Precious

What it's about:

Set in 1987 Harlem, it tells the story of 16-year old African-American girl Claireece "Precious" Jones who, abused by her sadist mother and impregnated for the second time by her absent father, refuses to accept the cards life have dealt her. Illiterate, obese and kicked out of school, Precious finds herself in an “alternative” school facing countless obstacles, which includes learning her positive HIV status, on her journey to overcome her grueling circumstances.

What we thought:

Based on the novel Push by Sapphire, Ramona Lofton’s pseudonym, Precious seems to be at first glance just another deep, emotional movie based on yet another novel portraying suffering and abuse, which is nothing new, because it's the type of movie we see all the time. And you would think, like me, that you have become numb, that you'd feel nothing, but Precious offers an experience that transcends the misery it portrays.

Director Lee Daniels, known for producing Monster’s Ball and Shadowboxer together with screenwriter Geoffrey S. Fletcher manages to capture the very core of our humanity. The cluttered, poverty-stricken Harlem apartment Precious shares with her abusive mother ignites an uncomfortable edginess. The constant frying and eating of greasy food, the constant sitting around, doing nothing, sweating and smoking, the constant sound of brainless American game show television, and even the wallpaper, contribute to the anticipation of the unpredictable and the appalling. The growing sense of dread felt very reminiscent of Toni Morrison’s novel The Bluest Eye.

The debut performance by 26-year-old Gabourney Sidibe as Precious leaves you in awe. And this is not due to her physical embodiment of the role, but because she makes us believe her reality. With the help of her director, memorable, witty, yet sad moments are created through the imagination of Precious. Every moment of abuse which Precious endures, is transformed into flashes between her reality and her imagined world, in which she is the star. When her father rapes her, her mother force feeds her bullies attack her, she simply escapes to her fantasy world and we are taken along. In this world, Precious is desired and loved by all; a movie star walking down the red carpet, a diva on stage, even a beautiful, thin blonde woman when she looks in the mirror. Who hasn’t imagined themselves as someone more beautiful, glamorous and thin? For Precious, these ideals aren't pure delusion, they're a survival mechanism in a world out to destroy her soul.

Being pregnant and getting suspended from school infuriates her mother Mary, played by stand-up comedian Mo’Nique, who convincingly plays the part of the scary, sociopathic, abusive mother. Pretending to go to school for the sake of her mother’s welfare cheque, Precious secretly goes to an "alternative" school, Each One Teach One, where she finds kinship with teacher Miss Blu Rain, played by Paula Patton.

Precious also shares her tragic story for the first time with social worker Miss Weiss (an unrecognisable Mariah Carey, who gives a surprisingly touching performance in this unglamorous role). Through Miss Weiss we learn why Mary allowed her husband to abuse Precious, and we see a human side to Mo’Nique’s character in a memorable scene between Gabourney, Mariah and Mo’Nique.  

So, is Precious worthy of its six Oscar nominations? I would definitely say yes and I would even go so far as predicting a definite win for Mo'Nique. Is it worth watching in the cinema? It's a tough story to bear witness to but worth the journey, so be prepared for a brutal awakening to human suffering and compassion, and remember to bring the tissues!