The Blind Side

How Courageous Are You?

One of 2009’s best films, this fact-based movie tells the powerful story of Michael Oher, a professional football player whose path in life was set largely because of the kindness of a stranger and her family. As far as movies go, The Blind Side is a rarity in that it tells an amazing story of poverty, drugs, violence, and courage without ever firing a shot or cursing. Your children will find inspiration in its simplicity while mom and dad find power in its depth.

My family loves this movie for two reasons. First, it’s real. The people are real. The challenges are real – and so are the solutions. Sometimes, the peripheries that Pope Francis challenges us to go to are not actually that far away. Second, it asks the tough question of what it means to be a Christian. The coach knows it – he challenges the admissions board to either live up to the name or paint over the motto. Michael’s foster parents know it – they challenge conventional wisdom and take in a child who is not their own and doesn’t really “fit” into the status quo. The brothers and sisters know it – and, eventually, so do the teachers.

While the colleges and pro teams take time off for practice, enjoy this off-season football movie and root for the kindness of strangers.

Runtime: 129 min
Rated PG-13 (for one scene involving brief violence, drug and sexual references)
USCCB — A-III
85% on Rotten Tomatoes
IMDb Parents Guide