Producer Broderick Johnson agrees.  "The appeal of this story is the combination of heart and humor, as well as sports, which has had its share of negative press in recent years. In fact, so much of the general news these days is about all the things that are going wrong and this is one of those instances where something very positive happened that transformed both Michael Oher and the Tuohy family. 

"It’s an inspiring story in a world that’s divided, in large part, by the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots.’  It shows that you can be a good Samaritan and it can benefit you as much as the person you’re helping.  I think it’s very entertaining, but it’s also very powerful."

One of the things that set The Blind Side apart was that when the book was published, and even as the movie was being made, much of Michael’s story was still unfolding.  Producer Andrew A. Kosove explains, "It is a current events story, as it were, but I don’t think that creates complications as much as it creates opportunities. 

"It’s very timely, especially in the 21st century, when we have come to understand that there is no set type of family. We live in a society made up of different kinds of families, where the only things that really matter are our love and support for one another. 

"I think that’s a wonderful thing, and it’s a message that people can really relate to in this day and age."

The fact that the The Blind Side takes place in the present day also benefited Hancock, who says, "I loved the book and spoke at length with Michael Lewis, who is a fantastic writer, but, if possible, it’s always important to meet the real people and hear how they talk instead of just reading it. 

"So spending time with the Tuohys and Michael and being around them as a family was invaluable."

For the Tuohy family, seeing this chapter of their lives become a best-selling book and then a major motion picture was somewhat bemusing.  Sean Tuohy relates, "When Michael Lewis first called, he was going to write a nice, little article.

"We still haven’t quite figured out how, somewhere along the way in this whole thing, it went from a nice little article to a book and now a movie," he laughs.

"The Tuohys opened up their home and their lives, so we felt a great deal of responsibility to do right by their family, and that’s a lot to live up to," says Bullock.

"You want people to be entertained, but you also want them to leave the theatre with a genuine understanding of who these people are.

"I know that was important to John, who was determined that we not do anything that didn’t ring true. It was one of the things I really liked about working with him; he’s a wonderful filmmaker."

Kosove adds, "John Lee Hancock and Alcon have a relationship that goes back more than ten years. He is a fantastic writer and an outstanding director. We knew he would hit this movie out of the park, or should I say into the end zone, which is exactly what he did."

Producer Gil Netter comments that everyone involved in the film, on both sides of the camera, shared a common goal, no pun intended. "The entire cast and crew wanted to do justice to this extraordinary story and the people behind it. 

It made the whole production a tremendously fulfilling experience, from beginning to end, and I am very proud of the movie."

The Blind Side is released 26th March.

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