An Oscar-winning Sandra Bullock movie has just made its way onto the Netflix Top 10 chart, and there’s a bizarre history surrounding the true story behind it.
When it comes to the most belovedsports movies, they’re usually based on real figures more often than not. The Blind Side is no exception, billed as being based on an “extraordinary true story” when it was released in 2009.
The film was a smash hit when it came out, grossing $309 million and earning two Oscar nominations, including a Best Actress win forSandra Bullock. Now, the drama movie is climbing up theNetflixcharts in the US, currently sitting at number nine on the Top 10 list at the time of writing.
The movie is a success, both in real-life and onstreaming services. But one problematic blip for The Blind Side is the lawsuit that came years after its release from its real-life subject.
The Blind Side tells the story ofMichael Oher, a talented and Super Bowl-winning football player in the NFL. As the movie goes, he was a down-on-his-luck and impoverished young man who was plucked from the street and adopted by the wealthy Tuohy family.
Oher filed the lawsuit with an aim to end the conservatorship and allow him to claim his fair share of the profits, as well as punitive damages.
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The Tuohy’s lawyer releaseda statementon behalf of the family, saying Oher’s accusations were “ludicrous”, and alleging that he had threatened “to plant a negative story about them in the press unless they paid him $15 million.”
The lawsuit is certainly a stain on the The Blind Side’s legacy, and raises the question of authenticity in movies billed as “true stories.” To check out the film for yourself and see how Oher’s story was initially portrayed, head over to Netflix now.
For more, check out all the othernew movies available on streaming. You can also take a look at ourBlue Lock: The Movie review, and learn more aboutthe Von Erich deaths portrayed in The Iron Claw.
Jessica Cullen is a TV and Movies Writer on Dexerto’s UK team. She’s previously written for The Digital Fix, Cosmopolitan, Refinery29, Slate and more. Aside from being the residential Yellowstone expert, she also loves Westerns, ’90s action movies, and true crime. You can email her here: jessica.cullen@dexerto.com.
