The LAMB Devours the Oscars - Best Picture: The Blind Side

Editor's note: Welcome to the twenty-eighth of a 33-part series dissecting the 82st Academy Awards, brought to you by the Large Association of Movie Blogs and its assorted members. Every day leading up to the Oscars, a new post written by a different LAMB will be published, each covering a different category of the Oscars. To read any other posts regarding this event, please click the tag following the post. Thank you, and enjoy!










By Mike Cersosimo of Spaghetti Sauce and Sweet Peas.

I'm going to be completely honest with everyone reading this. The Blind Side isn't going to win Best Picture. I'm sure some of you are disappointed to hear this, but it's the truth. This film is simply what is wrong with ten nominees. Am I saying this is a bad film? No. The Blind Side is a good film, but definitely not great. Definitely not an Academy Award nominee for Best Picture.

The Blind Side is one of the feel good movies of the year. It's based on a true story about current Baltimore Ravens' offensive lineman, Michael Oher. Actually, the movie is based on a book by Michael Lewis, which also looks at how football changed since Joe Theisman took a vicious career ending hit from Lawrence Taylor. After that hit, the position of left tackle became one of the most important on any team. Why? That player protects the Quarterback's blind side.

Though, the film focuses more on Oher (Quinton Aaron) and how he was adopted by Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock) and Sean Tuohy (Tim McGraw). It also looks at Oher's friendship with his adoptive brother SJ (Jae Head), which makes the two of them on screen look like the next odd couple. It's a very Hollywood story structure and a highly predictable film. At times, it's too overly sappy (i.e. "This team is your family"). Still, it's effective in it's own right and the film is anchored by a great performance by Sandra Bullock.

It's a performance that has garnered her numerous awards this season and has made her a frontrunner for the Best Actress Oscar. Without Bullock, there would have probably been no chance for it to get nominated for Best Picture. She's really the reason this film is still being talked about this time of year. The rest of the cast in the film give forgettable performances.

The film only has two nominations (Picture and Actress). Really it should be happy that it garnered that much support from the Academy. I really want to write more about this film, but there's nothing else to really say. It doesn't belong in the Best Picture race even if Sandra Bullock may very well be named Best Actress on March 7th.