Sandra Bullock plays a wealthy suburbanite in Memphis who incredibly takes in (and eventually becomes the legal guardian of) a homeless African-American youth who goes on to become a First Round draft pick in the NFL. This is the best role Sandra Bullock has had in a decade. She actually disappears into this role. Unfortunately, in too many recent Bullock movies, I sat there thinking: “There’s Sandra Bullock playing an ingenue. She’s too old for that role.” Not this time. Singer Tim McGraw effectively plays Bullock’s husband. Quinton Aaron plays the hulking Michael Oher convincingly. Child actor Jae Head steals almost every scene he’s in. This movie is based on Michael Lewis’s non-fiction book with the same title. Of course, artistic license in a few scenes in the movie has to be granted to keep the drama up. The movie is a bit too long, but it delivers an emotional punch. GRADE: B
Be sure to see AN EDUCATION. The best movie about that subject in years and thrillingly acted.
AN EDUCATION is on our list of MUST SEE movies, Patti. This week will be hectic with the kids coming in for Thanksgiving, but hopefully we’ll be able to see a movie or two.
I suspect the blonde dye job was done to squelch the “There’s Sandra Bullock . . .” problem, and, by your account, it seems to have worked. But I can’t see her as a blonde. What the hell, I don’t go to movies anyway . . .
Sandra Bullock was a knockout in this movie, Art. I had no problem accepting her with blond hair. When they rolled the credits at the end of the movie, there were a series of photos of the “real” family. The character Bullock played looked an awful lot like the “real” Mom.