The Blindside - Alex Gettys

Do any of you know of someone in your life who you think deep down is a good person, but he/she just needs some help to find where that good is? Well, I certainly know someone like this, and I’m sure all of you do as well. The 2009 hit movie The Blindside definitely illustrates the power of one ordinary person stepping out of their way to help reach the good in one lost person.

The Blindside tells the story of a boy by the name of Michael Oher. Before I get into the movie, I’ll talk a little bit about his background story. Michael was born to a woman of the name Denise Oher, who was a crack cocaine addict. Because of her addiction, Michael received very little attention. In elementary school, he repeated both first and second grade, and in his first nine years of education, Michael attended around 11 different schools. Michael also spent time in foster homes throughout his early life.

Now that you know Michael’s background story, I’ll get into the movie. The Blindside starts off with Michael just being a lost soul that lives on the streets, but after he is luckily accepted into Briarcrest Christian School because of his big size and the football coach’s fascination with him, his life takes a turn for the better.

Walking through the freezing cold streets of Memphis one night, Michael runs into an acquaintance of four known as the Tuohy Family. The Tuohy Family consists of Leigh Anne and Sean, along with their son and daughter. Because of the freezing cold weather, the Tuohy’s were nice enough to let Michael stay at their home for one night.

What was originally supposed to be one night ended up turning into a permanent arrangement for Michael and the Tuohy’s. The Tuohy family fell in love with Michael’s unique personality and continued to care for him. Leigh Anne eventually talked Michael into going out for football because of his size, and at first Michael didn’t do much good for the team. Through a lot of hard work with Sean and Leigh Anne’s son, SJ, being his “coach”, Michael improves his strength and agility immensely.

In The Blindside, I really love when Leigh Anne talks to Michael about improving his blocking in the game. Michael’s position is right tackle on offense, and his job is to protect the quarterback, running back, etc. Leigh Anne tells Michael that he needs to protect his team mates like they’re his family, and that he has to do whatever he can to make sure they’re safe. I love this part because it really emphasizes how superb Michael’s protective instincts are and it shows how much love and compassion he has for his new family.

After a successful season, Michael faces the tough decision of deciding where to attend college. Everyone wants him because he’s so good at what he does, but he has trouble keeping his grades up and has to work hard to do so. Michael eventually decides to become a Rebel and play for the University of Mississippi, where his new “father”, Sean played basketball.

After college, Michael was a first round pick in the NFL draft and became a new member of the Baltimore Ravens. Michael still plays today for the Ravens and is still extremely good at what he does. Another really cool thing is that Harlan native, Billy Cundiff, also plays for the Ravens. How cool would that be?! Playing with Michael Oher!


To me, the movie The Blindside displays how one person’s love and compassion can save another person’s life, and bring out the greatness that is deep down inside them. Michael Oher is definitely a role-model in my life now; because of the factors in his life he had to overcome to be successful. He did this through hard work and determination, which are two qualities I think are the most important to possess.

Now that you know what I think about the movie The Blindside, here’s what some other people said about the movie: Sarah Konz, sophomore, said, “It’s the best movie I’ve ever seen in my life!” And freshman Minden Brix stated, “I loved it. It was great. SJ was my favorite character.” Now, what does everyone else think? Leave a comment!