The SuperBra Effect

Suddenly, Sandra Bullock is on the radar: two megahits this year (All About Steve, The Proposal) and an Oscar buzz brewing from her feisty performance in The Blind Side. “Based on the extraordinary true story,” Sandra plays Leigh Anne Tuohy who adopts a black boy helping him overcome the grittiness of poverty and be one of NFL’s big shots. Cinematically, the film is already inspiring with its heroic, almost run-of-the-mill, theme but Ms Bullock adds a stirring performance elevating it to greatness. Her finest acting since Crash, Sandra provides a performance suffused with wit and the verbal effrontery reminiscent of Julia Roberts in Erin Brockovich. After 128 minutes, the issue is not moot: America’s Sweetheart CAN act. The real concern, though, is: can she reincarnate the fate of Ms Roberts? In a year where there is no clear frontrunner (Ms Mulligan seems to be losing her steam, Ms Streep and Ms Cotillard seem to be in a role confusion predicament, Ms Ronan may be too young for the Academy’s taste), Sandra’s inclusion in the nomination field (and winning) is a cinch. With a likeable personality and commercial viability, she is following the lead of Kate, Julia, Reese, Halle and Charlize (translation: actresses who look good on the red carpet). And with generous campaigning from Warner Brothers and a gazillion media exposure, Sandra might finally vindicate the critics that she is a force to be reckoned with. If the Academy can award Julia for her SuperBra, then my final verdict is: Sandra is in!