The White Cinematic Lens: Decoding the Racial Messages in The Blind Side

Abstract

This article examines the racial discourses in the film, The Blind Side—a “rags-to-riches” story of black NFL player Michael Oher and his white, adopted family. The Blind Side was a large financial success amongst film viewers while also earning prestigious recognition at the 2010 Academy Awards. Despite its broad appeal and praise, this article argues that the film serves an ideological purpose—to reinforce the bonds of white supremacy. The concept of the White Cinematic Lens is introduced; a process in which the physical aspects of the film conform to ideologies of white supremacy and colorblindness. Through a critical racial analysis, we maintain that the white cinematic lens shapes nearly every physical aspect of the film, including the voiceovers, timeline, storyline, character development, settings, camera angles, and alignment of the camera. Studies of discourse and “film talk” are significant as they reveal how societal participants view their racial world. The white cinematic lens centers white experiences and sensibilities while shielding whites from the harsh realities of the racialized society in which we all live. Problematic stories like The Blind Side legitimize and reproduce several notions of white supremacy, including whiteness, blackness and the “danger” of the urban.