The Blind Side (film) 1

The Blind Side (film)

The Blind SideTheatrical release poster

Directed by John Lee Hancock

Produced by Broderick JohnsonAndrew KosoveGil Netter

Screenplay by John Lee Hancock

Based on The Blind Side: Evolution of aGameby Michael Lewis

Starring Sandra BullockTim McGrawQuinton AaronKathy Bates

Music by Carter Burwell

Cinematography Alar Kivilo

Editing by Mark Livolsi

Studio Alcon EntertainmentFortis Films

Distributed by Warner Bros.

Release date(s) •• November 20, 2009

Running time 129 minutes

Country United States

Language English

Budget $29 million

Box office $309,208,309

The Blind Side is a 2009 American semi-biographical sports drama film. It is written and directed by John LeeHancock, and based on the 2006 book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis. The storyline featuresMichael Oher, an offensive lineman who plays for the Baltimore Ravens of the NFL. The film follows Oher from hisimpoverished upbringing, through his years at Wingate Christian School (a fictional representation of BriarcrestChristian School in Memphis, Tennessee),[1] his adoption by Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, to his position as one ofthe most highly coveted prospects in college football, then finally becoming a first-round pick in the NFL by theBaltimore Ravens.Sandra Bullock stars as Leigh Anne Tuohy, alongside Quinton Aaron as Michael Oher, Tim McGraw as SeanTuohy, and Kathy Bates as Miss Sue. The movie also features appearances by several current and former NCAAcoaches, including SEC coaches Houston Nutt and Ed Orgeron (Oher's coaches in college, though Nutt representedArkansas at the time and therefore does so in the film) and Nick Saban (who was at LSU at the time and represents itin the film), former coaches Lou Holtz, Tommy Tuberville, Phillip Fulmer, as well as recruiting analyst TomLemming.The Blind Side was a box-office success, grossing over $300 million. The film was well received by critics, who praised Sandra Bullock's performance. Bullock went on to win the Academy Award for Best Actress, as well as the

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Golden Globe Award for Best Actress and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a FemaleActor in a Leading Role. The film also received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.

PlotFor most of his childhood, 17-year-old Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) has been in foster care with different families,largely because of his mother's drug addiction, throughout Memphis, Tennessee. Every time he is placed in a newhome, he runs away. His friend's father, on whose couch Mike had been sleeping, asks Burt Cotton (Ray McKinnon),the coach of Wingate Christian school, to help enroll his son and Mike. Impressed by Mike's size and athleticism,Cotton gets him admitted despite his abysmal academic record. At his new school, Michael is befriended by a boynamed Sean Jr. "SJ" (Jae Head). SJ's mother Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock) is a strong-minded interiordesigner and the wife of wealthy businessman Sean Tuohy (Tim McGraw).Leigh Anne notices Michael walking on the road, shivering in the cold; when she learns he intends to spend the nighthuddled outside the school gym, she offers him a place to sleep at her house. The next morning, when she seesMichael leaving, she asks him to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with her family. Slowly, Michael becomes amember of the Tuohy family, even as Leigh Anne's rich friends wonder what she is doing. One even suggests thather teenage daughter Collins (Lily Collins) is not safe around him, much to Leigh Anne's disgust. When Leigh Anneseeks to become Michael's legal guardian, she learns he was separated from his drug-addict mother when he wasseven and that no one knows her whereabouts. She is also told that even though he scored low in almost everycategory in a career aptitude test, he is in the 98th percentile in "protective instincts".After his grades improve, Michael is allowed to join the school football team. He has a shaky start due to his politeand gentle nature, yet after some encouragement by Leigh Anne to tap into his "protective instincts" and regard histeammates as he would members of his family, Michael dominates on the field. SJ sends out videos of the games tocollege coaches around the country. Leigh Anne discovers that to get an NCAA Division I scholarship, Michaelneeds a 2.5 GPA, so they hire a tutor, Miss Sue (Kathy Bates). Some of the teachers help out as well, and Michaelends up with a GPA of 2.52. When coaches come to recruit Michael, Leigh Anne makes it clear that she prefers theUniversity of Mississippi (Ole Miss), as both she and her husband are alumni.Miss Sue, another Ole Miss alumna, tells Michael (who dislikes horror films) that the FBI buries body parts underthe University of Tennessee's Neyland Stadium for research; Leigh Anne particularly loathes that school. Michaelcommits to Ole Miss. Subsequently, Michael and the Tuohys become the subject of an NCAA investigation. Theinvestigator tells Michael that the Tuohys and Miss Sue are fervent Mississippi boosters, who are subject to specialrestrictions, and his high school coach got a job at Ole Miss after Michael chose the school. Michael confronts LeighAnne, asking her if she only took him in so he would play football for her alma mater. Michael then goes to his birthmother's apartment in the projects. His old friends welcome him, but their leader makes crude remarks about LeighAnne and Collins. Michael becomes angry and in the ensuing fight subdues his former friends and then flees.Leigh Anne searches for Michael. He finally calls her, and they meet. Leigh Anne tells him she will support anydecision he makes. Michael satisfies the investigator by explaining that he chose Ole Miss because his whole familyhas gone there. Later, Leigh Anne and her family take Michael to the Ole Miss campus to begin college. The filmends with an emotional goodbye between Leigh Anne and Michael. The closing credits show the 2009 NFL Draftwith the real Michael Oher being drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round. Photographs of Oher and thereal Tuohys follow, with Oher's success in the NFL detailed. The credits include a dedication to director John LeeHancock's father, a football player and coach who died in 2009.

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Cast

Bullock was acclaimed for herperformance in the film, and as a

result, won the Academy Award forBest Actress in 2010

• Sandra Bullock as Leigh Anne Tuohy• Tim McGraw as Sean Tuohy• Quinton Aaron as Michael "Big Mike" Oher• Jae Head as Sean "S.J." Tuohy, Jr.• Lily Collins as Collins Tuohy• Ray McKinnon as Coach Burt Cotton• Kim Dickens as Mrs. Boswell• Adriane Lenox as Denise Oher• Kathy Bates as Miss Sue• Eaddy Mays as Elaine• Robert "IronE" Singleton as Alton

Coaches playing themselves

• Tommy Tuberville, then coach of Auburn

• Nick Saban, then coach of LSU• Lou Holtz, then coach of South Carolina• Philip Fulmer, then coach of Tennessee• Houston Nutt, then coach of Arkansas• Ed Orgeron, then coach of Ole Miss

ProductionThe Blind Side was produced by Alcon Entertainment and released by Warner Bros. According to Reuters, the film'sproduction budget was $29 million. Filming for the school scenes took place at Atlanta International School and TheWestminster Schools in Atlanta, Georgia, and it features many of their students as extras. The film premiered onNovember 17 in New York City and New Orleans and opened in theaters on November 20 in the rest of the UnitedStates and in Canada.[2]

Academy Award winner Julia Roberts was originally offered Bullock's role, but turned it down. Bullock initiallyturned down the starring role three times due to discomfort with portraying a devout Christian. According toBullock, she felt she couldn't objectively represent such a person's beliefs on screen. But after a visit with the realLeigh Anne Tuohy, Bullock was not only won over, but also took a pay cut and agreed to receive a percentage of theprofits instead.[3]

ReceptionThe film received generally positive reviews from critics, with Sandra Bullock's acting being critically acclaimed.Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 66% based on 193 reviews, with a ratingaverage of 6.1 out of 10. The site's general consensus is that "It might strike some viewers as a little too pat, but TheBlind Side has the benefit of strong source material and a strong performance from Sandra Bullock." Metacritic,which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from film critics, has a rating score of 53 based on 29reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".

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Box officeThe Blind Side opened in 3,110 theaters on its opening weekend, the weekend of November 20, 2009. It grossed astrong $34,510,000 in its opening weekend, the second highest gross of that weekend, behind The Twilight Saga:New Moon. It was the highest-grossing opening weekend of Sandra Bullock's career. The per-theater average for TheBlind Side's opening weekend was $11,096.[4] In its opening weekend, the movie already proved to be a financialsuccess, having a budget of just $29,000,000. It proved to have remarkable staying power, taking in an additional$9.5 million, bringing its gross to $60,125,000 by the weekend of November 27, 2009.[5] The movie enjoyed a veryrare greater success for the second weekend than it did in its opening weekend, taking in an estimated $40 million,an increase of 18 percent, from November 27 to November 29, 2009, coming in second to New Moon once again,bringing its gross to $100,250,000.In its third weekend, the movie continued its trend of rare feats by moving up to the number one position with $20.4million in sales after spending the previous two weekends in second place for a total gross of $128.8 million, due tostrong word-of-mouth.[6] In its fourth weekend, it moved down to second place, dropping a slim 23% with anestimated $15.5 million for a total of $150.2 million in the United States and Canada as of December 13, 2009.[6]

The film hit $200 million domestically on January 1, 2010, marking the first time a movie marketed with a soleactress' name above the title (Bullock's) has crossed the $200 million mark.[7] The Blind Side has also become thehighest grossing football movie and sports drama of all time domestically [8][9] unadjusted for ticket inflation.[10] TheBlind Side ended its domestic theatrical run on June 4, 2010 (nearly 7 months after it opened), earning a total of$255,959,475.[11] In the UK, The Blind Side was released on March 26, 2010. It was the third biggest release of thatweekend behind Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang and Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland.

AccoladesThe Blind Side has earned numerous awards and nominations for the lead performance of the film's star, SandraBullock.

Awards and Nominations

Award Category Nominee Result

Academy Award Best Actress SandraBullock Won

Best Picture Film Nominated

Critics’ Choice Award Best Actress SandraBullock

Won (tied with MerylStreep)

ESPY Awards Best Sports Movie Film Won

Golden Globe Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama SandraBullock Won

Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards Favorite Movie Actress SandraBullock Nominated

Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor ina Leading Role

SandraBullock Won

People's Choice Award Favorite Movie Actress SandraBullock Won

Washington D.C. Area Film CriticsAssociation Award

Best Actress SandraBullock Nominated

The Blind Side (film) 5

Teen Choice Awards 2010 Favorite Drama Movie Film Won

Movie Actress – Drama SandraBullock Won

Breakout Male Actor QuintonAaron Nominated

SoundtrackThe movie features 23 songs by artists including Les Paul, Young MC, Lucy Woodward, The Books, Canned Heat,Five for Fighting, and film costar Tim McGraw.[12] However, while the score soundtrack by Carter Burwell wasreleased on CD, none of the featured songs were included.

Home mediaThe Blind Side was released on DVD and Blu-ray March 23, 2010. The Blind Side was available exclusively forrental from Blockbuster for 28 days.Redbox and Netflix customers had to wait 28 days before they were able to rent the movie.[13][14] This stems fromthe settlement of a lawsuit brought by Redbox against Warner Home Video, who, in an attempt to boost DVD sales,refused to sell wholesale titles to Redbox. On August 19, 2009 Redbox sued Warner Home Video[15] to continuepurchasing DVD titles at wholesale prices. On February 16, 2010, Redbox settled the lawsuit and agreed to a 28-daywindow past the street date.As of July 9th, 2013, units sold for the DVD stand at more than 8.4 million copies and has grossed a further$107,962,159 adding to its total gross.[16]

References[1] Briarcrest opted out of feature role in 'The Blind Side' (http:/ / www. commercialappeal. com/ news/ 2009/ nov/ 24/

briarcrest-opted-out-of-blind-side-feature-role/ ) from CommercialAppeal.com[2] The Blind Side – Release dates (http:/ / www. imdb. com/ title/ tt0878804/ releaseinfo)[3] "Sandra Bullock scores touchdown at box office" (http:/ / blogs. reuters. com/ fanfare/ 2009/ 11/ 22/

sandra-bullock-scores-touchdown-at-box-office/ ) on Reuters.com[4] Weekend Box Office Results for November 20–22, 2009 (http:/ / boxofficemojo. com/ weekend/ chart/ ?yr=2009& wknd=47& p=. htm) from

Box Office Mojo[5] Daily Box Office for Thursday, November 26, 2009 (http:/ / boxofficemojo. com/ daily/ chart/ ?sortdate=2009-11-26& p=. htm) from Box

Office Mojo[6] "'Blind Side' tops 'New Moon' at box office" (http:/ / www. hollywoodreporter. com/ hr/ content_display/ news/

e3i6b990557a161eea8309834f940d9757c) from Hollywood Reporter[7] "'Avatar' passes $300 million mark on Friday, and Sandra Bullock makes box-office history" (http:/ / hollywoodinsider. ew. com/ 2010/ 01/

02/ avatar-passes-300-million/ ) from Hollywood Insider[8] Sports – Football Movies at the Box Office (http:/ / boxofficemojo. com/ genres/ chart/ ?id=football. htm). Box Office Mojo. Retrieved on

January 23, 2011[9] Sports Drama Movies at the Box Office (http:/ / boxofficemojo. com/ genres/ chart/ ?id=sportsdrama. htm). Box Office Mojo. Retrieved on

January 23, 2011[10] Weekend Report: ‘Avatar’ Rocks New Year’s (http:/ / boxofficemojo. com/ news/ ?id=2634& p=. htm). Box Office Mojo (January 4, 2010).

Retrieved on January 23, 2011.[11] End-of-Run Report: 'Blind Side,' 'Crazy Heart,' 'Runaways' Close (http:/ / boxofficemojo. com/ news/ ?id=2805& p=. htm). Box Office

Mojo (June 6, 2010). Retrieved on January 23, 2011[12] Blind Side, The [2009] Soundtrack @ what-song (http:/ / www. what-song. com/ movie/ title. php?Title=Blind Side, The). What-song.com.

Retrieved on January 23, 2011[13] Warner Bros. Home Entertainment And Netflix Announce New Agreements Covering Availability Of Dvds, Blu-Ray And Streaming

Content (http:/ / netflix. mediaroom. com/ index. php?s=43& item=342). Netflix.mediaroom.com (January 6, 2010). Retrieved on January 23,2011

The Blind Side (film) 6

[14] redbox press room (http:/ / redboxpressroom. com/ releases/ PressRelease_WarnerBros_021610. html). redbox press room (February 16,2010). Retrieved on January 23, 2011

[15] redbox press room (http:/ / redboxpressroom. com/ releases/ PressRelease_Warner_081909. html). redbox press room (August 19, 2009).Retrieved on January 23, 2011

[16] The Blind Side – DVD Sales (http:/ / www. the-numbers. com/ movies/ 2009/ BLDSD-DVD. php). The Numbers. Retrieved on July 9, 2013

External links• Official website (http:/ / www. theblindsidemovie. com/ )• The Blind Side (http:/ / www. imdb. com/ title/ tt0878804/ ) at the Internet Movie Database• The Blind Side (http:/ / www. boxofficemojo. com/ movies/ ?id=blindside. htm) at Box Office Mojo• The Blind Side (http:/ / www. rottentomatoes. com/ m/ 1212694/ ) at Rotten Tomatoes• The Blind Side (http:/ / www. metacritic. com/ movie/ the-blind-side) at Metacritic• The Blind Side (http:/ / www. chasingthefrog. com/ reelfaces/ blindside. php) History vs. Hollywood at Chasing

the Frog• The Blind Side (http:/ / www. thefancarpet. com/ movies/ theblindside) at The Fan Carpet

Article Sources and Contributors 7

Article Sources and ContributorsThe Blind Side (film)  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=578007776  Contributors: 5 albert square, 842U, 987li, AEMoreira042281, AMittelman, ATC, AdamDeanHall,AeonicOmega, Agne27, Agustinaldo, Aiken drum, Ajaxfiore, Alansohn, AlbertSM, Aldo samulo, Alexcaban, All Hallow's Wraith, Allied45, American Eagle, Amitkinger, And1987, Anoopkn,Antoinefcb, Aotthp, Aquila89, Arbero, Armin aine, Ashleighrenaye, Aspects, Atcha22, AugieWB, AvicAWB, Avoided, Barrett74, Baseball Bugs, Baseball Watcher, Basman99, Bbb23,Beamathan, Ben-Bopper, Bencey, Bender235, Bento00, Betty Logan, Bevo74, Beyond My Ken, Big Bird, Big jee, Bignole, Bill the Cat 7, Bloovee, Bluerules, Bovineboy2008, Boyblackuk,BradleyBadder, Btigerfan15, CWenger, Cadwaladr, Calwiki, CanadianLinuxUser, Canalstmartin, Cdman882, Celhardt, Centrino7, CharlesMartel, Cheddarjack, Cheeseball26, Chris5858,ChristianH, Cirt, Ckatz, Clarityfiend, Cmiych, Conny, Control.valve, Courcelles, Cowlibob, Crboyer, Creation7689, DJ Clayworth, DRAGON BOOSTER, Dale Arnett, Dan56, Darkguitarhero,David in DC, Davidhorman, Dawmon1010, Deborahjay, Dhabolt, Dhendriks123, Difu Wu, Dirga Luthfi, Discospinster, Dizagaox, Djbj16, DocWatson42, Donmike10, Doub95, Dpkon12,Dpm12, Drakehottie, Dylancraigboyes, EJSawyer, ERK, Eagles247, EdGl, Editor2205, Elliott2010, Erik, Erinmcd, Erpert, Ferrierd, Fierce Beaver, Filmbuff1109, Filmnmusicritic, Fishhead2100,Flyguy33, Fram, FrankRizzo2006, Frecklefoot, Frog47, Geraldo Perez, Gfoley4, GhostFace1234, Giantdevilfish, Gimmetoo, Glane23, Gobbles414, Goose friend, GrahamHardy, GregorB, GuyM, HJ Mitchell, HalfShadow, Hanford West, Heracles31, Herelive, Herwiki, Hi878, Hlpok316, Hm29168, Hullaballoo Wolfowitz, Hydrargyrum, Hypnometal, Illegal az14n, Inkheart35, Intelati,ItsTheClimb17, J'onn J'onzz, J. Van Meter, J.delanoy, JBFrenchhorn, JaGa, JackdaMan17, JackofOz, Jahnavi7, Jakeroot, JamesAM, JamieS93, Jason.cinema, Jauerback, JayJasper, JayaCloudbird, Jayjg, Jessalken, Jesuswuzhere, Jey5636, Joannakwong, Johngw, JohnnyCage5000, Jojhutton, Jpw5x4, Junoyeop, Jusdafax, Keizers, KelleyCook, Kenndelbridge, Kevin W.,Kingpin13, Kiore, Kitch, Knowledgeman35, Kp.murphy, Kujo524, LAEsquire, LUUSAP, Levineps, LilHelpa, Logan, Lugia2453, Luigibob, Madameovary, Marcus Brute, Marek69, Mark E,Martin451, Mastadc, Materialscientist, Mathroman, MatthewJS, Matty-chan, Mbinebri, Menamejosh, Metafact, Mfmoviefan, Mice never shop, Michaelural, MikeAllen, Millahnna, Moe Epsilon,Monica982, Monkeymanman, Mr. Chicago, N5iln, NGMan62, Navy blue84, NawlinWiki, Nbydeley, Neernitw, Nellynel7619, Newsfeeder, Nick Number, Norgizfox5041, Nose24, Oskiwoskid,Packerfansam, Paine Ellsworth, Panyd, PatTag2659, Penpaperpencil, Pete Malone, Phearson, PhilKnight, Podria104, Portillo, PrisonMan, ProperlyRaised, PurrfectPeach, Qqqqqq, Qrsdogg,Quentin X, Quidam65, Radiojaws1014, Rakovsky, Remember, ResidentEvil10, Richard David Ramsey, Ringerfan23, Risker, Rjanag, Rjhenn, Rmyers7456, Rogmoore67, Roller Co-star, Ronwhisky, Rrburke, Ruby2010, S067248972, Samantha0686, Sayra72, Schmloof, ScottMHoward, ShelfSkewed, Shinmawa, Shirik, Showtime2009, SkyWalker, SlimVirgin, Small5th,Smallman12q, Smartings, Snarkerella, Solarra, Sophus Bie, Sorenlarrington, Sparkling Gray, Spartan008, Spazzyhdog, Sreejithk2000, Starsword333, Stealthmode86, SummerPhD, SuperHamster,TMC1982, Tampabayyeah, Tbhotch, Ted87, Tedder, The Shadow-Fighter, TheMovieBuff, TheRealFennShysa, Tide rolls, Timberframe, Tomm098, Tommy2010, Traci7874, Trafford09,Truthstudent, Tuesdaytumble, Twiceuponatime, Twinsfan133, Tyrol5, Ulric1313, Unholly Alliance, UnicornTapestry, Ute in DC, VMS Mosaic, VS 5abi, Valfontis, Vanished useralaij23jrkef8hj4fiu34t34, Vanished user aoiowaiuyr894isdik43, Varlaam, Violeta27, W.D., Wayne Roberson, Austin, Texas, Werldwayd, Who.was.phone, Whywhenwhohow, Widr, Wiikitex,WikiFew, Wildhartlivie, Wireless Keyboard, Wizardman, Woogee, Wool Mintons, WordyGirl90, Wwooter, Yananding, Zapsdaman87, Zeamays, 709 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and ContributorsFile:Sandra Bullock at the 2010 SAG Awards.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Sandra_Bullock_at_the_2010_SAG_Awards.jpg  License: Creative CommonsAttribution 2.0  Contributors: Thomas Atilla Lewis at http://www.flickr.com/people/51761894@N00

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