Blind Side - The Big Chance (DVD)

Film: The victory of the human spirit across social or cultural boundaries serves especially in Hollywood again and again as material for highly emotional films. The true story of Michael Oher, who made it from the poor quarters of Memphis to become one of the most sought-after players in the American football league, was also perfectly suited to be made into very big emotional cinema. For leading actress Sandra Bullock, it was especially rewarding: "Blind Side - The Big Chance" is not only one of her most successful films, with box office takings of almost 250 million dollars in the USA alone, but also won her the coveted Oscar.

Bullock plays the resolute Leigh Anne Tuohy in the entertaining drama, who meets teenager Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) on the street one cold winter evening dressed only in a T-shirt and shorts and spontaneously invites him into her home. The tall black boy, who goes to the same school as Leigh Anne's daughter, quickly becomes a part of the Tuohy family despite his very secretive nature. Joining forces, Leigh Anne and her husband (Tim McGraw) try to find out where Michael's talents lie so they can nurture them and give him the chance at a bright future that has so far eluded him. After some initial difficulties, football seems to be just such an opportunity. But just when Michael's life seems to be taking a turn for the better, his past catches up with him again.

"Blind Side - The Big Chance" is a prime example of a true feel-good movie. The story is actually too good to be true, the production goes to the heart and thanks to the very good actors, the viewer succeeds first-class in building an emotional connection to the characters. You shouldn't be put off by the fact that football plays an important role in the film. Because John Lee Hancock's adaptation of the US bestseller by Michael Lewis is not a sports movie, but a deeply human drama, in which compassion, kindness and family cohesion are the real central themes.

Naturally, the preparation of the story is in places with extremely much sugar-coated and thoroughly American. The Tuohy family's do-goodery is certainly a bit glossed over. But that doesn't change the fact that the production is absolutely engaging and the story is simply beautiful. However, this is also thanks to Sandra Bullock and newcomer Quinton Aaron, who bring their roles to life so convincingly that it's a delight to watch them play. Especially Sandra Bullock can be seen in every second how much passion she put into this role and how important it was for her to embody the character as authentically as possible. And she really succeeded in that.

"Blind Side - The Big Chance" may not be a great movie, but it is definitely a very nice and entertaining one. It is a story that shows us that a little compassion can change and improve lives. Because it's not just Michael Oher who has gained by helping the Tuohy family. The lives of the well-off Tuohys have also been enriched by the young man. If you want to finally feel good about a movie and are not averse to American feel-good cinema, "Blind Side - The Big Chance" can be warmly recommended to you.

Picture + Sound: While the sound remains rather unspectacular due to the genre, the consistently clean picture can please with its harmoniously matched colors, decent contrasts and satisfactory overall sharpness. Good!

Extras: On the DVD are as bonus material only some unused scenes with a total running time of just under seven minutes. These four scenes are not really lacking in the film, but are still well worth watching - at least once.

If you want more extras, you'll have to reach for the Blu-Ray, which still has a few short documentaries, including one about the real Michael Oher, and interviews to offer.

Conclusion: "Blind Side - The Big Chance" is a beautiful film that can convince with great actor performances and an uplifting story. The DVD is technically well implemented, the bonus material, however, is unfortunately meager. Here is definitely worth the handle to the better equipped Blu-Ray. For those who are only interested in the film, the DVD is also a good choice. Absolutely recommendable!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp