'The Blind Side' meshes a social statement with the sports genre

“The Blind Side” is a rare mesh of social statement and sports genre.

Sandra Bullock, in one of her best roles, plays one of those rich Southern women who get their way when they get determined about it. They are the steel magnolias who make Southern gentlemen stay Southern gentlemen. They have charming ways of persuading their husbands, or beaus, to do exactly as they please with the men hardly noticing. What Leigh Anne Tuohy of Memphis wants, in this case, is justice, a scholarship and a top college football choice for Big Mike, the black left tackle she adopted into her mansion when she found him freezing outside in the winter.

More than just a football possibility, Michael, as he prefers to be called, becomes an authentic part of the Tuohy family (whose money comes from restaurants, or something like that. It’s kept somewhat vague).

 “The Blind Side” is a true story, and it provides Bullock with a real role, not another romantic-comedy girlfriend part. She makes the most of it – right down to the Southern accent and all the Tennessee energy the real Leigh Anne apparently has.

 Newcomer Quinton Aaron plays the initially homeless and nearly illiterate big guy from the wrong side of the tracks – until Leigh Anne sees him, learns that he’s one of her daughter’s unheralded classmates and lets him sleep on the living room sofa for one night. He quickly becomes a part of the family, even though his residence raises the eyebrows, as well as the curiosity, of some of her country club friends. Once she adopts Big Mike, there’s no hesitation about going all the way.

Country singer Tim McGraw is cast as her long-suffering husband who, wisely, goes along with any charity or cause she chooses to support. When Michael’s grades get critically low, they hire a tough tutor named Miss Sue, played with great spunk as well as compassion by Oscar winner Kathy Bates (“Misery”).

Initially, Mike doesn’t understand the game of football, particularly being a left tackle, until Leigh Anne takes him aside and suggests, “This team is your family, and you have to protect them. Tony is your quarterback. You protect his blind side. When you look at him, think of me. Now you have my back.”

Soon, college coaches come calling. Leigh Anne has her favorites but tries to be fair-minded. The question comes up as to whether the Tuohys have sponsored Michael as just a football recruit or also a family member. We know, but the league doesn’t, that he didn’t even have football possibilities when he first moved into the house.

Some hilarious comedy relief is supplied by Jae Head as the family’s youngest son, a good friend of Michael who consistently rags the visiting coaches to get the best deal.

In a world of rather cynical movies, it’s a little surprising that this favorable picture of Southern modern life even got made. It is the style of movies nowadays to berate and negate the so-called “rich” folks.

Here, we meet wealthy people who actually undertake doing good. We also see a Southern family that lives together while including at least two races and numerous philosophies. To see a movie set in the South that has no fat sheriff, brass beds, silly accents or demeaning qualities is rare indeed.

There is a big game at the end, but the movie doesn’t depend on the outcome.

In life, in contrast to standard sports movies, there are other ways of keeping score.

Mal Vincent, (757) 446-2347, mal.vincent@pilotonline.com