Divisive Sandra Bullock Movie Is No. 1 on Netflix Right Now

By Allison Schonter

Sandra Bullock is no stranger to Netflix's streaming charts, but her latest title to hit the Top 10 is more than just a little surprising. The 2009 film The Blind Side has soared to the top of the streaming charts in the days since it made its way to Netflix, despite the controversy that still surrounds it more than a decade out of its theatrical run.

Based on the 2006 book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis, The Blind Side tells the real-life story of Michael Oher, who was adopted by Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, his high school football coach, and went on to have a college football career before being drafted by the Baltimore Ravens. In addition to Bullock, who portrays Leigh Anne Tuohy, the film also stars Tim McGraw as Sean Tuohy, and Quinton Aaron as Oher. The film was written and directed by John Lee Hancock and released in 2009.

More than a decade after its theatrical run, The Blind Side made its way to Netflix on Friday, April 1, and less than a week into its run on the streaming platform, it is already proving to be a massive success. The film has skyrocketed to the top of the streaming charts, currently taking the No. 2 spot among all titles on Netflix's U.S. platform and only falling behind Bridgerton, the Shondaland series whose Season 2 debut just set Netflix's record for the most viewed English-language TV series in a single week. The film is also the most popular movie on Netflix at the moment, beating Shrek Ever After, The Bubble, Four Brothers, and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, which round out the Top 5.

The film's Netflix success comes as little surprise given the years-long love. In fact, The Blind Side is certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes by both critics and the audience, earning a 66% critics rating and an 85% score from the audience. The critics' consensus reads, "It might strike some viewers as a little too pat, but The Blind Side has the benefit of strong source material and a strong performance from Sandra Bullock."

Despite The Blind Side's Netflix success and overall critic approval, the film has been swept up in controversy over the years. Many viewers have dubbed the film racist, citing the fact that it features "zero non-poor Black Americans," portrays its Black antagonists "as violent and thuggish," among other reasons. The film has also been criticized for having a white savior complex, with many viewers pointing to Bullock's character as an example. The Blind Side is available for streaming on Netflix.

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