Black Movie Review: Precious
Director by Lee Daniels – 2010
With: Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe, Mo’Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey
1987, Harlem, New York. Precious (Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe) is a 16-year-old African-American girl living a life few of us could imagine. Overweight and illiterate, Precious suffers constant physical and mental abuse from her mother and is routinely raped by her stepfather who got her pregnant for the second time. Expelled from school, Precious enrols in a special programme where a literacy teacher (Paula Patton) gives her hope and shows her a new path in life. This unusual and strong second movie by Lee Daniels (producer of Monster’s Ball, which gave Halle Berry an Oscar in 2002), adapted from the best-selling novel Push by poet Sapphire, is both upsetting and inspirational, uncompromising and yet full of hope. Daniels has elicited extraordinary performances from his cast: newcomer Sidibey brings humour and dignity to her character while Monique, best known for her roles in raucous comedy Phat Girlz (2006), is sensational as Precious’ abusive mother. The biggest surprise comes from superstar Mariah Carey who is unrecognizable and pitch-perfect as a world-weary and decidedly unglamorous welfare officer.
Precious arrives in the UK having already won more than 30 awards, including the Jury Special Prize Festival at Deauville Film Festival and the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. At the time of publishing this review, Precious is nominated in several categories at the Golden Globe Awards. The movie was also a commercial success to much of the industry’s surprise. Indeed, even though Precious was the darling of movie critics, American audiences, especially African-American movie-goers, were a bit more weary. The film is a bleak description of ghetto life and proved to be too close to home for some Black Americans. These dark slices of life are all the more disturbing when juxtaposed with the surrealist scenes that bring to life Precious’ fantasies – her dreams of being a blue-eyed popstar are her way of coping with the abuse. The Black British audience will not have such qualms but it will be very interesting to see their reactions to the movie.
So i watched this film last night. I found it to be very insightful and a real reality checker. I thought Monique is a fantastic actress in the film and did not even recognise Maria Carey until about 2mins into the film!
I’m really looking forward to this, especially Mo’Nique’s performance. It’ll be very interesting to see ghow she pulls it off. Although I’m sick to the back teeth of hearing about Mariah being so wonderful in it because she’s not wearing make up. Given her propensity for melodrama and lack of subtlety in the other films in which she’s appeared, I’d be very surprised if she’s so much better in ‘Precious’. I think it’s the image change that’s shocked people more than anything, but I’ll reserve total judgment until I’ve seen it…
Shalom x
I don’t know where to start…The movie was really intense, devastating and beautifully done. I was amazed by Monique’s performance and not surprised at all that she won the Golden Globes Awards and many more.I don’t want to tell you more as you definitely have to watch the movie. The final scene of the movie let know to all the “Precious” in the world there is still Hope.Lee Daniels, the producer, was present at the first screening in the Ritzy Cinema in Brixton, and he said that the movie is partially based on the novel Push from Sapphire because he was not sure the public would be ready to visualise all the atrocities a human being could go through.
Sounds good!
Sounds great!! really look forwar to seeing it!