Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire
"You feel you've witnessed nothing less than the birth of a soul." -Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly
Precious Jones, an inner-city high school girl, is illiterate, overweight, and pregnant... again. Naive and abused, Precious responds to a glimmer of hope when a door is opened by an alternative-school teacher. She is faced with the choice to follow opportunity and test her own boundaries. Prepare for shock, revelation and celebration.
Member Reviews
8/10 - kanachien
There are plenty of movies about inner city kids overcoming obstacles to make something of themselves; however, Precious’ obstacles are unimaginable horrors and she isn’t just looking to better herself – her goal is simply to survive. Precious is faced daily with the effects (i.e., anger issues, eating disorders, illiteracy) of verbal, physical and sexual abuse at home. The audience if left agape in awe, anger, compassion and hopeIs this where we cry? - RobBC
As a rule I tend to avoid anything that causes Oprah Winfrey to do backflips; be it a book, a person, or in the case of Precious, a movie. With this in mind I popped in the DVD with very few expectations and was therfore neither surprised nor disappointed. Sixteen, pathologically obese, and carrying her father’s second child, Claireece “Precious” Jones is an inner city Cinderella whose prince is never going to come. Brutalized by her mother and on the verge of dropping out of school she finds what comfort she can in a series of vivid daydreams. Fortunately her principal recognizes her potential and enrolls her in an alternative classroom run by a highly motivated woman who refuses to accept failure in her students. There is much to like in Lee Daniels’ film; from the occasional flashes of humour to the crisp camerawork that moves easily from images of crushing squalor to the kinetic energy of Precious’ fantasies. In one painfully effective scene she’s lying helplessly on her back while her father rapes her when the ceiling suddenly bursts open to reveal a brightly lit stage upon which a coiffed and immaculately dressed Precious laughs and mugs before a mob of adoring paparazzi. Unfortunately Daniels weighs it down with every ghetto cliché he can think of while the accompanying musical score goes from weakly ironic to glaringly ostentatious. With happy white stereotypes on the television and a distinct lack of positive male characters (a few brief scenes involving a male nurse just don’t cut it) the entire production comes across as stilted and deliberately biased. The only thing that keeps it from becoming a conventional “soap oprah” is the phenomenal performances from all involved. I generally avoid the Oscars like a plague, but Mo'Nique truly deserved her win.Excellent film - nat71
The performances alone should automatically put this film at the top of your ZipList. The movie is about how a young woman survives a life of neglect and extreme emotional, physical and sexual abuse. There are many scenes that are difficult to watch and listen to the dialogue because the story and script are an honest portrayal of a subject no one wants to talk about.
Mo'Nique is incredible and she goes to a place that is so monstrous and ugly that it hurts to actually watch it. Gabourey Siddibe is equally brilliant as Precious who's self-worth is so disintegrated that it's hard to believe that there's any hope in her life.
Despite the tough subject matter, Lee Daniels manages to find hope at the end of it all by showing us characters that are able to reach Precious and shine a tiny light at the end of the tunnel.
Member Reviews
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8/10 - kanachien
There are plenty of movies about inner city kids overcoming obstacles to make something of themselves; however, Precious’ obstacles are unimaginable horrors and she isn’t just looking to better herself – her goal is simply to survive. Precious is faced daily ...Is this where we cry? - RobBC
As a rule I tend to avoid anything that causes Oprah Winfrey to do backflips; be it a book, a person, or in the case of Precious, a movie. With this in mind I popped in the DVD with very few expectations and was therfore neither surprised nor disappointed. ...Excellent film - nat71
The performances alone should automatically put this film at the top of your ZipList. The movie is about how a young woman survives a life of neglect and extreme emotional, physical and sexual abuse. There are many scenes that are difficult to watch and listen ...