I was so thankful I was not blind-sided by this movie. It turned out to be everything I expected and more. Sandra Bullock is sensational in her role as Leigh Anne Tuohy, a strong Southern woman who is used to getting her way and, like a lioness, protects her family regardless of the consequences. And when Michael (played by newcomer Quinton Aaron) becomes a member of that family—look out.

The son of a drug addict who can't even remember Michael's father or the last time she saw him, Michael had a childhood that most of us can't even imagine. Yet dropped into a predominantly-white private Christian school, in the middle of an upper-class neighborhood in Memphis, Michael is totally out of place. As Leigh Anne says, like a fly in a glass of white milk. With nowhere to go and no one to turn to, Michael is adrift and struggles to quietly cope with a situation not of his making.

Along comes the Tuohys, not what one would exactly call your run-of-the-mill family. Led by the strong-willed but evidently compassionate Leigh Anne, the family takes Michael in for "just one night?" as her husband Sean (Tim McGraw) asks, knowing the answer already.

Being married to such a strong woman as Leigh Anne takes a special person. While not as visible as Leigh Anne, Sean demonstrates his own strength in the support he gives his wife and his family (including Michael) such as when he secretly signs up to be responsible for Michael's medical care so Michael can play sports.

The members of the family quickly take to Michael, especially the youngest member of the family SJ (Jae Head, who played in Hancock and several TV shows, including Friday Night Lights with McGraw). SJ becomes Michael's coach, agent, and just best friend. It doesn't take long for SJ to start talking about his BIG brother Michael. The daughter Collins (Lily Collins) is in the same grade as Michael and, while dealing with natural feelings of embarrassment of having Michael in the house, is eventually won over by Michael's gentleness and simple approach to life.

I wasn't sure when I sat to watch this movie how it would come out. I knew the story of Michael Oher: a big Black kid who came from the rough side of Memphis, was taken in by a Caucasian family, and became an All-American football player and a first-round draft pick of the Baltimore Ravens. So I was prepared for the basic storyline. What I was not prepared for was the endearing portrayal of Michael by Quinton Aaron. Throughout the movie Michael never says much, but when he does speak it comes from the heart. And Aaron's expressions tell a story in themselves. A raised eyebrow or a barely noticeable smirk says more than a thousand lines could say. At the right time, Aaron's timing is perfect and can make you laugh or cry or evoke a whole range of emotions.

A lot can go wrong when a movie is based upon a true story. The writer or director may take too many liberties to get something out of the movie that isn't there, or for artistic sake. But this is not the case with Blind Side. The movie doesn't have any big scenes with a dramatic climax. It doesn't have any miracles. It doesn't try to paint the people in the story as something they weren't. It is just the story of what it means to be a family. It is a story of love and compassion. Leigh Anne is no saint, a take-no-prisoners type of personality that most people would not want to go up against. As her husband Sean says at one point "God Bless me!" The family isn't a Norman Rockwell painting. The family traditional Thanksgiving dinner consists of grabbing food off the kitchen counter (that Sean told the kids to thank Mom for driving to the store and buying) and then dropping in front of the TV to watch football. But if not lacking in convention the family makes up for in the love and compassion they freely shared with Michael.

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