1 year ago
64 While based on a heartwarming true story of a Black teenager being adopted by a white family and going on to become an NFL star and Superbowl champion, the movie was a well-acted white savior play. Firstly, by cutting out all the reasons Oher was under-educated (lack of consistent schooling due to homelessness and foster care), they made it look like he was a savant rather than a normal (well, obviously above-average intelligence considering his career plays) kid who just needed consistency and educational opportunities. Secondly, as Oher himself protested in his 2014 memoir:
"I could not figure out why the director chose to show me as someone who had to be taught the game of football. Whether it was S.J. moving around ketchup bottles or Leigh Anne explaining to me what blocking is about, I watched those scenes thinking, 'No, that's not me at all! I've been studying — really studying — the game since I was a kid!'"
