The Blind Side

[simba20]

Michael Oher did not want the movie made in the first place.

Trickly trickly movie makers.

See the story they told is from the book -- The Blind Side.

Since the movie makers made "The Blind Side" and not "The True Story of Michael Oher" his permission would not have been needed. Hollywood skirts everything.

 

[smschex]

Michael Oher did not want the movie made in the first place.

We saw it and I really liked it...but then I heard someone on TV (and I can't remember who it was) mention something about it being another story about a white family reaching down and pulling up a black kid out of his miserable "ghetto" existence.

And that comment really made me stop and think what the movie is truly about. Is it really about the loving compassion anyone can feel for someone less fortunate than themselves (regardless of color) or did the Tuohy's do it to be patted on the back for their "good deeds".

I don't know the answer to that question...just some food for thought.

Though after hearing that comment, the story has been tainted a bit for me.

I may be mistaken, but I think Whoopi Goldberg said something like that on The View.

The Tuohys are friends of a friend of mine and according to her, nothing could be farther from the truth. A pat on the back was definitely not their motivation.

 

[SaraJayne]

Trickly trickly movie makers.

See the story they told is from the book -- The Blind Side.

Since the movie makers made "The Blind Side" and not "The True Story of Michael Oher" his permission would not have been needed. Hollywood skirts everything.

I never said his permission was needed.

But he certainly has a right to express his opinion about a movie that is about him.

 

[luvmy3jewels]

I watched the movie last week on a transatlantic flight and felt like an idiot for crying through parts of it! I was so embarrassed, I kept looking around to make sure no one had noticed. At the time, I was a little shocked because I handn't heard it was a sad movie...but it wasn't so much that it was sad, rather more heartwarming. I'm so glad to see I wasn't the only one touched by it.

I'm sure Hollywood tweaked the story, so it wasn't a completely accurrate portrayal of what happened. However, it really does make you think twice about judging people and what they might be going through or have gone through (similar to the movie Precious, which also made me cry).

 

[simba20]

I never said his permission was needed.

But he certainly has a right to express his opinion about a movie that is about him.

Oh, I'm not saying he doesn't have the right to have an opinion. But if people were to ask, then this is how Hollywood skirts the issue.

But it also doesn;t hurt that it brought in a few new fans to watch/view/support Baltimore....which pays his salary.

 

[luvsJack]

Very few movies about real life events stay completely true to the story. Real live don't always make for good drama (although sometimes I think my life would make good comedy! )

As for why the family took him in and was just another story of a white family pulling up a black kid--sounds to me like the usual moaning and groaning that goes on when an inspiring story comes to light. The fact is they gave this kid a place to live and from the sounds of it did quite a bit for him before that--do we really want to think they did all of that just for a pat on the back?? I mean, I don't know which parts of the movie were stretched and which were factual but this kid went on to play for the NFL! Does anyone really think he would have accomplished that without them? People come out of the "hood' all the time to play professional sports but they always have mom or grandma or a dad that are behind them and helping to make that happen, he didn't have any of that. His mom was a crack addict and his father was dead; he didn't even know his real last name or have a birth certificate! He has so much to be proud of but he has a lot to be thankful for too.

I have taken in a kid before (I didn't do a lot, just gave him a place to sleep, food to eat and treated him just like my other two) and I never thought about a pat on the back or what color his skin was. He was a kid in need and we met that need.



Someone mentioned Precious, I want to see that one next.