Precious (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
It's rare when a film makes me feel physical pain while watching it. I clenched, grimaced, writhed, & gripped my way through nearly every minute of 'Precious: Based on the novel Push by Sapphire' (directed by Lee Daniels). My neck hurts, my legs hurt, my arms hurt. THAT is how viscerally affecting this film is. In a good way. I think. Set in Harlem, 1987, this is the story of Claireece 'Precious' Jones (Gabourey Sidibe), a sad, obese 16 yr. old black girl who attends school as a way to escape her hellish home life; where she takes care of her ill-tempered, abusive, domineering monster-of-a-mother, Mary (Mo'Nique). Also, at age 16, Precious is pregnant with her 2nd child (her 1st has down-syndrome) as a result of multiple rapes from her absent father.
Precious' school situation is overwhelming. She likes math, but can't read or write. She dreams about boyfriends & parties, but faces ridicule from peers. She notes, "Sometimes I wish I was not alive. But I don't know how to die. No matter how bad I feel, my heart don't stop beating, & my eyes open in the morning". In a small twist of fate, the principal of Precious' school finds out about the 2nd pregnancy, & arranges for Precious to attend an alternative school. Precious is down with it, because she has no alternatives. But mama Mary is firmly against this change; not wanting her 'dumb' daughter to better her education at the expense of losing their welfare status. To Mary, Precious is only good for producing welfare checks.
At her new school, Precious begins to thrive - thanks to her teacher, Ms. Rain (a stellar Paula Patton); whose genuine care & concern for her troubled students encourages Precious to lead her life in a new direction. But after giving birth to her 2nd child, things go from bad to worse; especially when given some disheartening news about her father. Precious has endured unimaginable hardships her whole life. Can she overcome what's about to happen next?
Just writing about 'Precious' fills me with emotions. It's authenticity, tone, & richness is so natural that one can excuse the film for any melodramatic excesses. 'Precious' is the story of one young woman's search & discovery of self-worth amid dire circumstances; the rare movie that can be torturous (to sit through), heartbreaking, and yet, heartwarming & cathartic. I've seen many films about underprivileged people trying to get out of their situation, but none as deftly handled as this one. I felt helpless for Precious, I felt Ms. Rain's compassion, I saw the horror in Mrs. Weiss' (Mariah Carey, playing a social worker) eyes, and believe it or not, though she's a monstrous nut job who allowed her child to be raped, you get insight into as to how Mary came to be who she is.
Gabourey Sidibe IS Precious Jones. It's a role that will never be forgotten. We suffer with Precious as each hardship befalls her. She is a sad young woman, but she's also quietly strong - VERY quiet, & VERY strong. A courageous survivor. Though her outlook on life is dark, dismal, & painful, she always believes that other possibilities exist for her. When Precious is told by Ms. Rain that, yes, she IS loved - it's one of those tearful cinematic moments that strikes a chord. And Mo'Nique is just incredible as the detestable Mary. She will BLOW you out of the water with her bluntness, her physicality, her repulsiveness, her terror, & her back story. That's right. Mary is given a back story (divulged in the climactic scene) which justifies (strange word, in this case) why she is as deranged as she is. There's no excuse for her behavior towards Precious. No excuse. But there are reasons.
Leaving the theater, I felt like I'd 'been put through the ringer'; dragged through the harrowing depths of the human condition. There are many ugly aspects of the story, but it is not an ugly film. I sit here, not devastated for Precious Jones, but more in awe at the scope & complexity of her sad story. I'm not quite as moved as I've been with other movies this year. But there's no denying its raw power & inspirational arc. The editing (particularly of Precious' daydream sequences - to counteract the trauma she's undergoing at the moment) is very well done. And while you won't want to pop 'Precious' into your DVD player all too often, there's no denying that it's tour-de-force film about oppression, enduring the unendurable, & achieving empowerment.
Precious' school situation is overwhelming. She likes math, but can't read or write. She dreams about boyfriends & parties, but faces ridicule from peers. She notes, "Sometimes I wish I was not alive. But I don't know how to die. No matter how bad I feel, my heart don't stop beating, & my eyes open in the morning". In a small twist of fate, the principal of Precious' school finds out about the 2nd pregnancy, & arranges for Precious to attend an alternative school. Precious is down with it, because she has no alternatives. But mama Mary is firmly against this change; not wanting her 'dumb' daughter to better her education at the expense of losing their welfare status. To Mary, Precious is only good for producing welfare checks.
At her new school, Precious begins to thrive - thanks to her teacher, Ms. Rain (a stellar Paula Patton); whose genuine care & concern for her troubled students encourages Precious to lead her life in a new direction. But after giving birth to her 2nd child, things go from bad to worse; especially when given some disheartening news about her father. Precious has endured unimaginable hardships her whole life. Can she overcome what's about to happen next?
Just writing about 'Precious' fills me with emotions. It's authenticity, tone, & richness is so natural that one can excuse the film for any melodramatic excesses. 'Precious' is the story of one young woman's search & discovery of self-worth amid dire circumstances; the rare movie that can be torturous (to sit through), heartbreaking, and yet, heartwarming & cathartic. I've seen many films about underprivileged people trying to get out of their situation, but none as deftly handled as this one. I felt helpless for Precious, I felt Ms. Rain's compassion, I saw the horror in Mrs. Weiss' (Mariah Carey, playing a social worker) eyes, and believe it or not, though she's a monstrous nut job who allowed her child to be raped, you get insight into as to how Mary came to be who she is.
Gabourey Sidibe IS Precious Jones. It's a role that will never be forgotten. We suffer with Precious as each hardship befalls her. She is a sad young woman, but she's also quietly strong - VERY quiet, & VERY strong. A courageous survivor. Though her outlook on life is dark, dismal, & painful, she always believes that other possibilities exist for her. When Precious is told by Ms. Rain that, yes, she IS loved - it's one of those tearful cinematic moments that strikes a chord. And Mo'Nique is just incredible as the detestable Mary. She will BLOW you out of the water with her bluntness, her physicality, her repulsiveness, her terror, & her back story. That's right. Mary is given a back story (divulged in the climactic scene) which justifies (strange word, in this case) why she is as deranged as she is. There's no excuse for her behavior towards Precious. No excuse. But there are reasons.
Leaving the theater, I felt like I'd 'been put through the ringer'; dragged through the harrowing depths of the human condition. There are many ugly aspects of the story, but it is not an ugly film. I sit here, not devastated for Precious Jones, but more in awe at the scope & complexity of her sad story. I'm not quite as moved as I've been with other movies this year. But there's no denying its raw power & inspirational arc. The editing (particularly of Precious' daydream sequences - to counteract the trauma she's undergoing at the moment) is very well done. And while you won't want to pop 'Precious' into your DVD player all too often, there's no denying that it's tour-de-force film about oppression, enduring the unendurable, & achieving empowerment.