THE BLIND SIDE ***

John Lee Hancock wrote and directed this Drama which stars: Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Kathy Bates, Quinton Aaron, Lily Collins, Jae Head. Rated PG-13 for one scene involving brief violence, drug and sexual references. Running time is two hours and eight minutes.

Depicts the remarkable true story of All-American football star Michael Oher. A homeless African-American youngster (Aaron) from a broken home is taken in by a well-to-do white family (Bullock, McGraw, Collins, Head) who help him fulfill his potential on and off (with the help of Bates) the football field. At the same time, his presence in their lives leads them to some insightful self-discoveries of their own.

In a lot of ways this is just an average family drama, but it sure does make you feel good. The fact it's based on a true story gives it more credibility than this type of picture usually has and the excellent performances by the entire cast adds greatly to the believability. Bullock is excellent and is being mentioned as a possible Oscar candidate for her role. McGraw has good acting skills also but this is Bullock's film, although young Jae Head does come close to stealing the picture at times. Virtual unknown Aaron is outstanding in the role Oher. If you're looking for a family film for the holidays, this is a real contender. If you've spent all your money on presents, seeing this on DVD will not detract from its enjoyability.