The Blind Side is a mostly-true biopic. It tells the story of Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron), a homeless, functionally-illiterate teenager who ended up winning a football scholarship to the University of Mississippi; made the honor roll in college; and recently signed a $13.8 million contract with the Baltimore Ravens.

The movie is so sweet and upbeat that my cynical side wishes I had a good excuse to trash it. However the truth is that I had a good time. It avoids the trap of excessive sentimentality; in fact most of the time it manages to be quite funny. It’s a good approach. The director is smart enough to realize that the story inherently has enough emotional punch that there is no need to indulge in mawkish tricks.

Sandra Bullock, who plays Oher’s adoptive mother, is the heart of the movie. Her warm-hearted but tough-minded character dominates every scene she is in (which is most of them) and as often as not has the audience rolling on the floor.