The new drama “The Blind Side” tells the story of a homeless black teen who is taken in by a Christian family led by Sandra Bullock.
It’s a heartwarming tale based on the life of NFL lineman Michael Oher.
So why does the film feel the need to awkwardly squeeze in a slam at former president George W. Bush?
Here’s the scene: Bullock’s character is waiting in line to speak to someone about her new son Michael’s legal status.
Fed up, she cuts to the front of the line to ask a question:
“We have been sitting around here for over an hour and when I look around all I see are people shooting the bull and drinking coffee … who’s in charge here?”
The bemused woman behind the desk points to the wall, where a picture of Bush is hanging.
We’ve all been in long lines before, be it at the DMV or other governmental offices. And it doesn’t matter which party - or person - is occupying the White House at the moment.
So the joke makes no sense. All it does is deflate a feel-good movie for no good reason. Maybe the filmmakers realized with Bush out of office time is running out to throw spitballs at Hollywood’s favorite target.
(Photo: Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw star as kindhearted parents who adopt a homeless black teen in “The Blind Side.”/Warner Bros.)
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I'm an award-winning journalist and film critic with more than a decade of experience in newspapers, magazines and the Web. I'm a member of both the Washington, DC Area Film Critics Association and the Denver Film Critics Society.
{ 28 comments… read them below or add one }
Likely it’s gotten to the point where, if you want your movie accepted by the mainstream, you better put some slam against Republicans-conservatives-Christians in it or else. Sort of the same way South Park “elevates” Peanuts to appeal to young adults by slamming religion and potty mouth dialog.
This movie has already been criticized by the left for making inauthentic (non left pro family) racial statements. They probably felt they needed to bash Bush for balance.
Funny thing is, that will be our next Dr appointment if this Obamination of a healthcare bill gets passed.
How disappointing! I had wanted to see this movie, but I think I’ll pass. I am sick and tired of Hollywood doing that sort of thing.
Ha. Ha. Ha. Another “feelgood” movie about Y-T guilt. Whoever let this kid down was not white. President Bush was not responsible. The White Man’s Burden died with the British Empire. Why does Hollywood continue to resurrect this swill? Practice your charity in secret and leave it a secret.
Really now, can’t they get over it!! I am really disappointed in these producers and Ms. Bullock. I too really wanted to see this movie… however, I will not spend my money on “hollywierd, can’t get enough bashing-Bush”. When will they get the message??
Mo, don’t let this little jab deter you, it’s relatively minor compared to what we could have been bludgeoned over the head with…. great movie and well worth it.
The real-life person that Bullock’s character is based on is a conservative Christian. So I’m guessing the writer felt he needed to throw in a sucker punch against Bush, just to let his Hollywood friends know that he’s not one of THOSE PEOPLE.
I am a Christian, a conservative, and as tired as anyone of gratuitous slams from the left, but I think that in this particular scene I think the “Bush bashing” being inferred is off the mark. As I interpret the scene, the purpose of the employee pointing to the picture of Pres Bush isn’t to slam Bush or to fairly attribute the inefficiency of the office to his leadership, but to deflect criticism of their own performance by saying, “If you want to complain about my work, you’ll have to go to DC and take it up with the boss.” I don’t think the filmmakers had any intention of implying that the bureaucrats in that office were Bush republicans, or that their inefficiency was the result of his lack of leadership. It’s more of a typical pass the buck or “Talk to the hand,” brushoff from a lazy office worker. Blind Side was a fantastic book and I’m thrilled that someone chose to make this movie, and even after this flap I have every intention of making this the only movie our family will go see this year, and I hope they choose to make many more like it.
Not surprised; Bullock has watched her mouth, but that class act she is married to wants to be accepted in Hollywood, and has Bush-bashed.
Bullock was among the stars of Crash, so I’m actually more surprised that the pyscho stalker she played in her other recent release was not a Bush fan.
The movie has its merits, and this is really a minor point. But it’s illustrative all the same.
What I continue to be amazed by is that Hollywood does everything it can to make mainstream movies “mainstream” - they are test marketed for maximum appeal, and their rougher edges sanded away along with grit, intelligence and other noble qualities. Then, they throw in jokes like this that are bound to make some uncomfortable.
Throw this scene into an edgy indie, and it makes more sense. Here … what were they thinking?
And if you’re gonna insult a segment of the audience, try making it funny.
I may still give it a try, at least on DVD at some point. The story itself sounds amazing. I don’t follow football at all, so I’d never heard it!
I think it (Bush’s portrait in a government building) has more to do with the fact that the scene in question actually took place during the Bush administration, seeing as the film is based on a player that was drafted in the 2008 NFL draft.
Nothing nefarious here.
Don’t know about Sandra Bullock, but Tim McGraw is a big bleeding heart with lots and lots of cash. The stars and director probably had a big “inspiration” on the set and they all decided to “go” with it.
CT -
Puts me in mind of “Julie & Julia” — I gutted it out through the Republican slamming & McCarthy stuff of the “Julia” part, because it was true — but that stupid “If I was a Republican, I’d fire you” line of the modern story = too much, and I gave up in disgust. Later on, of course, I read in the book that Julie Powell harbored Bush assassination fantasies.
Nice.
It looks like an entertaining feel-good movie and Sandra Bullock is always worth working. That is not a personal slam at Bush, it is just a lazy union worker passing the buck and saying, “It’s not my job”. When I see that scene, I’ll just say “OOOooooo” fairly loudly.
I didn’t really see that as a slam against Bush. You’re right, any government line you get in is going to be long and full of “dithering.” I did not connect that with the prominently placed photo of Bush. I was happy to see the picture of Bush, knowing that the characters probably didn’t have as big a problem with him as Hollywood. Maybe even the filmmakers wanted to make sure we knew this happened under Bush’s watch. Or maybe I’m just ignorant.
Ain’t seen the movie, but if I understand right, the arrogant, uncaring jerk was simply a liberal — lazy, smart-alecky, and blaming everything on Bush.
Sounds historically accurate to me.
Haven’t seen the movie, but isn’t family law (adoptions,child custody, etc.) typically handled at the state, not the federal level? So really, wouldn’t the state governor, not the US President be the “boss”?
If the place they were waiting was a state agency, then pointing at a picture of W makes no sense as the agency would be overseen by the Secretary of State for that particular state.
If a federal agency, then why point at W’s picture? He was Chief Executive, however, that agency would likely have been overseen by Immigration or Homeland Security or Social Security, etc., those agencies are actually managed by the particular cabinet office under whose direction they fall.
At any rate, it’s just one more Hollow-wood (as in hollow-headed) slap at the former President. Liberals take great pride in taking every cheap shot at Republicans they can. In fact, it’s a badge of honor among them. The only ones they’ve any respect for are their fellow liberals, who, if truth be told, don’t have any love for this country at all. Their idea of patriotism is dragging America-loving patriots through the mud and then standing back and laughing about it.
Should this country ever make the abrupt switch to totalitarian Socialism, Hollow-wood elites will be among the first to populate American gulags, and production line execution sites. How sad they don’t understand how fortunate they are to be living in the last bastion of freedom on the planet.
Thank God for some few Hollow-wood & other entertainment stars who proudly bear the banner of Conservative. Jon Voight, Kelsey Grammer, Jimmie Walker, Pat Sajak, Bo Derek, Patricia Heaton, Gary Sinise, Fred Thompson, Stephen Baldwin, Drew Carey, Chuck Norris, Heather Locklear, Mel Gibson, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Bruce Willis, James Woods, Jessica Simpson, Adam Sandler, Robert Duvall, Ted Nugent, Clint Eastwood, Dennis Hopper, James Caan, etc. In the past there were the great stars whose pride was evident in their love of America. John Wayne, Lee Marvin, Charlton Heston, Ron Silver, Jack Warner, Louis B. Mayer, James Cagney, Lou Costello, Charles Bronson, Rober Conrad, John Ford, Robert Mitchum, Gary Cooper, Sammy Davis, Jr, Merv Griffin, etc.
It’s alright. In future movies, one character will ask another why so many things are effed up in America, and they will have to point to a picture of b Hussein Obama
I don’t even like Bush (let gov. spending get out of control) but I recognize what this Bush bash represents. Hollywood hates all good ole American values and Bush is the proxy.
It’s a shame. I really wanted to see this movie but they’re not getting my money now.
Ummm That’s it? People would actually consider not seeing what looks to be a truly heartwarming and TRUE story of courage in the face of societies evils because of that ONE line?!
I don’t know about you but that sounds more like a joke than a slam. My conservatism is big enough to handle a little joke.
Geeze and we say the libs are too hypersensitive.
From the context, it sounds like the joke is more on the inept civil servant than on George W. Bush. And while I voted for Bush twice (and his father twice) and have no regrets about it, let’s not become like feminists who have no sense of humor, especially when the joke is as innocuous as that one was. If you want to see real nasty liberalism at work, try Family Guy. There is plenty to complain about there.
I don’t want to over-react to this scene, John, … and you’re utterly correct about having a sense of humor about situations like this. I wrote the post just to shed like on this moment and to wonder, once more, why Hollywood feels the need to include these kinds of jokes.
I do wish the joke here made me laugh … it’s pretty weak stuff.
Well…thanks for sharing that information. I will not see this movie now even though, I generally love sports movies. Too bad. Guess I can write SB off my list of actresses. I already knew McGraw was a hardcore liberal but thought I could get thru this. Now, I’m glad I don’t have to.
Guys, this is the most pro-conservative, pro-Christian movie in years, let’s not quibble. But aside from that, you’ve misread the joke.
It wasn’t a slam against Bush, it was a slam against government. OBVIOUSLY the film wasn’t implying that it’s Bush’s fault the DMV sucked–he obviously has no relationship with that DMV. The point was that the DMV was bad because it was a government organization, and she couldn’t speak directly to a customer-service friendly boss because of it.
Barring that slam though it was a very touching story. It said a lot about how the government system failed him and an upstanding Christian family was able to truly make a difference. The state removed him from a strung out crack head of a mother and had lost his records, social passed him through school and such. The story of the child that came with him that was later killed really contrasted that difference. If anything it was a HUGE knock against the government system. If you pay attention to the storyline of the other child, his name slips my mind now, he ended up dead because of the failures within that system. I didn’t find the joke funny, but I did think it was a stereotypical reaction for people in those types of jobs: It is the fault of someone else for my laziness and disinterest.
Honestly, it was one of the few movies of late that I felt it was worth spending my money to go see. It is moving and showcases what strong families and faith based organizations can accomplish for others. We need more of that from Hollywood.
Don’t forget the “Charge of the Light Brigade.” That is why the reference to Bush was included, not as a quick “bash” but an expanded viewpoint of what Christian leadership and honor is about. You can blindly follow someone who is making a mistake or who has his or her own agenda or you can think critically for yourself using logic, reason and your heart. Leigh-Anne’s motives were well intended, but were not exempt from scrutiny. Our country was lead by a fool and many will follow a fool’s orders, courageously, to their death. Because they have honor, and we hope for honor and wisdom in high places. Michael’s essay was right on target on this broader issue.