Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire - Directed by Lee Daniels, starring Gabourey Sidibe, Mo'Nique, and Paula Patton - Rated R

And you thought Commodus' crush on his sister was disturbing...

Precious is a difficult movie. I don't just mean that it's about the very difficult life of the title character, but it's also difficult to review. If you think that all movies are meant to entertain, then you may not like this film. I didn't find it entertaining at all. The subject matter is just a bit too bleak to allow for entertainment with this one.
Precious is about an obese teenager from Harlem who has an abusive mother, is pregnant with her second child (the first one had Down syndrome) and is being kicked out of school. Oh, and the father of her two children is her own father. And her mother forces her to eat so she stays fat. And her mother physically abuses her. And her mother verbally abuses her. And...you get the point. If you find enjoyment out of any of that, then there is something wrong with you.


But this movie is not meant to be entertaining. It's meant to be hopeful. I suppose it might succeed on that level with some viewers, but I just felt tired after the first hour. The filmmakers created such a miserable situation that the sense of hope in the film was almost completely overshadowed. I just wanted all the misery to end. I suppose that means this is an effective drama and I am certain that if you watch it, it will affect you in some way. Bleak movies don't bother me all that much, but this one turned into borderline overkill. So I suppose it boils down to how much you're willing to take. If you can deal with that amount of misery, then you'll probably love this one.


Aside from the amount of misery on display, Precious is without a doubt a well made film. Lee Daniels has some style and the visuals added a lot to the film. Precious's dream sequences have an authentic dream-like quality. The camera movement impressed me the most, though. Daniels moves the camera with ease and it makes things a bit easier to watch.


You may have noticed that I haven't even mentioned the performances of this film. That's because I'm a bit late to the game with this one and everything has already been said about all the principal actors. I'll just say that Mo'Nique and Sidibe give extremely authentic performances and I completely believed their characters throughout.


So I'm not very impressed with Precious but I understand the praise it has received. I just like my misery in smaller doses, I guess. This film was too much. It beats the viewer into submission to the point that any semblance of hope is wasted when it's all said and done.

Eric Harris - www.canneltoncritic.com

Last updated: 2010-05-08 09:15:49 by user06

Precious: Based on the novel Push by Sapphire

If you feel like you've heard the story of multiple-Oscar nominee Precious before, then that's because you have. An underprivileged girl overcomes her poor upbringing, and familial abuse, to carve out a niche of her own... it's a fairytale that's been told so many times that it's now firmly entrenched under the 'Hollywood Cliche' heading.

So why has there been so much fuss about a slice of overworked melodrama?

Well, there are the performances. You can't discuss Precious without mentioning Mo'Nique's incredible (and incredibly brave) performance as Precious's mother Mary, one of the most hideously self-serving characters ever to sully our screens. She isn't just selfish: she's violent, abusive, ignorant, and downright mean. To take on such an obviously unsympathetic role requires some balls.

Newcomer Gabourey Sidibe shines as Precious too, although the easy sympathy that director Lee Daniels summons for the character makes her role a far simpler one. Even so, she manages the swings from utter despair to jubilant hope with a natural ease, and her smile, when it comes, lights up the screen.

Even Mariah Carey and Lenny Kravitz manage to look believable and sincere - Daniels can clearly work magic with his actors.

Unfortunately the same can't be said for his management of the script's themes and subtexts, because Precious is about as subtle as one of Oprah's tirades. Let's get one thing clear from the start - we have no issue with his point of view or the message he's trying to send. In fact, quite the opposite: Precious's overriding message is so obvious and self-explanatory that it's hard to imagine anyone taking issue with it.

Yes, abuse is bad. Yes, incest is bad. Yes, rape is bad. Daniels goes to such pains to show how damaging these crimes are that you have to wonder what his intentions were - did he really think that he had to convince us of any of this?

Life is so relentlessly horrific for young Precious that the end result amounts to something like slum porn: it makes its central point quickly and easily, but continues to pile on the abuse and despair as a vicarious guilt trip for the Oprah generation. Our actual insights into Precious's character are few and shallow - she wants to be glamorous and have an attractive boyfriend, she feels an abiding love for her children - and what we're left with is a smattering of sympathy, heaped with a huge helping of base pity.

When it comes down to it, Precious has all the ethical subtlety of Star Wars. The good struggle to overcome the wicked, and in doing so they carve out a hopeful new future for themselves. It's Hollywood's traditional good vs. evil tale, remade with a helping of social guilt.

It doesn't help that Daniels' direction is sometimes clumsy and banal, turning Precious's glam fantasies into what looks like a low-budget version of American Idol. Even the flashback sequences are jarring and garish, as if they've been edited specifically for MTV. Their emotional larceny piles on yet another layer of manipulation. While French movie The Class showed us how a truly inspirational teacher can turn around the lives of their underprivileged pupils, Precious simply provides its characters with the modern equivalent of a fairy godmother.

Luckily for Daniels, none of this really matters as long as Sidibe and Mo'Nique are on the screen, desperately spinning something real and touching out of the rather two-dimensional material. Precious succeeds against all the odds thanks to their honesty and dedication to their characters, and between them they create some of the most powerful scenes to have graced our screens over the last few years.

Of course, none of this gels with the overwhelming wave of public approval for Precious, or with its multiple Oscar nominations - but once we've all finished marveling at Mo'Nique and Sidibe, the rest of the movie feels curiously hollow and cliched. If only Daniels had shown the courage he demonstrated when he produced The Woodsman, then we might have been treated to a truly challenging movie, delving into the contradictions and failings that make up Precious's abusive mother.

As it is, we're left with yet another Hollywood fairytale, and the sparkling performances can't quite cover up its lack of sophistication. I'm sure Oprah loves it.

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FILM REVIEW : Precious: Based on the Novel

Upon my first hearing of it, I didn't know what to think. However, when you add on all the Oscar buzz for the film, it all equates to my expectation of Precious to be one of the greatest films of the year. I just saw it yesterday, and while it's not the perfect ten-for-ten that I was expecting, it certainly lives up to its hype as one of the year's best films.



The film centers around Clareece "Precious" Jones (Gabourey Sidibe), a black, obese teenage girl in 1987 Harlem. She has been raped by her own father countless times and has even given birth to his child, who had Downs syndrome. Her mother (Mo'Nique) is certainly no better than her father, as she physically and verbally abuses her daughter almost all the time. However, Precious finds hope in the form of friendship and guidance from the teacher at her alternative school (Paula Patton) and a social worker (Mariah Carey).

While the plot and structure themed around domestic abuse is nothing new, Geoffrey Fletcher's screenplay for Precious is nothing like any of the other similarly themed films or television series out there. This isn't some rags to riches tale. This is real life: gritty, raw, and real. The subject matter is intense, and the coarse content is as disturbing and shocking as anything I've ever seen. Ironically, there is some attempted humor in the film. What's even more shocking is that it works! Even with some genuinely hilarious moments (fluorescent beige... need I say more?), it's a heavy film. But thankfully, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Director Lee Daniels' somewhat visionary style helps to highlight the gritty and dark world of this time, but he does't do everything perfectly. Much of the time, it seems like he's either getting carried away or trying too hard with his craft. Many scenes would have benefited from a less "artistic" style and a more "direct" focus. In other words, "stepping back" and letting the actors simply play out the roles would have sufficed. However, I will say this: there is one particular scene in which SPOILER (scroll over to see) Precious returns home after giving birth to her second child that Daniels handles perfectly. It may be the single most perfectly directed scene that I've witnessed in the past several years.
 
 
Now let's talk about Gabourey Sidibe. If you've seen her in any interview (very likely, as she's all over the place right now), she would totally win you over with her natural charm and bubbly personality. However, this is the polar opposite of Sidibe's self-accepting and open personality: Precious hates herself and isn't open with others. Yet Gabourey is strangely believable in the role of Precious. Even when Precious' character is happy, it's not the same kind of happiness that Miss Sidibe herself exhibits.  Sidibe completely immerses herself into the character of Clareece "Precious" Jones in a nearly incomprehensible way. It's truly remarkable; the best lead female performance of the year.
 
 
Although Sidibe gave what is probably the best performance in Precious, I'm going to spend some time with Mo'Nique. She has been on the Oscar radar ever since winning the Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, and her buzz has been growing steadily since then. To put it bluntly, she gives one of the best performances I've ever seen. A complete abandonment of her previous work in lightweight, comedic projects, Mo'Nique is somehow able to channel herself into this possessive, vile, and gruesome mother straight from the pit of hell. This role makes Heath Ledger's Joker look like Bambi, and I'm not even kidding when I say that.

Consistency in a performance is never something to take lightly, and this is one of the most consistently excellent performances in film history - granted I haven't seen every film in existence, but this notion is one I'm pretty sure of. Even when she is at her most sympathetic - a tricky portion of the role that Miss Mo'Nique does flawlessly - she still holds traces of her sinister nature. She is completely deserving of the Supporting Actress Oscar that she's winning this February.
 
 

Even though Sidibe's debut and Mo'Nique's serious acting were the most impressive aspects of this film, perhaps the most surprising aspect of the film was the performance given by Mariah Carey. She excellently portrays the small but pivotal character that is seen only three times throughout the entire film. With roughly ten minutes of screen time, Carey holds her own against powerhouse Mo'Nique and Sidibe. Granted, her role isn't necessarily the greatest "small" film role to ever grace the silver screen. This is not 2009's equivalent to Beatrice Straight (Network; 1976), and neither is it our answer to even Judi Dench (Shakespeare in Love; 1998), but it is played fantastically... a Supporting Actress nomination is not out of the question, and it wouldn't be undeserved either.
 
 
Blu Rain, Precious' teacher at the alternative school can be viewed as her guardian angel, and Paula Patton's portrayal of Rain takes on that persona perfectly. She fits the role like a glove, as her likability and charm sinks into her portrayal. As a character, Rain doesn't do too much changing, but she somewhat hides many facets of herself from others. Perhaps it's an attempt to better reach her students, or maybe it's simply her being afraid of her own feelings. In any case, Patton plays this all off marvelously. Just as Mariah Carey, a Supporting Actress nomination could happen here, and it would be very much appropriate.

In conclusion, Precious is one of 2009's best films. The one flaw here is Lee Daniels' sketchy directing, but it's still a treasure to behold and a message to spread about domestic abuse. As this relentless tale tackles some very serious issues head-on, this isn't for everyone. It's emotional and real. It holds no bars and takes no prisoners. But this is truly a precious endeavor.
Highly recommended

Rating: 9.0 out of 10 stars (4.5 out of 5 stars)

Photo Courtesies:
Precious: Screenweek
Gabourey Sidibe: Awards Daily
Mo'Nique: Art and Culture
Mariah Carey: Seher
Paula Patton: Maple Pictures

Julian Stark (pen name)<br />
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Founder/Editor: Movies and Other Things<br />
<br />
http://julianstark-moviesandotherthings.blogspot.com

Last updated: 2010-04-10 04:28:07 by user07

Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire

Another gritty and shockingly real film by the producer of Monster's Ball. An illiterate 17 year old is pregnant with her 2ND child by her father, abused by her welfare dependent mother and among other problems is struggling in school. This teenager is essentially alone in the world. She is lost in the shuffle with little options or hope for escape. She is as strong as she is alone. Resilient even in the face of such misery her escape is a fantasy world where she is exactly what she wishes she could be. Her second pregnancy turns out to be a blessing in disguise as it leads her to a set of people who actually seem to care.

• I knew that this movie was going to be heavy and so I prepared myself for that.
• It has sort of a documentary type feel about it which I think added to the realness of the story.
• I can't even imagine such suffering and pain that this young girl has endured.
• Some of the scenes were so ugly that it was kind of hard to watch. It is just so sad and unimaginable that there are people in the world who could do such horrible and ugly things to an innocent person who has done nothing except be born and didn't even have an actual choice in that.
• Instead of giving up Precious chose to just keep moving forward and fighting for what she wanted. Her kids and her life.
• Sidebe did an amazing job acting. It's hard to believe that acting was just something she tried just because.
• I hated Precious's mom (Mo'Nique). She was ugly and hateful. Even when she felt remorse I still hated her because her actions are unforgivable. Mo'Nique did an excellent job playing this role.
• Mariah Carey as a plain jane social worker was an interesting sight. Glamour girl be gone. I think it's good that she stepped outside of her usual role of playing a glamorous singer and took on something different. In all of those other movies her acting was awful but I feel that stripped down to the bare basics served her well. The acting was a huge improvement.

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Just Me

PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL 'PUSH' BY SAPPHIRE (Lee Daniels, 2009)

***½
USA

An uncommonly resonant yet perpetually exasperating experience. Lee Daniels is astonishingly sensitive and incisive in the handling of his actresses. But he is staggeringly inarticulate when it comes to every other facet of directing. Entire flashbacks and fantasy sequences are woefully misconceived (not to mention, crudely shoved in), but more frustrating is the way Daniels lets several of the searing centrepiece monologues crumble to nothing as soon as they climax. He has no sense – or at least, a warped sense - of structure, pace, or how to organically foster a desired visual dynamism. Perhaps he recognizes and mistrusts the simplistic, didactic melodrama that is the film’s core. But a simplistic, didactic yet exasperatingly flashy melodrama is by no means a step up.

That the film packs an emotional punch – and boy, does it ever – in the end has nothing to do with the pyrotechnics and everything to do with the blunt, withering force of the actresses. With remarkable precision Mo’nique reassesses the monster she is given to play as a recognisably human (and devastatingly fucked up) being. As her daughter, first-timer Gabourey Sidibe is saddled with an incoherent Harlem cliché, but instead portrays something generously detailed and infinitely more alive. Even Mariah Carey (!) rises above an embarrassing makeup job to present perhaps American cinema’s first ever believable welfare worker.
 

Last updated: 2010-03-14 03:53:39 by user06

Movie Review: Precious

I didn't think I was going to write about this movie, but my sister told  me I should.  Mostly to put closure on this heavy and profound  experience... I saw it on Tuesday the day it came out.  And since seeing  it, I haven't been able to get it off my mind.

Lee Daniels moving adaptation of this book, was as I say very  profound... not in a long time was I able to fully immerse myself in the  characters lives the way I did.  It was hard not to feel sympathy for  the main character, and even to feel hatred and anger towards her  mother. 

I won't go into any fine details about the plot, mostly because I don't  want to rehash it.  I will say that it's about a girl, living in a lower  class household, with her abusive mother.  She's pregnant with her  second child, and she is striving for an education... even though her  mother tells her to give that up and go on welfare. 

The movie does not start off gradually, the scenes depicting physical  and emotional abuse by Precious' mother, starts off almost immediately,  signaling what's in store for the remainder of the film.  Not to mention  signaling the sympathy for the main character... rooting her on as she  fights her way to independence. 

On a sociological level, I think this film is mostly disturbing, because  this kind of abuse is real, it exists in many homes in this world.  And  unfortunately, since it's on a domestic level it's often times very  hard to prevent.

This movie does an excellent job of bringing these issues to the  forefront, and forces us to pull our heads out of the sand and see just  exactly what is going on in this world.

Speaking from a cinematic point of view... this movie plays out mostly  like a documentary.  It has that Cinema Verité style to it that keeps  the audience engaged, and gives them the sense that this is real, this  is happening, and these are real people. 

There was an article floating around on the internet recently, where  Martin Scorcese is quoted as seeing that movies like Precious should be  shown in 3D.  I could go into a deeper discussion about my beliefs on  this statement, but it further proves the point that I mention above...  that it makes people feel as though they are involved in these  characters lives.  Even if it is done by using camera style, and movie  trickery. 

Going beyond the Cinema Verite style, one of the things that makes this  movie what it was, was the performances.  As shown at the 2010 Oscar  Ceremony, both Mo'Nique and Gabourey Sidibe were nominated for their  performance in this film.  Director Lee Daniels was also nominated for  best director, and the film itself was one of the 10 nominees for Best  Picture. 

In the end though, the Oscar went to Mo'Nique for Best Supporting  Actress... and rightfully so, her performance was earth shattering...  and I must that before seeing this movie, I had very little interest in  Mo'Nique as an actress, or comedienne.  But seeing her abilities as a  dramatic actress opened my mind to the possibilities of seeing her in  more dramatic roles.  Just as long as she doesn't get type cast. 

Another worthy note, is the ensemble cast that makes an appearance in  Precious' life... played by Sherri Shepherd and Lenny Kravitz.   Interesting choices for these small roles...

In the end, this film stuck with me as I said... it has given me  something to think about.  It was a very difficult movie to watch, and  it took a lot for me to actually sit down and watch it.  Knowing that  this movie was not going to have a happy ending, made it that much more  difficult to watch.  However, it was necessary to watch it... at a time  when movie goers are obsessed with super heroes and blue cat creatures,  it's important to take a moment and realize that real life does exist,  and you can't always escape it by staring at a movie screen.

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Christian Kocinski<br />
Filmmaker.Animator.Photographer<br />
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Precious: Hardcore Harlem Reality with a Shot of Fantasy

This movie has won me 10 massages in a bet with my wife, since I recognized Mariah Carey in the social worker Ms. Weiss, and she kept insisting, "No, she looks like Bjoerk."
The credits proved that this was indeed the coolest thing Mariah Carey ever did, to just show up in a flick the way she really looks without applying "Operation Playmate of the Month" before getting out of the house!
 
I'm into movies, so I haven't read the book, thus I can't tell whether the movie lives up to the original story. But I'd say it has done its job in delivering a dose of Harlem reality to the dwellers of more pleasant places throughout the globe.
 
Child abuse is indeed an issue, and the way it's being addressed here and dealt with is very effective.
 
I guess it's superfluous to say that the gorgeous Paula Patton also did a marvelous job in her portrayal of Precious' Alternative School teacher, even if her pick of the role may be one of the aspects in which the film differs from the hard core reality of such actual stories...
But as the movie vividly portrays by Precious' wandering off into phantasy worlds during her darkest moments, I guess we all need a little time out from hard core reality sometimes, and isn't that, after all, why we watch movies?

Recommendations: The Matrix , Fratello sole, sorella luna , The Visual Bible: The Gospel of John

There IS no spoon!

Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

So this is the big week for The Twilight Saga: New Moon obviously this is a movie that I will never see as I don’t fit the criteria, That being either a young girl or a woman who is either completely lonely, more than likely a bit dowdy with weight and self esteem issues and a penchant for writing in Journals. While precious also falls into the category of unlikely for me to see as well; I can not ignore oscar buzz.

Starring:
Gabourey Sidibe, Mo’Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz
Director: Lee Daniela
Genre: Drama
Rated: R

Taking place in the mid 80’s Precious tells the story of an illiterate teen who get’s kicked out of school for being pregnant with her second child and enrolls in an alternative school in hopes that learning to read and write will change her life.

Precious has an awful life in addition to being completely illiterate and not having any friends her mother both physically and mentally abuses her, hurling a frying pan one minute and saying she should have aborted her the next.  Precious is also pregnant with her second child from being raped by her father, her first child suffers from down syndrome and is called “Mongol” short for Mongoloid. If that is not enough she learns she has HIV.

Where Precious shines is in the acting department somehow director Lee Daniels has taken a cast not knowing for serious acting, stripped away any level of glamour and pulled out a handful of great performances.  The normally over the top and completely obnoxious Mo’nique gives a stellar performance as the lazy abusive mother not only does she look like a complete mess ,there is some actual emotion that I didn’t think Mo’nique was even capable of. Mariah Carey does a complete 180 from her glitter role and shows up makeup free and virtually unrecognizable as a social worker; given how completely awful she was in Glitter you can’t help but be a little impressed by her.

Precious is receiving a lot of early Oscar buzz although the film is being touted as inspirational this is a film that is almost entirely depressing and the uplifting feel good moment is when you realize how this is the life that many in this country lead and your glad it’s not yours.

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Precious

"Precious" is directed by Lee Daniels. It stars Mo'Nique, Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz, Sherri Shepherd, and Paula Patton. This is the first movie for Gabourey Sidibe.

"Precious" is based off the book "Push," by Saphire. It's not a true story. The movie is set in Harlem, New York. Claireece "Precious" Jones (Gabourney Sidibe) is a obese, 16-year old black girl who is pretty uneducated and is pregnant with her second child, as a result of being raped by her father. She has a verbally and physically abusive mother (Mo'Nique). She is given the opportunity to enroll into an alternative school. Her teacher, Blu Rain (Paula Patton) and her social worker, Ms. Weiss (Mariah Carey) both help in her efforts to turn her life around and make it a little better for Precious and her two kids.

Acting is definitely the highlight of the movie. All of the actors give fantastic, powerful performances. Gabourey Sidibe is wonderful as the lead character, who provides a lot of narration. This was a great part of the movie because everything is from her point of view. She is so convincing as a girl struggling with a broken, abusive household and very limited education. Her character is a great main character that I felt sympathy for - she just seemed like a real person. Her interactions with Mo'Nique, Mariah Carey, and Paula Patton were great and also varied depending on the characters, but worked so well with the film. I definitely think Gabourey Sidibe has a shot at getting nominated for Best Actress, because her performance is amazing and one of the best I've seen this year. Mo'Nique, who I have never seen in anything before this, but rumor has it she is a comedienne, is also great in this movie. Completely the opposite of her normal persona, what ever that is. She definitely has a Oscar nomination coming her way, too. Her role as an abusive mother shows a great range and is also convincing and horrific. I don't feel like talking about every single cast member, but trust me: everyone gives amazing performances and it is a pleasure to watch them work. They are a huge part in making this movie one of the best of the year.

Cinematography is another very strong part of the movie. There are lots of close-ups and some great editing and fade-outs into the next scene. Lighting is used very effectively to make it look like it's the 1980s. It's a lot less refined than many movies these days. There are a lot of parts that are out of focus and the scenes in Precious's house are especially dimly lit. This adds to the depressing tone of those scenes and reflects Precious' life at the time. There is some brighter lighting used when Precious is having fantasies about her life being better. There also are some great shots, like one looking down a spiral staircase as well as general good camera movement moving around various scenes. Overall it's very visually appealing and just adds to emotion and the quality of the movie.

The movie is incredibly powerful. There is sympathy for Precious and just shock and disgust for her mother. The movie definitely starts out sad, but is pretty inspirational and shows that horrible, unpleasant circumstances don't have to dictate the outcome of your life. You can definitely better yourself and improve your life. It's a great story that shows a variety of emotions. This includes a couple funny lines that are thrown in. It adds a more realistic feel to the story, as the brief lighthearted comments fit in perfectly with the exceptionally well-written script. I wasn't sure where to add this so I'll do it here: there are a few flashbacks of past events in Precious' life. These comes out occasionally as she talks to people and such. It works out well and is a good technique to use.

I'm pretty impressed that this is only the second movie that Lee Daniels has directed. I think everyone should be as impressed as I am. He made a heck of movie. Every single thing that makes a great movie a great movie is here...I'm not lying - it really is.

Great movie, any problems that I could find with this movie would just be me being really difficult and picky. It's a great movie. The acting is phenomenal, the lighting and camera work adds visual appeal and emotion to the movie. This is all tied together with a great script. "Precious" will definitely get a Best Picture nomination. If it doesn't there is something seriously wrong with people. So go see it now...like this second...it's amazing...one of the best movies that I have seen this year...and I've seen about 35 in theaters...so I have a lot to compare it to. 4 stars out of 4.

Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire

"Precious" is the kind of movie people feel strongly about.

It's a movie that deals directly with race. It deals with poverty. It deals with educational inequalities. It deals with obesity. It deals with incest and rape. It deals with violence, cruelty and hopelessness.

It deals with things that are real and raw and provoke a reaction.

Because of this it has become a Movie of Importance, enjoying widespread critical acclaim as well as box office success.

For these reasons I bet it makes a serious run at the Oscars in a few months. All things considered, "Precious" will be one of the small number of notable films from 2009.

And yet, as a piece of storytelling, it is an utter failure.

The movie follows the travails of Clarice "Precious" Jones, an obese 16 year-old black girl who lives in tenement housing with her abusive mother, attends a zoo of a public school and finds herself pregnant with a second child sired by her now-absent father.

Precious catches a rare break when a school official enrolls her in an alternative education class taught by compassionate instructor Ms. Rain, who is a lesbian.

Get used to dependent clauses like "...who is a lesbian," because the loose threads in "Precious" outnumber the threads that tie into the main plot. I imagine this suits the novel on which the movie is based, but the lack of streamlining by first-time screenwriter Geoffrey Fletcher and second-time director Lee Daniels is an unfortunate dereliction of duty.

Ms. Rain tries to teach Precious to read and write, and in one scene imparts the wisdom that learning involves pushing oneself in the face of difficulty. Presumably this is where the novel got its title, but the movie does not embody the notion of pushing oneself, for despite her sympathetic plight and likeable nature, Precious never actually does any pushing. She suffers -- unquestionably -- but she does not strive.

She suffers primarily at the hands of her mother, a shiftless chain-smoker who continually defrauds the government of welfare checks by faking child dependency and avoiding employment inquiries. This unredeemable woman spends the balance of her time throwing solid objects at the back of Precious' head, which happens often enough to turn unintentionally comic. It's a game performance by single-monikered actress Mo'Nique, but ultimately the mother is a caricature, like every other character in the story, including nice guy Nurse John played by rock's Lenny Kravitz and sympathetic social worker Mrs. Weiss played by pop's Mariah Carey.

The mother is the theoretical antagonist of the story, since the climax involves Precious telling her mother off and storming into the outside world with her two children in tow. We are thus meant to feel that Precious has somehow triumphed over her circumstances, that she has persevered. But Precious' situation at the end is no better than it was in the beginning. Except that now she has two kids to look after.

As a pampered middle-class white guy, I have little insight into the realities of life in an urban ghetto. But I question whether anyone involved in "Precious" has much insight either, since every media stereotype is bluntly reinforced.

Random misfortune after random misfortune gives "Precious" a monotone quality the viewer quickly becomes numb to. There may be a point to this, but if so it's an obvious one. We already know life in the slum is not a barrel of laughs.

As an idea for a movie, "Precious" has shown itself to be a smashing success. But the movie itself is dreadful. I wish it were otherwise.

SCORE:

How Accomplished: 35/100

How Much I Enjoyed: 35/100

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Precious

Precious....... Based on the Novel "Push"..... by Sapphire. This movie has got to have the longest title I have ever seen. I guess they just wanna take up as much space as they can on the advertisement boards or something. So anyway.. Precious ya'll! I love this movie man. It's the very definition of an underdog movie and I gotta say.. I was trully touched by the story.




So Precious is about Clarice Precious Jones, a 16 year old, illiterate obese black girl, who is living under the poverty line in 1987's Harlem. Her mother and father abuse her physically and sexually, she is still in Junior High School and she is pregnant with her second child by her father. Odds against Precious is so overwhelming but the message the movie sends is that even in hard conditions, something precious and beautiful can still emerge.



Let's talk about the cast first ya'll. Gabourey Sidibe makes an amazing acting debut playing the title role of Precious. Sidibe captures every emotion of pain and helplessness in her performance to the point where I couldn't even bare to watch her cause it's just so depressing.



The biggest surprise in Precious is Mo'Nique who plays Precious' crazy abusive mother. I've seen Mo'Nique's stand-ups and comedies before.. let me tell you something.. Mo'Nique was on drugs when she did Precious. There's no other explanation. She was STUNNING. Totally unrecognizable, like... yeah.. unrecognizable. I never knew Mo'Nique could carry a line that didn't have the words 'motherfucker' or 'my nigger' in it. But she really pulled it off. I hated her character so much but at the end scene with her, yeah.. I admit I did have some symphathy. Mo'Nique totally deserves a Supporting Actress nomination, if theres none better she should win.


And damn Mariah Carey looks hideous in Precious. It's like if you took Mariah Carey's face and beat it for an hour.. that's how she looked like in the movie. But she was awesome in Precious. She didn't have much scenes but the ones she was in were some of the best in the film.



So let's recap.. horrible actors like Mo'Nique and Mariah Carey gave good performances in Precious? All my praise has gotta go to the director Lee Daniels. I salute you sir. Why Tyler Perry has more money than you I just do not know.




The main draw of Precious is undoubtedly it's phenomenal cast, I'd just hope that the dialogue would be a little bit better but that's easily forgivable. Love the gospel soundtracks in the movie to. So any of ya'll need a nice Pursuit of Happyness-like movie to get you in the Christmas mood and warm up your Juju Bees, ya'll gotta check out this amazing movie.

RATING: 8/10

NicholasC

Precious

If I said the story involves: rape, incest, poverty, obesity, illiteracy and Mariah Carey; you’d be forgiven for thinking: maybe I’ll watch Avatarinstead. But Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (to give it it’s full – and, yes, utterly ludicrous – title) is one of the best movies of the year. If you walk in expecting something “powerful”, you’ll get it. But you’ll also get a movie Prince would love; a movie which plays (in equal parts) like Purple Rain and For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf. This is not a work of slit-wrist social realism. Or rather – it is – but not the way you’ve seen it done before. This is the story of a girl named Precious.

 We start in Harlem in 1987. Precious is sixteen and pregnant with her second child. Her first child has Down’s Syndrome. Precious’s father is the father of her two kids. She is also illiterate, morbidly obese, mute as pharaoh’s tomb, and, in two hours, you’re going to love her. It’s ok if you think that last part is a lie. Precious has the default deadened expression of a fridge door. But. She also has an imagination (so you won’t be looking at 80s Harlem for two hours). And she has tenacity (this isn’t the story of a poor girl falling apart). And she has friends (including the best-looking remedial English teacher on the planet). Think of this as Rocky, with books.

Director Lee Daniels thinks Precious is beautiful (end of discussion). You’ve gotta love this guy; in part, because: he’s damn right!; but also because his attitude pees in Hollywood’s rosebush. Movies with female leads are rare enough, but movies with big (!) black (!) women in the lead have (until now) been restricted to Big Momma’s House, starring Martin Lawrence. Daniels’ doesn’t so much ignore this obstacle as drape it over his movie like a pageant winner’s sash. He’s brash, verging-on-coarse in his approach to film-making. Like Spike Lee, he doesn’t mind upsetting delicate sensibilities or giving characters silly names (Precious’ English teacher is called Blu Rain). The first shot inPrecious is a red scarf hung from a streetlight (and that’s the least of what’s unexpected). Thing is: his ideas work.

Casting Precious must have been a nightmare. She has to look inscrutable (at first), then stoic, and then she has to scale mountains. Lucky for Lee Daniels, he found Gabourey Sidibe. She is the flowering heart of the movie. I defy you not to root for her. Even when she starts the movie saying nothing, her silence is unbowed. She’s from the indomitable America. She’s a worker. Come wind, rain, shouts, threats – poison fit to kill ten of Hamlet’s father – she is going to prevail. You never doubt it. When Precious’ mother pushes her down the stairs, she gets up and she keeps walking. When she smiles as she lifts up her children, you wanna cheer.

Mariah Carey’s moustache is also a surprise. It’s there (like a lot of things) because Lee Daniels is going for broke. An unwaxed lip! Dear God! And he shows women’s underarm stubble too! And women’s skin without makeup! (Fear not, this doesn’t all apply to Carey.) Mariah plays a social worker. She looks like she’s getting ready for bed on a no-sex night. (The way all the women in Precious look, with the exception of Blu Rain.) You quickly forget she’s Mariah Carey, Friend to Rappers and Unicorns. Likewise, Lenny Kravitz persuades you he’s a male nurse, not a moonlighting rocker. They’re there, like the red scarf, because Precious favours magic realism.

The one thing that’s missing is a cameo by Prince. He seems like exactly the right guy for Precious to fantasise over. 1987 was the year he released Sign O’ The Times, a song about AIDS, drugs, poverty and murder. Like Precious, it doesn’t sound like anything anyone would love, but, like Precious, it’s the way it’s done that makes you listen. Never underestimate a new voice. Lee Daniels has thought his way through this story. He knows that the premise is daunting, that his heroine’s circumstances are bleak, that Avatar is playing next door… But. This movie is not an endurance test. Like Prince, you get a few dark patches, but you also get Purple Rain.

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Last updated: 2010-02-16 22:16:05 by user01

"Precious" is that.

Precious was one of the most touching films I have ever seen. From the start, it captures your attention and immediately hones in on the story with no fillers and fluff in between to waste screen time. The film felt raw, sobering, and pure. It showed the struggles many face. Precious succeeded at telling a heartbreaking story and did the same with giving you hope for what has yet to come. The only problem I see with the film is the abrupt ending. It makes everything seem too easy and doesn't show what she had to do in order to get her life together. Mo'Nique's acting was phenomenal and authentic. She portrayed a troubled mother taking her aggression out on her child so well and with such raw emotion. Sidibe does a fantastic job in her first role and gives an Oscar worthy performance. A must-see film that will touch you in places you have never been touched before. 3 and a half out of 4 stars.

Super Marcey's Precious Review

Rating: 4.5/5

Precious is the story of a teenage girl, she’s over weight, illiterate and she is pregnant with her second child (she got pregnant both times because her father raped her) and she has enrolled in an alternate school in the hopes of turning her life around. Meanwhile she has to deal with her abusive mother who just wants to get as much welfare off her as possible.

Precious is not exactly a happy film, in fact after I watched this I felt like my soul had been sucked out. That isn’t to say this is not a good film, it is an excellent and well made film, it just isn’t exactly a happy one. Precious is a sad story, but unfortunately her situation is not one of fiction. There are many teens out there in her situation or in a similar situation and something like this really aims to bring light to that and make people aware. I honestly can’t imagine what I would do if I was in the situation that Precious was in. Her life really does suck, she has a horrible mother and her only escape is her fantasies. That really is until she gets kicked out from school (for being pregnant no less) but she gets recommended to go to an alternate school. She wants to learn and she wants to go to school, so behind her mothers back she goes. This is where her life starts to turn around, as she hesitantly learns to read and interact with others and come out of her shell.

Precious is played by new comer Gabourey Sidibe, she puts in such a fantastic performance I had a hard time believing this was her debut role. This girl just had all the right elements for the character and she embodied them. What a great find from the film makers, I really hope she goes on to other things, I would love to see more of her. The best actress nominations she has been receiving are certainly well deserved. She really does show this strong will with the character, something strong deep inside which keeps her going. Precious was not an easy role to play and it is awe inspiring that this newer did such a fantastic job. Paula Patton plays the teacher Ms. Rain at the alternate school, she was just a shining light here. Her relationship with Precious is a very important part of this story, and they had this perfect chemistry together. I don’t think I have seen Paula in anything else but I sure would like to, again what a find she is! I really loved her in this, and her character brought a nice balance in.

Mo’Nique I am used to seeing in comedic roles, and I didn’t mind her. But I certainly haven’t seen her like this before, the character she plays as Precious mother Mary is one of the most disgusting characters. She is a brutal and vile woman, and I can’t imagine this was an easy role to play. But boy does she pull it off and then some, you really want to smash this woman upside the head and take Precious away. Her final scenes in the film are really well done and Mo’Nique really blew me away. I have to say the awards she has won are well deserved. I really liked all the girls who played the classmates, they all came off as real and they had their moments. Mariah Carey has a small role, and she is alright. She wasn’t in it much and she didn’t have much to do but she at least proved she can do a decent job. I am not a fan of hers but I can admit when she does something right. Lenny Kravitz was also alright for the small role he had, but again it wasn’t anything major and I can’t imagine anyone screwing that up.

Precious is not an easy film to watch, but it is a reminder that life isn’t always peachy. There are messages to be said here and there is something strangely uplifting about the film upon its conclusion. Be prepared to sit through something that really is sad, emotionally it is a draining film. However it is an extremely well made film, there is a fantastic use of colour and imagery. Some great direction by Lee Daniels, I was pretty impressed, especially how some of the more brutal scenes are handled and some flash backs as well. This is an impressive film and for me I think it set out to achieve its goal, I was moved by it. I haven’t read the book it was based on, so I am not sure how it does compare. I felt it did have a strong script and the material was handled rather perfectly. Like the tag line says ‘Life is hard. Life is short. Life is painful. Life is rich. Life is….Precious.’

(Review written January 25th 2010, first posted on SuperMarcey.com)

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Recommendations: Moon (Duncan Jones, 2009), Milk, Hurt Locker, The (Kathryn Bigelow, 2009)

Last updated: 2010-02-14 20:20:19 by SuperMarcey

Stunning performances but emotionally inconsistent

I should start out by emphasizing that I disagree with much of the criticism the film has been receiving. A common disparagement condemns the movie as "emotionally manipulative" and "superficially inspirational", much like other films that fall into the category of the "inspirational dramas" depicting stories of individuals overcoming obstacles and hardships that many people seem to hate. Well, I personally found that the film portrays a reality far too bleak and dismal and brutal for it to possibly be considered "inspirational"; in addition, while the film ends on somewhat of a high note, even that is laced with misery and becomes the lesser of two evils for the protagonist. Another criticism of the film – and of the book it is based on – is from the opposite end of the spectrum, and blames the film for portraying TOO bleak a situation to the point of exploitation. I personally found the scenario portrayed in the film to be strikingly realistic, and I think that people who are too ignorant to realize that such a grim existence can feasibly be led in 21st century America need a serious wake-up call.

One aspect of the film that deserves all the praise in the world is its cast, specifically the performances of its lead actresses and the surprising and unexpected quality of these performances considering the particular thespians involved. First and foremost, we have the breakout role of Gabourey "Gabby" Sidibe, portraying the overweight, twice-pregnant and illiterate protagonist, Precious. The performance is a revelation both because of how convincingly Sidibe reacts to and interacts with her brutal day-to-day existence, but also because of how completely removed it is from the first-time actresses' actual life. It's always impressive to see a performer convincingly convey difficult and profound emotions that they probably would never feel themselves in their real lives, but for a first-time actress to convey these emotions is particularly incredible. Precious' life is populated by three prominent adult characters; two of which see past her daunting exterior and genuinely want to help her, and one who does the exact opposite. Mariah Carey plays a social worker who takes a personal interest in Precious' case and, in the film's most dramatically gut-wrenching scene, makes a genuine attempt to bridge the gap between the teenager and her monstrous mother. Carey has only ever acted in two or three other films, including the atrocious vanity project "Glitter", but in this role, she de-glams, puts on a convincing and raspy accent and actually manages to deliver a surprisingly well rounded and convincing performance. Paula Patton plays another alternate mother figure in Precious' life, her teacher at her alternate school who takes a particularly personal interest in Precious, to the point of letter her stay at her home when she has nowhere else to go. Unlike Mariah Carey, Patton never did anything to totally remove my confidence in her acting abilities, but then again, she's never actually given what can really be considered a "good" performance, which is what makes her tender and genuine turn in this film most impressive. But the scene-stealer is without a doubt Mo'Nique, probably one of my LEAST favorite "comedic" performers who totally redeems herself and manages to deliver a frighteningly convincing performance, incredibly transforming herself into Precious' villainous, sadistic and purely evil mother. It is an incredible and difficult and extremely brave performance, and is even more impressive considering that it's coming from the star of "Phat Girlz".

The performances are rich and incredible enough to hold up dramatic scenes, but not the narrative as a whole, which, as I mentioned before, suffers from a series of bad directorial choices made by director Lee Daniels. The film's biggest flow is emotional inconsistency: in an attempt to portray Precious' inner feelings, Daniels injects strangely conceived fantasy sequences at key dramatic moments in which Precious imagines herself as a glamorous and famous personality. While the intention of these sequences is clear, their abruptness just totally jolts the audience out of the emotional flow of the film, and they just seem out of place. For a similar reason, Daniels chooses to set grim and dramatic scenes to oddly inappropriate songs and musical cues, which once again just feel forced and out of place, and interrupt the emotional resonance of the scenes. Other than that, the film just seems poorly done at times, or simply unfinished: the cinematography is inconsistent and often features zooms and loss of focus that don't feel like stylistic choices but rather just like mistakes. In addition, the editing is quite disjointed at times, and many cuts interrupt musical cues in the middle or otherwise are just so sudden and jumbled that they completely ruin the dramatic flow. Finally, I just felt that while many separate scenes work wonderfully and are emotional and genuinely gut-wrenching, they are just too loosely connected for the film to actually carry a consistent dramatic arc throughout, as it jumps between Precious' brutal home life to her newfound support in her classroom to her day-to-day activities to her inner fantasies. For example, a major dramatic reveal near the end of the film end sup completely ignored and thus irrelevant to the dramatic arc. As I mentioned earlier, the performances are absolutely spectacular, but the inconsistencies in the film's tone and its jumbled and odd editing take away from what otherwise could have been a genuinely affective film.

Vincent Snavely

Precious

Genre: Drama
Director: Lee Daniels
Starring: Gabourey Sidibe, Mo’Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey
Running Time: 110 minutes (plus trailers)

"Love ain't done nothing for me"

Based on the novel Push by Sapphire, Lee Daniels film Precious (full title Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire) follows the life and struggles of Clarice Precious Jones, a sixteen year old African American girl who lives in Harlem New York. Based on the description I’ve just given you I want you to stop and think to yourself: what do you think this movie is about? Based on the words “sixteen year old African American girl who lives in Harlem”, what do you Precious’s story is like? If your mind goes a bleak and horrifying place, don’t feel bad. Mine did too, and apparently so did Sapphires, because this truly is one of the most bleak and horrifying stories you will witness in theatres all year. Winner of the People’s Choice Awards at the Toronto Film Festival – an award that twelve months prior was won by that year’s Oscar winner Slumdog Millionaire, Precious is a heartbreaking drama that explores the depths of human suffering and the struggle to rise above it, and features some of the year’s most memorable performances, not to mention revelatory, from its female cast members.

Make no mistake; this film is the stuff suicides are made of. The circumstances of Precious’s life, depicted in brutal, unflinching detail, are absolutely horrendous, so much so that many have accused the film of perpetuating negative racial stereotypes. I can’t speak to that (as what do I know about racial stereotyping), but what I can say is that if you’re mind did go to where I think it did, you weren’t far off the mark. If you take every horrifying thought that came into your mind when that premise was laid out to you, then you pretty much have this film. Illiterate and morbidly obese, Precious lives with her physically and emotionally abusive mother. The only time her father is ever seen in the film is when he is sexually assaulting her, something that he has been doing regularly since she was an infant. Precious is pregnant with her second child by him – the first, a boy, was born with down syndrome, and a result of her pregnancy, Precious is suspended from school and forced to go on welfare; something that her mother encourages, insisting that that is all she will ever be good for.

And that’s just the beginning of the movie.

When a film has subject matter like this, it has the potential to strike powerful emotional chords, to touch and inspire us in a very deep level. On the other hand, when a movie centre’s itself around a prominent and perhaps controversial social issue (or as in this film it seems, every prominent and controversial social issue), it runs the risk of turning into a sermon. Although Precious comes very close to the line on more than one occasion, thanks predominately to its sensational cast, it ultimately does the former. All four of the main actresses are fantastic; most of the critical attention has been payed to Mo’Nique, a total unknown here in Australia, recognized by many American’s for her comedic roles in films such as Beerfest, Soul Plane and Phat Girlz. I can’t say I’ve had the pleasure of seeing any of those, although based on their reputations I might be remiss in my use of the word “comedic”. But while her prior credentials may not impress me, her work in this film is absolutely astounding. As Precious’s abusive mother she plays one of the most vile and despicable characters of the decade, and yet by the end of the film, which concludes with a tour de force scene that makes her a shoe in for this year’s Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, you cannot help but pity her character, despite her actions being completely unforgiveable.

Equally impressive is newcomer Gabourey Sidibe as the films heroine; present in almost if not every scene in the film, the movies success relies on our ability to sympathize with her character and thankfully Sidibe is excellent in the role. There were one or two scenes that didn’t quite work; for someone who supposedly reads at the level of a seventh grader, Precious is sometimes a bit too articulate to believe, which caused one of the films biggest emotional scenes (between her and her teacher) to ring false. But the fact remains that although the dialogue didn’t always work, Sidibe makes you believe that the emotions her character expresses are totally genuine. The cast is rounded out by Paula Patton as Precious’s inspiring teacher (although I think most of the films faults lie with her to-good-to-be-true character, she still gives a great performance) and Mariah Carey as a cynical but ultimately compassionate social worker. This is another character that could have fallen flat, but Carey is (believe it or not) absolutely terrific as perhaps the movies most identifiable character.

Some critics have taken issue with some of the stylistic choices of director Lee Daniels, claiming that his camera work draws attention to itself to the detriment of the story. Now I am actually a big fan of visually interesting (“flashy”) film-making, and most of the time I don’t mind being aware of the director’s presence. The stylized direction and editing of this film worked for me most of the time; the close ups of food cooking, or the repulsive way that the rape scene is filmed are two of the most memorable stylistic choices Daniel’s make, both of which I felt aided in giving us a grotesque appreciation for Precious’s grimy living conditions. There are points where he is a little too intrusive (some of the fantasy sequences go too long), but overall, while I don’t know if he deserves the Oscar nomination he recently received, I don’t think it’s as a big a problem as some people have made it out to be. And most importantly, in the films biggest emotional climax (Mo’Niques final scene), he wisely reigns himself in and lets the performances stand on their own. And it is the acting that makes this movie. It is the work of Patton, Carey, Mo’Nique and Sidibe, not Daniels, that has stuck with me, and given me reason to recommend it so highly.

Rating: 9/10

http://tomclift.blogspot.com

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Recommendations: Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

Precious: A Successful Push Against Convention

Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire has earned both critical and audience praise. A small independent film, Precious picked up momentum after being screened at the Sundance Film Festival. It was here that Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry first saw the film, subsequently deciding to help fund distribution. With 6 Oscar nominations, Precious is a strong competitor for top awards. Here’s the breakdown:
16-year-old Claireece Precious Jones is an illiterate, obese, black girl living in 1987 Harlem. Her mother, Mary, is living off welfare and scathingly abusive, physically, emotionally, verbally and sexually. Precious’ father is not around, except to rape her…leaving Precious with two children. Precious must handle the responsibilities of motherhood while working toward an education at an alternative school, Each One Teach One.
The Monkey: Reading the novel, one would think this story is impossible to translate to film. The book is written from Precious’ point of view, complete with misspelled words and confusing grammar. Geoffrey S. Fletcher did an incredible job adapting this soulful story to the big screen; he most definitely deserves his Oscar nomination.
With a solid script to work from, director Lee Daniels has created a tale that rings true on every level. Difficult decisions had to be made for this film – how far would the abuse go on-screen? Who would be cast? Daniels proved his ability as director by making every right decision. The abuse, while some may see as gratuitous, held true to the book without pushing the viewer out of the theatre. The casting was superb; critics were concerned with his choice of Mo’Nique for the abusive Mary and Mariah Carey for the role of a sympathetic social worker. Previously, Mo’Nique had only been known for her B-rated comedy bits and Carey’s acting career was still smarting from her mega-flop,Glitter. But the choices were spot-on and Mo’Nique has been collecting acting awards left and right. And deservedly so – her loathsome portrayal of an abusive mother is almost painful to watch; yet, towards the end of the film, Mo’Nique is able to squeeze sympathy out of the viewer…while not forgiven, she becomes a bit more understood, an impressive feat and one that warrants the highest acting accolades. Daniels’ discovery of first-timer Gabourey Sidibe was inspired. Her performance is perfectly understated and heart-rending; it’s too bad her Best Actress Oscar nomination will most likely be overlooked.
The film uses “dream sequences” cleverly (much more effectively than similar sequences in this year’s The Lovely Bones); it could have easily come off cheesy, but Daniels uses these few light-hearted moments to give the viewer a quick breath before plunging back into the dark subject matter.
Despite the film’s darkness, the viewer is not left without hope. The film, at its core, is about hope and the possibility for a better life.
The Weasel: This film deals with such horrible abuse and violence, audiences don’t know what to make of it. Seeing Precious in theatres, it’s clear that the broad viewing audience isn’t ready to see what’s on-screen. Precious is not a popcorn-munching, night-out-at-the-movies kind of film. Because of that, theatre viewing is not the best forum to watch this movie. Audiences react with awkward laughter during some of the film’s most emotional moments…why? Because they don’t know what else to do. While this is not a critique of the film, it is the biggest complaint I have about the viewing experience. The filmmakers were unappologetic in their depiction of Precious’ story…audiences just aren’t quite sure what to do with it.
One of the best films of the year and a truly exquisite adaption. I have no doubt, had there only been five Best Picture nominees, Precious would have made the cut.
4.5 Death Stars out of 5
http://hearculturepop.wordpress.com/2010/02/11/precious-a-successful-push-against-convention/ 

Last updated: 2010-03-30 13:58:52 by JediDustin