The Blind Side Racism
Several weeks ago i saw the blind side which is as lots of people have already pointed out yet another addition to that long list of white savior movies.
The blind side racism. If you re not familiar with this particular movie trope you should read hernan and gordon s screen saviors. The film also trades in the magical negro meme in which black people perform. Let s take a look at how michael and his family handled racism.
Granted the blind side is all but silent regarding the circumstances of michael s youth and the complex web of forces both social and individual that dooms so many young men to the violent death that bullock s character. He befriends the tuohy family who eventually adopt him as their own son. Her intelligent affecting new movie the blind side uses a double metaphor alluding to both a football player s vulnerability and racial color blindness to dramatize how people can overcome race.
Its racism like the film itself is quiet. Racism in the blind side manifests itself in ways both subtle michael is a magical negro and overt white characters and the movie itself are interminably condescending towards michael through it all the film s muted politeness prevents it from ever having to address any of these issues. In some ways michael oher successfully overcomes the challenges of being an outsider.
Makes a far stronger statement about the effects of racism and poverty. White domestic goddess on a postmodern plantation. In the blind side lewis examines how michael responds to his outsider status in white upper class memphis in particular the varying degrees of racism that he experiences as a young man.
