When Sandra Bullock picked up her Oscar for The Blind Side, she wondered out loud if she truly deserved the honour or had simply worn down voters during her long career.
Watching this mawkish, patronising, based-on-true-events drama you can’t help feeling it’s the latter.
Bullock is good but not great as Leigh Anne Tuohy, an interior decorator living an idyllic life with her millionaire husband (Tim McGraw) and two kids SJ (Jae Head) and Collins (Lily Collins).
Enter Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron), a lumbering teenager from the wrong side of the tracks who Touhy invites into their home.
With the help of his new ‘mother’ Oher improves his grades and starts to excel as an American football player.
Bullock is feisty as Tuohy and does well in comedic scenes, but her performance ultimately lacks nuance and, at times, doesn’t ring true.
She isn’t helped by John Lee Hancock’s ham-fisted direction, the film-maker wringing every bit of sentimentality from the storyline.
This film is watchable, but it will disappoint those seeking something Oscar-worthy.
Good for: Those who really enjoy cheese.
3/5
PIERRE DE VILLIERS
