ShareThisIn the beginning there was "Big Tony" Henderson, whose dying mother urged him to pull his son Steven from a public school on the bad side of Memphis and take him somewhere to get a Christian education.
But there was one big complication. Steven didn't want to abandon his buddy Michael Oher (pronounced "Oar"), a street kid who slept on their floor most nights. "Big Mike" was afraid to return to the bleak foster homes he knew after police tore him away from his mother, her crack pipe and her 13 children.
So Henderson took both boys to Briarcrest Christian School on the rich side of town, hoping for scholarships that would make a grandmother's dream come true. School officials were impressed by Steven's grades. Coaches were impressed that Oher was 6-foot-4, weighed 340 pounds, could dunk a basketball and looked like God's gift to quarterbacks who needed a left tackle to guard their "blind side."
The rest is a long story, one that weaves together themes of race, sports, money and education. But a key player in the real-life version of "The Blind Side" stressed that this is also a story about faith.
"We're convinced that faith guided and controlled this whole thing," said Leigh Anne Tuohy, the steel-magnolia matriarch of the rich, white, evangelical family that finally embraced Oher as a son, after providing food, shelter and clothing. "We absolutely believe that none of this was a fluke. ... This was God-driven from the start."
Author Michael Lewis didn't hide that faith element while writing "The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game," a best seller that mixed Oher's story with information about how the left-tackle position evolved into a crucial, and lucrative, slot in any National Football League offense. Then writer-director John Lee Hancock included religious details about the family in the new movie, while avoiding heavy-handed sermons. "The Blind Spot" grossed $34 million at the box office on its opening weekend, while scoring a rare A-plus CinemaScore audience rating.
On screen, the Tuohys attend plenty of sporting events. After all, Sean was a University of Mississippi hoops star and wife Leigh Anne was an Old Miss cheerleader. Their daughter Collins is both a cheerleader and volleyball star, again at Old Miss, and their young son, Sean Jr., seems to have inherited his father's gifts as a tireless sports entrepreneur.
The movie skips the ritual when everyone heads to Grace Evangelical Church, a growing congregation the family helped start.
Oher began attending soon after the wet winter night when the family first spotted the shivering giant in shorts and a floppy shirt, walking back to the shelter of the warm Briarcrest gymnasium.
Leigh Anne Tuohy said that "from day one," Oher was the first person ready to go on Sunday mornings. Church was part of everyday life, like homework, piano lessons and trips to sports events and practices.
The key is that expressions of faith were a natural part of this true story, said actress Sandra Bullock, who plays Leigh Anne. No one was faking anything.
"This family, they were themselves for no other benefit other than because they wanted to reach out, lend a hand, and had no idea that they would get a son in return," she told reporters, after a press screening of "The Blind Side." Bullock said that, while making the movie, she regained a little "faith in those who say they represent a faith. ... I've finally met people that walk the walk."
While Tuohy stressed that she can now see God's work in the events that changed Oher's life, and their family, that doesn't mean the details were clear at the time.
The family had reached out to others before, but not to the same degree. Now, it's impossible not to think about how many other talented, gifted children are, literally, on the run in America's cities, she said. What is the family supposed to do now? What should Oher do, now that he plays for the NFL's Baltimore Ravens?
After one of her Southern chuckles that Bullock had to master to play her on screen, Tuohy said that it's hard to talk about the future when she is still trying to understand the wild changes that have changed her family forever.
"A miracle is what this is," she said. "Childbirth is easier to explain than all of this."
(Terry Mattingly directs the Washington Journalism Center at the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. Contact him at tmattingly(at)cccu.org or www.tmatt.net)
ON RELIGION
Its Ole Miss not Old Miss.
Its Ole Miss not Old Miss.
It's a shame that someone
It's a shame that someone would have to pick at this just find a simple mistake. I think this movie is too good for you to watch.
Great movie!
Great movie!
Loved the movie. It was very
Loved the movie. It was very well done.
Great movie. I recommend the
Great movie. I recommend the entire family can view this. We should all let our Christian convictions show like these Ole Miss alums!
Saw the picture yesterday and
Saw the picture yesterday and keep thinking about it. It was so inspirational! I kept thinking that this family loved Michael the way God loves us, how God sees the lost sheep and goes after us, loving us unconditionally, the way we are, but how His love changes us. Great movie and a wonderful family to emulate! Wendy
Wow! What a movie, and what a story!
Best movie I've enjoyed in a long time. Glad that it wasn't billed as a "Southern Christian Evangelical" story (which it is not!), or I might have avoided it. It is the story of a wonderful family (the Touhys)giving their all to a wonderful boy (Michael), and making a difference in a life. May this lead others to take similar steps. I know it affected my family, and we will try to reach out to a less fortunate child, and hope to make his or her life better too. This will improve our lives! God bless the Touhys, and Michael.
Best Movie I've Ever Seen!
We went to see this movie over the weekend. What a story! You can't let it go, it stays with you and you find yourself thinking about it again and again. I hope Michael is just half as awesome as the character protrayed. What a fine young man! And, the Touhy's are an example and an inspiration to all of us. We should all be so generous.
Football Coach
What was the Football Coaches name?
i think it'S Burt
i think it'S Burt
Have not seen the movie, but
Have not seen the movie, but lots of people talking about it.
We loved it!!!!
My Daughter and I went to see The Blind Side this past weekend. On the way home my Daughter (14) said it is now her favorite movie. GREAT MOVIE very well done.
Blind Spot?
"The Blind Spot" grossed $34 million at the box office on its opening weekend, while scoring a rare A-plus CinemaScore audience rating.
blind spot? OOPS!
ha ha
Looking forward to seeing this movie. Hope to catch it this weekend. I know it will live up to the expectations.
True Story
I tried for 2 days to get into to see this show, driving 80 miles round trip on both days....after many sold out signs....I finally got to see this movie....it was "AWESOME" movie, not all true stories have such a wonderful message and glorious ending.
This one does and the glory is still going on today. This isn't something from the "PAST" this is something that occurred in 2009. God is still alive and well and working in peoples lives.
NY
Download and watch the new movie The Blind Side http://blog-movie.com/The-Blind-Side.html
The best thing!
The thing i like the most is that this actually took place in real life. In this day and age!
It makes me feel like there is hope for us yet!
Standing for values
Wouldn't you love to have someone like Leigh Anne as President of our country? My gosh it is so refreshing to see that there are still people in this country who "Walk the Walk". I would walk all the way to Memphis barefoot on broken pepsi bottles just to shake her hand and say thank you to her and some of the others that played such a great part in this story. I wouldn't even walk across the street to take a biscuit from most of the do gooders who talk the talk but have no one else in mind but themselves. After seeing the movie I have another hero (Leigh Anne) right up there with a lady named Sarah. Strong women with backbone and a real in your face "Hey this is what is the right thing to do and by the grace of God it is what we are gonna do." I like that trate in a person, the ole southern man that I am, and I recommend even the most liberal go see the movie. You might learn the true meaning of compassion.
Wow! I would do the same!
Wow! I would do the same! Thank you for your kind words!
Not your usual conservative religious hypocricy
As a Liberal I loved this movie too. It was nice to see an affluent conservative christian family reach out past cultural barriers to help others. It showed me that at least a few religious conservatives understand the true meaning of Christianity.
just fyi, i loved this
just fyi, i loved this movie...then found out in real life big mike and the mom had sex....ruined the movie for me
Where did you get this
Where did you get this information from? I have never heard of this and I find it incredible that you would even post something so ridiculous without any kind of proof. This movie and the true story behind it is something this country needs more now than ever and to have people like you try to throw a black mark on it is really, really sad!
dont hate
You should be ashamed why would you even put something like that on the internet. it is so wrong to try to put a dark spot on something that made people have faith again. You are the one with the problem not the movie and why is it that when a woman gets ahead or helps someone they are having sex. Get with it and realize that good things really happen and there is still Faith in God and people like you who try to put doubt into other peoples minds. Shame on you
Blind Side
This movie was the best i have seen so far. It was an inspiration to me. It made me realize how lucky I am to have what i got. I wish i could do more for people like that! I swore if i ever won the lottery i would be rich, Not because of the money but because i would help so many others.
Steven?
Loved the movie! Does anybody happen to remember what happened to Steven? The boy that was supposed to be going to school with him in the beginning, Big Tony's son? Was he the one that the newspaper article was about in the end of the movie? (The boy who was shot and killed)Just trying to figure that part out. Thanks
I wanna Know too
I was wondering that too. Let me know if you find out?? Thanks.
The movie does not say what
The movie does not say what happened to Steven or Big Tony. Steven was not the same boy who died in the end. His name was David.
the blind side movie
I think the guy that got killed in Hurt Village was the one that dropped out of Jr College (Mike called him D,) and started selling drugs w/the drug dealer that "ran Hurt Village"
I didn't realize it was based on a true story;the whole family so loving and kind; I just love SJ!
Real life,real hurt; a wonderful heart-gripping movie!
WOW
This is such an inspirational story. It's so... powerful.
i luv it!
the blind side was the best movie i have ever see. in my life!!!
and i am only 12. me my mom n my sister saw it yesterday and it made me cry. but the best movie ever! i could watch it every day!
best movie ever
i am so happy because i have been lookin for something to tell ppl about this movie. i have honestly now watched the movie 74 times only because it has not come out of my dvd player and well its the best movie ever i havent watch'd my regular tv in like 2 weeks. i love this movie i kno the movie part by part word for word and sandra bullock, oh sandra bullock was amazing i hope she wins every award that she is nominated 4. its the best movie ever and even the songs at the end of the movie i love them. this is my favorite movie as a matter of fact its 3:39 in the morning i jus got done watching it i'm about to watch it again