Viewer's Reflection On The Blind Side: Opinion Essay

After watching the Blind Side, it was without a doubt that Michael Oher was a textbook example of a person who did this. Michael Oher consumes a tragic whilst inspiring life story which is achieved through an exceptional cast. This inspirational true story explores a great depth of the life of Michael Oher and shows the details of his Triumph over Adversity. It shows the strength it took him to overcome so many obstacles on his pathway to success. This is just one of the many reasons as to why I believe that 2009 film Blind Side is perfect for Closing Night Honours.

The Movie ‘The Blind Side’ is based on a true story. Michael Oher grew up with no father figure and a drug addicted mother. This left the seventeen-year-old being bounced between foster homes. He is given a place to stay by a caring family who takes him in as one of their own. The plot of the story begins with Michael Oher as a homeless, under-educated and poor African American teen who has come from a broken home. His life changes when he is taken in by the Tuohy family, and he soon realises his potential as a student and football player. The message that the director conveyed throughout the movie ‘The Blind Side’ was a sense of belonging. Michael was not given this sense throughout the beginning of the film, shown through his drug addicted mother and homelessness. Along the journey of Michaels life in the movie, he experiences more than just Triumph over Adversity from playing football, but also from overcoming so many previous setbacks. Some setbacks that Michael faced throughout, were not knowing who his father was, Family services removing Oher from his home, and failing at school. These incidents all impact his sense of belonging. Before the Touhy family came into his life, no one was there to help or guide Michael. These elements support my recommendation of this film because it highlights how it only takes one small action to change a lifetime. If it wasn’t for the Tuohy family and Oher’s ambition towards football, he would not have been given such an amazing opportunity. The Touhy family also show us that Family is not defined by the blood in your veins but by the love in your heart by the way they treat Michael.

The Blind Side is a formulaic whilst uplifting sports drama-based film. It centres on the messages of opportunities, the benefits of hard work and the importance of having a supportive family. The dialogue in this film is simple, everyday language. The Touhy family are portrayed as just a regular family, and so the conversations they have are easy to understand and relatable within most people’s household. The two main characters in the film are Michael Oher and Leigh Anne Tuohy. Michael being the African American teen who grew up surrounded by danger and drugs. He was born with a great talent and passion towards sport – especially American Football, however, with the hardships he has faced so early on he doesn’t understand much about life and how to respond to difficult situations. Leigh Anne is a mother of two. A kind-hearted and strong woman, who saw that she could make a great impact on young Michaels life. She became a role model to Oher and shared her values and way of acceptance with him. Such inspiring characters make this the perfect film to recommend. I feel as though these elements make it so easy for others to relate to and share their hardships with others after viewing this film.

The camera techniques used throughout the film are an important element. The mise-en-scene shows the coaching staff with Michael and all his team-mates on the football field.

The cinematography used can be seen when the scene starts with a long shot from the benches showing the team and the coach, it makes you feel as though you are literally sitting there and watching the game. It gets you into the football mindset, the perfect opening for the scene of a football game. The sounds heard throughout the course of the scene of the football game were used to enhance the emotion, anger, encouragement and excitement of the game.

You can hear the grunting of the players, the crowd cheering, roaring and whistling, as well as whistles blowing and the coaches screaming.

The sounds of a scene are very important because it can determine how the viewer interprets the scene.

Both the Touhy family and Michael face hardships. The message that comes across in the movie skirts the topic instead of truly tackling it. Ohers life story is encouraging to others in the same situation.