Day 104: August 12th, 2010

Precious



Life is hard. Life is short. Life is painful. Life is rich. Life is....Precious.

This is a film that might make some people a little uneasy. It deals with family abuse in the form of rape, physical and verbal violence. The one character it follows is Precious, an overweight illiterate teenage girl who is pregnant with her second child from her biological father. She is kicked out of her school because of her pregnancy and is enrolled in another educational institution called each one teach one. She wants to do better things, but doesn't have the will or motivation because of the constant abuse at the hands of her mother. She day dreams about being a big star and getting out of the hellish life she lives.

The film is raw with the material and doesn't really hold any punches. Lee Daniels second feature film shows vast improvement over the messy Shadowboxer starring Cuba good Jr. His grasp of the material and dedication to have the story be told is evident in his attention to translate the novel to screen. Daniels has put together a cast that care about the subject matter and the story as much as he does and is surrounded by the talent that is needed to pull it off.

Gabourey Sidibe is Precious, the troubled teen wanting more out of life. She shines in her first starring role and it's no walk in the park for her. The role demanded talent and Sidibe delivers what is needed. Of course the one who stands out the most is Mo'Nique earning herself a much deserved Oscar for her role as the abusive and sloth ridden mother. Her confrontation with her daughter after the birth of the second child is intense and will have you holding your breath in fear for the safety of the child.

Precious is a film that is driven by a strong story and an emotional cast that cares about the work they are doing. It's a glimmer of hope that keeps the story moving in a world that is hard edged and usually leads nowhere. It's not a relatively long film, but I did find myself checking my watch every now and then and some bits in the film happen without much clarification. Where did that one white boy come from in her Each One Teach One class? In any event, the final product is a good film with a message about hope and Tyler Perry finally has his name attached to something good in his career (Star Trek not included).

7.5/10