The Sad Side to The Blind Side

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We watched The Blind Side a few weeks after it came out. We had heard rave reviews about the movie. Nearly every review, from the network of movie reviewers connected to Hollywood to many of my friends, gave it the proverbial two thumbs-up. The conservative movie constituency applauded this film. Sandra Bullock won an Academy Award for her part as the lead. It was a no-brainer to watch, and, as usual, I cried at four different points during the movie.

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A Redemption Story

I tend to cry at the slightest hint of a redemption story. The Blind Side is a classic redemption story. Michael Oher is a poor kid from the worst side of town, going through some of the most horrific circumstances. In time he is redeemed by a wealthy family who has the wherewithal to provide for him all he could ever want or need. Through this unimaginable connection, Michael is schooled academically and in football. Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy give him the chance of a lifetime to go to college and later to be drafted by the NFL. The Blind Side is called an extraordinary true story, and it is indeed. Michael had a career in the NFL. His journey is amazing. There is a running echo of the gospel throughout.

A Feminist Worldview

Per usual, any good story out of Hollywood has a side that is frustrating to the point that it interferes with the goodness of the storyline. I do not know how accurate the movie is to true life, so I can only comment on the story portrayed from the screenplay’s interpretation. Sandra Bullock plays an aggressive, unsubmissive, egalitarian feminist with the male authority figures in her life cowing down to her whims and sin patterns. Admittedly her husband is a successful entrepreneur, but when it comes to the art of husbandry, he acts more like a wimp rather than a biblical man. (They portray this family as Christians.)

While you could give the husband a hall pass because he does show some leadership qualities in the business world, the coach of the high school football team completely flunks out. They portray him as a man who has limited capacities as a coach. When Sandra comes out to the practice field and coaches Michael up while pulling other players around the field by grabbing their face masks, Michael is genuinely affected athletically. (Incredibly, a smallish woman like Sandra can bully football players by yanking on their face masks.) And, true to form, some of the players stand gawking at her backside when Sandra walks off the field.

Dumb Men, Strong Women

These players fulfilled their roles as men who can do nothing more than lust after the opposite sex. The story was straightforward: men are dumb and lustful, while women are the ones who can get things done. It personally irks me to see men and women portrayed this way. We live in a feminist culture. It’s a girl world where men are not allowed to be men, not even in the holy sanctum of athletics.

Sports is the last bastion where men are allowed to be men, and now Sandra is prancing across the practice field, jerking men around while mocking the coach, who apparently is not qualified to lead the men the school has charged him to lead. It was so over-the-top that I do not recommend this movie, watch it again, or own it. I have written on the number one marriage counseling issue of all time: Weak Men and Strong Women. This issue is huge in our culture and has taken a stranglehold on our Christian culture as well. The Blind Side exemplifies our culture’s feministic agenda very well. I hope the anti-Christian worldview of this movie does not blindside you.

Call to Action

1. What does it mean for a man to lead his family?
2. What would motivate a man to take a passive leadership role in his family?
3. What would motivate a woman to lead her husband and family?
4. What is one thing you can do to communicate a biblical worldview for manhood and womanhood?

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Rick Thomas

Rick launched the Life Over Coffee global training network in 2008 to bring hope and help for you and others by creating resources that spark conversations for transformation. His primary responsibilities are resource creation and leadership development, which he does through speaking, writing, podcasting, and educating.

In 1990 he earned a BA in Theology and, in 1991, a BS in Education. In 1993, he received his ordination into Christian ministry, and in 2000 he graduated with an MA in Counseling from The Master’s University. In 2006 he was recognized as a Fellow of the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC).