The Blind Side is a story about Christians being Christians. A well-to-do family takes in a young man without home, family, or even a change of clothes, and lives are transformed. He goes on to football stardom and a good life. It's part rags-to-riches story. It's a feel-good film and perhaps even mildly inspirational. It's entertaining and nicely balanced between comedy and drama. But for some reason I just want to pick at it. I hope you'll let me pick a bit, then let the film do the good that it is meant to do.

It is based on the true story of Michael Oher, now a rookie offensive lineman for the Baltimore Ravens after being drafted in the first round earlier this year. But don't think that this is a football movie. Even though the film opens with footage of Joe Theismann's career-ending broken leg, and contains scenes of high school football, the game is only the setting for a story about what it means to be family.

Big Mike was admitted to a private Christian school in spite of the fact he had no family, no money and a GPA of 0.8. The school's coach makes an impassioned plea to admit the boy "because it's the Christian thing to do," even though we know that the coach probably sees Big Mike as a massive piece of meat. His teachers are frustrated because he doesn't seem to learn. Big Mike is frustrated because all around him he sees white: white wall, white faces. One night Leigh Anne Tuohy sees Big Mike walking back to the gym when it should be closed and learns he has nowhere to stay and invites him to her home. (Her children also attend the school.) Soon Michael (he doesn't like being called Big Mike) is a part of the family and he begins to thrive. He is a gentle giant within the family. Early on, Leigh Anne reads The Story of Ferdinand to him.

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