if you educate yourself on the story behind the movie and realize they based it off of actual events, not just racist conspired thoughts pulled out of the fucking clouds, you could write a decent review telling everyone you just didn't like the movie. Instead, you point to a race card that makes you out to be a stereotypical, narrow-minded idiot. Coming out saying things like "whiteys" and making stereotypes about African-Americans makes you sound a bit racist, don't you think?

  • frank 01/05/2010 5:10:00 AM

    You have got to be black or dealing with a lot of white quilt. I thought this was a movie review not a op ed page on race. I love being white now---- where we are damned if we do and damned if we don't. I would not walk across the street to piss on a black if they were on fire. So I could care less about your little ideas in a paper that was once a proud place to work and you had to pay money to get it. Now this rag is free. No wonder.

  • Beowulf 01/02/2010 7:58:00 AM

    The movie is heartwarming. The acting is strong, particularly Tim McGraw, who has very little training and experience. Race was frankly not a huge focus of the movie. Newsflash - everything is not always about race. The reviewer, on the other hand, is racist. And pathetic. And shallow. And demographically thin-skinned. Hopefully she will find a politically correct movie to admire, because that seems to be her primary criteria. I expected more from the Village Voice. It appears I was wrong.

  • Phyllis Allen 01/01/2010 9:08:00 AM

    I am so for sure that if you are walking aimlessly in a cold rain and someone stops, offers you a warm place to sleep, your last thought is some socialogical mumble jumble about a White savior. All you want is a savior. How many homeless Black kids, with crack addicted mamas and unknown daddies are there out there? A whole hell of a lot. As much as I would like for all Black families to be Cosbyesque or at least loving and climbing, the reality is that there are far too many Michael Ohers on the street and far too many Black folks who have arrived who just keep on driving by, so until you stop, pick up the next cold wet unwanted child, don't go all racially indignant on the White person who does.

  • Mike H. 12/31/2009 12:31:00 PM

    I get the point you are trying to make Ms. Anderson but the manner in which you presented it explains more about you, as a person, than it does this movie. While this picture appears to be just another stereotypical Hollywood feel-goody, it IS (unfortunately for you) based on a true story, which provides a perfect example for all of those other unenlightened individuals who may have actually enjoyed this movie. From the replies I read, most people came away from this movie feeling good about society and its promise. I, on the other hand, come away from reading your review like I should be ashamed for being white.

  • George 12/30/2009 8:05:00 AM

    Don't help me. Let them suffer, what a bunch of ignorant elitists who only see the world through liberal, racist eyes. These are the same people say we need universal health care to help people. Which is it, you hypocrites.Tell Michael Oher what you think and he'd probably knock you on your butt. By the way the author of this article is a clown.

  • Mike Cremin 12/30/2009 7:14:00 AM

    I'm sorry you see the world through black and white glasses.

  • Annabelle 12/23/2009 5:28:00 PM

    Are you writing a review about the movie or commenting on the white / black issues it addresses. Get off your soapbox and review movies. If you want to address political problems, run for office. They must not let you write real stories for this paper or you'd have a byline and be writing real columns instead of movie reviews.

  • Josh 12/23/2009 12:03:00 AM

    you're an idiot. i cant imagine a more vindictive and ignorant review about such an inspiring and uplifting story. you must have really failed your own life to be that pissed off and blind.

  • Morose Musician 12/20/2009 7:10:00 AM

    I just saw a television interview with the family that adopted the homeless young man. The husband, wife, and two kids seemed like garden-variety middle-class Americans who try to live out the tenets of their faith. Because I work in a public school and sometimes become privy to the difficult circumstances under which some of my students must live, I can attest to the fact that many Americans almost routinely extend compassion, mercy, and generosity to families in crisis and children in need. The mother of one of my girls became addicted to heroin and could no longer fulfill her responsibilities to her teenage daughter. The parents of one of this girl's friends took her in and provided her with the requisite guidance and TLC until she graduated from high school. If one family becomes homeless, another family provides them with a place to live until they can get back on their feet financially. Parents who have more money pay the field trip fees of students whose parents have less money. Christianity happens. The Body of Believers is extending arms and legs and time and talent and bank accounts 24/7 all over the world. The only aspect that forced the Tuoy family out from under the radar is the fact that the young man they adopted happened to become a professional football player. My colleague and his wife have two biological children and five adopted children, all of whom have varying degrees of special needs, and two of whom happen to be African-American. As far as I know, Hollywood screenwriters are not beating down his door to tell his story to the world. That's because, as remarkable and commendable as his story is, it is not all that unusual. Not in America, anyway. It may be difficult for a self-styled wordly-wise urban sophisticate to comprehend this, but most Americans are earnest and well-meaning rather than cynical, compassionate and kind rather than racist, and generous and self-sacrificing rather than selfish and materialistic. And I dare say that many Americans will flock to the movie theaters to see "The Blind Side" and will leave those theaters inspired to strive to be even more Christ-like in their day-to-day lives. "I am come that ye might have life, and have it more abundantly." Melissa, may the joy of The Savior's birthday permeate your life and empower you to be a blessing to everyone you meet. Abundant living is yours just for the asking.

  • Kevin 12/19/2009 10:00:00 PM

    Great White Dope. I ACCIDENTALLY saw this movie. I bought tickets to see Avatar in 3d and got there when it started(opening night) so it was too packed. Instead of getting my money back and leaving, I opted for trying out this horrible movie instead. What a waste! This movie review is DEAD ON. This is a hallmark interpretation of a true story that makes you want to projectile vomit every 20 seconds or so. The script is so blatantly preconceived that the characters can only remain 1 dimensional puppet like automatons. What scares me the most were the people in the audience who laughed at the Lifetime/Disney like humor that was set up as crutches for this disasterous movie( every 20 seconds, hence the nausea for vomiting). What freaks me out even more are the overwhelming amount of positive reviews on this comment board. You people are missing the overall idea!! Its not about the story in the end! YES! It IS a TRUE story and ,yes, these rich white people helped this poor black kid, but the SCRIPT and EVERY scene is so saccharine, hallmark, Macy's Catalogue, that you can't possibly feel anything for these characters. I loved the way they tried to jerk you for tears with the slow sequences of this big frankenstein/shrek/hunchback of notredame like character, hunched over, with that sad look in his eyes. AAAwwwee..Then the SAD violin music on top. Classic melodramatic bull that is sadly prominent in Hollywood, and probably brainwashing younger generations who don't have access to better movies(yes even today with the internet) and rely on mainstream marketing for their entertainment. You can evoke sadness without being so literal! YES! Its a only a movie(But this is a TRUE story! Its artificial in the end, but this movie made me never want to go to the movies again(I walked out of the theater 60% of the way through.) My conclusion is that, in fact, WE THE PEOPLE, The AUDIENCE members , are actually the embodiment of this dopey character. Hollywood needs its own great white hope(or great black hope, whomever! Someone help!!) to save itself out of mediocrity and banality. I wouldn't even suggest this movie to children for its "golden rule" message.

  • Prissy 12/18/2009 8:31:00 AM

    This review would make perfect sense except for one problem -- the movie is based on a true story. I think it would have been more condescending for the filmmakers to add in a made up "black savior" to pacify the easily offended than for them to do what they did, which was present the story as it actually happened. Life doesn't always happen neatly, or within the boundaries of political correctness.

  • Ted 12/17/2009 5:38:00 AM

    Here's the movie I want to see. It's about a Gothamite hipster who writes for a radical alt/weekly and would never be caught dead in "ill-fitting clothes". She passes by a homeless black child in the rain, but remembers enough Fraz Fannon from the ethnic studies classes she took at an expensive east coast private school to know that directly helping that child is enables the worst post-colonial myths about white people not being totally evil and uncool. So she passes the child by, on her way to a East-side poetry slam featuring the works Zizek, and Chomsky set to an African tribal beat.

  • Really? 12/17/2009 1:00:00 AM

    White people did the saving in the movie because that is what happened in real life. You are the one polarizing the opinions like its your God given right. Watch a movie objectively. Can't be compared to Precious in any fashion. The movies are going two entirely different tones, not to mention they are two entirely differenet stories. Damn the whities. You're right, we should villify them for doing good. Right? Don't you hate white people? They suck.

  • bailey 12/16/2009 7:18:00 PM

    I think its just amazing how your brain works. How you can live in this day and age and still be that ignorant. Its because of people like you that we are still fighting to get rid of racism. I think when you watched this movie, you forgot that it was a TRUE story. Not one that a writer sat down and said �oh I am going to write a movie about a black kid and make a white family take him in.� When she saw him on the street, I�m sure she didn�t say, � I better not give him a place to stay warm tonight, He�s black, people might think I�m trying to be superior over him.� And thinking like you do, you would have left him walking down the street. I cant believe you actually get paid to think this stupid.

  • Barry 12/16/2009 12:52:00 PM

    OK,those of you that condescended to enlighten and educate us bad old WHITE people-Im waiting for the upcoming 'feelgood' movie about the insanely wealthy BLACK gangsta-rappa or idiotically misbehaving BLACK sports star that takes in a homeless,down on his luck BLACK kid-uses some of that phaT money for good and completely turns that BLACK kid's life around....Surely all you fine,high minded northern liberal Intellectuals know of dozens and dozens of such cases....ummm...Wow,Is there an echo In here...its mighty quiet...

  • Jeff F. 12/16/2009 3:32:00 AM

    Not having read other reviews by Melissa Anderson, I can't say if her writing style here is a trend, so I can only suggest that the level of disgust and sarcasm used to describe The Blind Side is only an equal and opposite reaction to the level of tripe and cliche-ridden characterizations by the movie-makers. On one level, the Anderson haters fail to recognize her criticisms are aimed at the tired, cookie-cutter presentation of the story, fact-based notwithstanding. Yes, the outline is true but the fleshing out of the characters is so sacharrine laden that it's no wonder Anderson felt compelled to spew out her distaste for film. So the indignation of Christians and white people here on this thread are misguided: Anderson never mocks their good intentions and acts - she only warns filmgoers possessing three digit IQs and the ability to recognize paint-by-number treatments to stay away from The Blind Side and venture elsewhere for enlghtened storytelling. Those that choose to see this film and enjoy it, well, good for you and I wish you not too many more viewings of similar made for the masses, run of the mill, second year film study, dim bulb, non-challenging, Oscar-baiting star vehicle, heart-strings manipulating, Type II diabetic, fast food, self-congratulatory, conscience clearing, soon-to-be Walmart $5 bin level, "nice" movies like The Blind Side before realizing where Melissa Anderson was coming from. (But hey, a lot of people are happy with fast food hamburgers and choose not to seek out filet mignon. Not stuffy, just more experienced.)

  • Brian 12/15/2009 1:29:00 AM

    "It needs to be the wonderful thing a caucasion has done, because then a caucasion with huge box office appeal can attach their name to the project." Maybe you don't remember a recent feel-good-true-story movie called Pursuit of Happiness. You don't think Will Smith or Denzel Washington or Halle Berry or Tyler Perry or etc., etc. can't open a movie with their name attached to it? The problem isn't that the ONLY acceptible narrative is that white people are saintly. Actually, most of the time the narrative is that white people are the devil. This is the first movie in a long time which is willing to admit any amount of virtue to white people. But of course, it's just one family. The white community as a whole is portrayed as racist: the teachers that don't care, the women who say offensive things to Leigh Ann at lunch. All of Tennessee is basically portrayed as racist. But because ONE LITTLE FAMILY does the right thing, this movie is about how all white people are saints. Come on.

  • Brian 12/15/2009 1:20:00 AM

    "the past is gone, the world's a good place, and it's all gonna be OK." Uh, Leigh Ann doesn't say that to Michael. Michael says that what's his biological mom used to say. Next time, before you write a review of a movie... watch the movie.

  • Brian 12/15/2009 1:20:00 AM

    "the past is gone, the world's a good place, and it's all gonna be OK." Uh, Leigh Ann doesn't say that to Michael. Michael says that what his biological mom used to say. Next time, before you write a review of a movie... watch the movie.

  • Peach 12/14/2009 2:29:00 PM

    OK, I am black and I think this is ridiculous. Talk about crying wolf, no wonder people are tired of the race card. Look, if this were a movie made up by a white person you would have a point. But it's not. It's a TRUE STORY. How can facts be racist?

  • bob 12/14/2009 11:46:00 AM

    I didn't find the movie racist at all. It's stupid people like you that only pay attention to the color of people's skin in the movie instead of paying attention to the actual story. What was portrayed on screen was accurate and true, and it could hav just as easily been a rich black family taking a poor white kid. You are a dumb ignorant bitch who draws nothing but racism out of everything that has to do with a poor black man. The story is true so i don't think its racist. In fact i think you are the person that is racist

  • EricTN 12/14/2009 9:56:00 AM

    To all of you "I'm conservative, Christian, and wanna feel good about it" numbnuts, you're missing an important point as you scramble to defend this "blacks: needy, whites: saintly" narrative. The point isn't that it's a true story. There are literally millions of true stories happening every day. There are acts of kindness and acts of selflessness going on all around you. What Hollywood doesn't care about, for the most part, is if those acts of kindness are the acts of african americans, or asian americans or hispanic americans, etc. Think about the stories Hollywood *chooses* to tell - that's the real racism. It needs to be the wonderful thing a caucasion has done, because then a caucasion with huge box office appeal can attach their name to the project, it will have a serious budget and serious distribution and then you get to see it and feel all warm and crumbly inside. It's not how the story is told, it's *what* stories *get* told.

  • Phil Riley 12/13/2009 1:02:00 AM

    I always like it when an east coast lib rips a movie like this. If she read the book she would know that this is a true story adn that the awful white family really did care about Michael and for the most part adopted him. The role of Lea Ann was expanded in the film, Sean really did have quite a role as well ini his development and helping him to earn passing grades so he could go to college. Why is it necessary to take what is clearly intended to be a positive film and define it by race. I saw nothing but respect for diveristy in the film and the idea that an child left on the streets could be taken in by this family should be uplifting. Instead we are beaten aroudn the head by someone who voted for Obama (I'm sure) and felt pride in the first black president, but finds this kind of situation where a white family helps a poor balck child to be something to be made fun of. It really happened and it is a nice story. That's all and I find your slant on it to be typical of why I don't read your publication regularly. I bet you have never been involved in this kind of thing and if you have, youi are now too big tiime to leave the "village" and your band of sycophants to see anything but your own bitter liberal view.

  • ninabeth13 12/09/2009 7:33:00 AM

    melissa anderson is clearly threatened by this movie - maybe because she realizes that rich republican christians in the south actually care about black people more than she does. what has she done for poor black people? or for anyone? i'm a liberal big-city democrat who thought it was a great and inspiring movie. critics unfortunately tend to be a bitter and cynical lot and i know most of them didn't love this film. but to call it "the most insidious type of racism"?? this reviewer seems to yearn for a world in which white people never help black people. hmm, i wonder who the real racist is....?

  • Esther 12/08/2009 2:13:00 AM

    BRAVO! Melissa, this article presents the type of clarity that is so needed in culture writings. So easily do we dismiss obvious shortcomings of our world for the sake of "artistic expression", that it seriously undermines social progress. Yes, racism still exists. The common notion is that we've made ENOUGH progress in the realm of civil rights so that we don't really have to take a close look at issues like race. But subtle racism is still racism, folks. And arguably even worse.

  • Leslie 12/07/2009 8:35:00 AM

    There have been many movies about BLACK crusading individuals who have made a difference in their community (Stand by Me, the football movie where Denzel Washington was the Head Coach of a just-integrated team). And there are true stories of Mexican or White individuals who by want of circumstances or their peculiar characters chose to sacrifice their time and energies to help someone else or many someones (in the case of a school or team or band.) This is a TRUE STORY of a white, hard-headed, socialite (and not exactly the ideal heroine) who never-the-less took a very introverted, cowed, headed-for-nowhere, neglected boy and turned his life around through sheer willpower and compassion and a certain amount of arrogant stubborness. OMG What if other self-satisfied white socialites are prompted to get out of their comfort zones and do something that really makes an impact? What vile film-makers to promote such a notion! Your review is the worst kind of reverse-racism, and snobbism. Some do-gooders do good despite their trappings or vanities or social status. Deal with it!

  • nope 12/07/2009 6:01:00 AM

    Actually, I liked your review Melissa- screw what everyone else says!!! When I first saw the trailer everything you wrote- I thought! Being an African American, - from my experience, I don't know about anyone elses- I feel as if whenever something in a movie is about a black person, or any other minority member, they usually have the "saintly" white person who saves their life (Gran Turino, Freedom Writers)-- And usually, we're always depicted as the ones in the gangs, living in the slums, or beating our kids. and no offence, even though the movie (and I think the 2 others I listed) was based on a true story, I feel as if whenever another Black or Latino or even Asian does something good for their own community, they never get the credit or attention that the otherwise Cauasian do gooder will recieve. So there's a shortage of stories like this that feature us helping our communities.

  • Alex O. 12/07/2009 5:53:00 AM

    Wow, and you say the movie is racist? How about you go take a hard long look in the mirror. The Village Voice should be ashamed to have you employed. Honestly, ive never read a more biased, politically motivated, racist review in my life. You are a pathetic. Please choke on your review.

  • Lindsey 12/06/2009 7:53:00 PM

    You know, maybe someone didn't tell you, but this is in fact a TRUE story. Tension was definitely expressed both in the game by the awful opposition, and also by the white women lunching with Leigh Anne. Politics and religion aside, the story itself is about beautiful selflessness that this family had to help someone else. I know you are probably upset because all the most recent movies attack republicans and christians, but this movie had a wonderful story, good values, and DONT DISS S.J. He was actually playing a NORMAL kid. (That's how kids act in case you don't have any ;) )God Bless you and Merry Christmas!!

  • Tom 12/06/2009 12:49:00 AM

    Anderson this is a horrible review. It's fine if you dislike the movie, but your reasoning is horrific.

  • Tom 12/06/2009 12:48:00 AM

    Anderson this is a horrible review. It's fine if you dislike the movie, but your reasoning is horrific.

  • David Fowler 12/05/2009 3:47:00 PM

    I get the point of your diatribe. You wanted the Oher character to be foreground center and the Touhy family to be as far to the back as possible...like blacks used to have to be. OK, it's not structured the way you want so it's racist. Guess what? At the time of these events the Touhy's WERE at the center of the story. It was THEIR actions that made Oher's success possible. Do you remotely believe that he would be where he is now without their help??? If you do then you're a complete fool. If the emphasis is on them it's because they DESERVE it! They are "Saviors" and they are "White" and Oher's talent would have gone totally into the crapper without them. I don't know that I have ever encountered someone so racially self loathing. The political correctness of the extreme Left is just as Fascist as any ideology on the extreme Right, and I am heartily...thoroughly...profoundly sick of having it pounded into my head by white apologists like yourself as well as by a huge segment of the African American face of the media that to be white is to be something shameful. That I should feel some need to apologize for being white. That all white people are indeed "white devils", evil, the scum of the earth while all black people are noble, stainless, and approaching divinity. I can imagine the hue and cry if a white comedian were to dare say anything about blacks equivalent to things routinely said by black comedians about whites, and how can the "N" word possibly be the "worst" word anyone can say if black people aren't above everyone else? I would have thought that ANY expression of bigotry was equal in ugliness to any other. No race is above or below any other and no apologia is ever needed by any member of any race so to you, Dear Lady, and to all others like you I can only say FUCK YOU!!! I'M WHITE. DEAL WITH IT!!!

  • Barry331 12/05/2009 7:06:00 AM

    Whoaaa!-Tone down your 'white hot' self-loathing,Ms.Anderson-Maybe the movie IS a little hokey but I guess being 'white' makes the selfless and truly life-changing actions of these fine people somehow less noble and simply Good in a crappy selfish society.This TRUE story just flies in the face of the northern Liberal Myth of the evil white devils of the south,doesnt it?So just adjust your trendy little horn rimmed glasses,buy yourself a latte with your pinky raised and shut your hateful little mouth.

  • bryan 12/04/2009 7:02:00 PM

    i am so glad all of the people commenting are saying what i was thinking. this reviewer is a joke. i'm sure she loves the attention but i promise i will not read anything else with her name on it. it's jealousy, it's cynicism, it's mean-spirited, it's even racist to an extent which is ironic as hell. what a moron. people like you who stir the pot for NO apparent reason do nothing to advance our country. we have come so far when it comes to the race issue and i am extremely proud of that and then to have an idiot like you trying to instigate only sets us back two steps. you strike me as one of those people who just loves to hear herself talk so please find a new career and keep your ridiculous opinions to yourself.

  • Mikey 11/30/2009 8:29:00 PM

    dannnng Melissa, you are one over the top cynical Christian hating looney lib.....funny how you lib atheists only talk the talk but never help anyone

  • Raquel 11/30/2009 7:18:00 AM

    I just saw the film and did get very teary eyed and inspired. I did walk away feeling that Hollywood did not put ONE person of color in that childs life who was a positive person. This film is based on a true story; they have to improvise the rest. It is typical of Hollywood to portray people of color entirely in this light. I am thankful to this reviewer for looking at this film from all angles. Kudos to the real life benevolent family who made a difference in this boys life.

  • Brian 11/30/2009 6:49:00 AM

    Oh, and Kale. Did you not get the fact Michael helped to change a small culture? This is not an epic film by any means...but it certainly points out that racial harmony needs little steps, and can cross boundaries with big leaps when the opportunity arises and people open their minds. This was and is about a black kid helping ignorant people realize the value of potential in any human being.

  • Brian 11/30/2009 6:26:00 AM

    Wow, you really did not watch the movie, or simply did not pay attention. It was Michael's birth mother that he recalls telling him "the past is gone, the world's a good place, and it's all gonna be OK" Why are you reviewing films you have not really...ummm, reviewed? Don't do that.

  • Lolita Hansen 11/29/2009 5:27:00 AM

    The problem is not that a white family saved a black kid. That is a kind and generous thing and should be applauded. But HOW MANY of these same movies have we seen over the years where some white teacher/family comes in and saves some poor disadvantaged black kid from a life of drugs and violence. We have seen this same theme time and time again. Whites love being seen as saviors. How many movies can you name where the theme was the exact opposite, a rich/well to do black family saving some poor disadvantaged white kids. I cant name one. THAT is my problem with the MOVIE, not with the people themselves.

  • Kale 11/27/2009 7:37:00 AM

    To those who say he isn't a real critic for putting opinion into a review, you need to read the review again, or watch the movie. There isn't anything in here that someone who isn't completely naive wouldn't have noticed. The movie is more based around how awesome the white people who helped the black kid are instead of the guy who the movie is supposed to be about. There is no opinion in this review, only blatant fact. If you choose to ignore the facts, then that's your own fault.

  • Lee 11/25/2009 10:08:00 PM

    While I respect Ms. Anderson's right to her opinion of the film, there is, to me, a fatal flaw in her review. She says that Michael is essentially mute through the movie and in one of the last scenes, Leigh Anne tells him 'the past is gone, the world's a good place and it's all gonna be okay." SHE NEVER SAID THAT. HE DID. TO HER. This was, to me, one of the most powerful points in the story, that the boy who (in reality as well as the film) had little to say ultimately has the most to say. He has become the teacher to Leigh Anne, who always has plenty to say and is, in the last shot of the movie, completely silent and content, thanks to his lesson to her. Anderson has attributed dialogue incorrectly to make her point, which of course destroys her argument.

  • Dave 11/25/2009 10:03:00 PM

    The reviewer may well be a lifeless sad cynical individual who dares not see the sunlight of optimisim and goodness.

  • Cherry882838 sunmy green 11/25/2009 4:43:00 PM

    There is a funny story, one day , in the class, jack'teacher Mr green ask him a question." what is your dream in the future? " travelling the world " he replied. And then , Mr green ask his classmate Jelly, "how about you Jelly" At that time she was sleeping , she stood up and said " i will marry jack , that is my dream " All the studens laugh at her, when you heart this , do you want to learn more, if you want to go on , please coming into http://gobrandmall.com/

  • Rick Osswald 11/25/2009 11:38:00 AM

    Wow Melissa, lighten up. This ain't great cinema by any stretch, but scoring a movie a zero means that you're trying to do a little offsetting of more positive reviews. Sorry that this had the disadvantage of being a true story. A better argument on your part would have been that the movie shouldn't have been made, but once it got made I think you have the obligation to write an objective review of what's on the screen. I found your review to possess all the characteristics you sighted in the movie.

 
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