In the decade and a half since its release, The Blind Side has not aged very well. The Blind Side is based on a true story that tells the supposedly true story of Michael Oher. Oher was an unhoused teenage boy who was later taken in by a family named the Tuohys. This family, who is white, takes in the then-teen Oher, who is Black, and fosters him before later adopting him. Now, Oher is better known for eventually becoming an NFL football player.

The Tuohys story was initially documented in the book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis. Development of a film adaptation swiftly followed, with The Blind Side movie coming out just three years after the books 2006 publication. The fact that the film is based on a true story was a huge part of its marketing, promising audiences an inspiring and incredible, real account.