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Was "The Blind Side" Racist?

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Blind Side - Racist or No?

  • RACIST!

    Votes: 2 15.4%

  • HELL NAW!

    Votes: 11 84.6%
  • Total voters
    13
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BigWoof31

BigWoof31

"Barkin' up the wrong tree"
Could have put this in football thread, politics thread or General Discussion thread - so please move if necessary moderators.

Went and saw The Blind Side last night at dollar theater near my house and loved it. Loved the shocking moments, the tearful moments, the uplifting moments and loved seeing the coaches as actors! Especially that gibbery bastard Orgeron.

However - in reading more about it online, there seems to be a specific contingent of critics/writers that thought the movie is terribly racist.
Now, despite my southern upbringing (put BigWoof is a dumb bastard jokes here), I like to think I'm pretty keen on picking up subtle and not-so-subtle racist undertones. But I honestly didn't see it at all in this movie.


I'm asking from help from those who viewed it as negative towards persons of color. Help and a discussion - not an argument. Educate me on your feelings please.
 
I haven't seen the movie, though I did read the book.

I think it's pretty much impossible to tell that story without making some people upset about racism or reinforcing stereotypes.

Making the movie about the privileged white lady and her saving the black foster child only increases that likelihood. However they have to sell tickets, and Sandra Bullock sells much better than a random big dude no one knows.
 
Upvote 0
I don't think the movie was racist. I think the backlash has to do with it being another in a long line of movies and television shows (Different Strokes anyone?) of the saintly, level headed white person coming in to save the poor, desperate black folk. I'm not black, but I can understand how it would provoke an "enough already" response from the A-A community.

That being said, it doesn't cross into racist territory.
 
Upvote 0
Not commenting on details here I guess, dramatic license and all that, but...how can it be racist if it's a true story? I mean, what were they supposed to do, change what really happened to make the kid white or the parents black? "Here's the Michael Oher story...except it isn't really Michael Oher or his family because we were afraid of offending somebody" Seems rather straightforward to me since, you know, the kid really exists, and his family does too.
 
Upvote 0
I read the book, didn't see the movie. No one has come out and spoken out against the book which does a very thorough job of explaining the situation as well as explaining the football side of things. From the trailer, I can see merit in some of the complaints (esp. ORD's 'enough already' point, which was well taken here).

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khtBvQdxta4"]YouTube - The Blind Side - Official Trailer [HD][/ame]

Telling the story from her perspective is a creative right of the movie makers, but it forces some of the elements of a motif that some people are clearly tired of. The book was about Michael Oher and how he found his way to success by talent, luck, a new family and a shift in football strategy that necessitated taking a chance on a person with his physical gifts, despite unlikely odds. The movie looks like its about a nice, rich (attractive), happenstatially white lady who finds a scary, frowning, enormous black kid to save. It may be a subtle difference in theory, but it shows through on screen.

At least he movie makers figured out that the best way to show black/white relations improving is through fist bumps. Which is clearly true. :lol:
 
Upvote 0
Gatorubet;1661760; said:
The Epic Beard Guy movie on the other hand....
Click to expand...


thumb160x_epic.jpg



I'll hand it to him - he might be crazy as hell and a racist loon - but he backs up his talk. He will whip your ass.
 
Upvote 0
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