16 year old Claireece 'Precious' Jones has two children to her absent father, a ferociously abusive mother plus an eating disorder that turned her into a miniature whale. And if that wasn't bad enough, she can neither read nor write. Championed by Oprah, this has all the resist-you-must hallmarks of a movie-of-the-week based on a ghetto-chic novel by Sapphire. Yet in the imposing hands of Lee Daniels (Monster's Ball), it turns away from strident melodrama to crystallise as one of the most damning, certainly most distressing slices of American social gothic this side of, well, Monster's Ball.
Daniels, who coaxed an Oscar out of Halle Berry, lends his considerable talent to an imposing cast. Mo'nique turns the most startling performance of all as an emotionally stunted woman whose anger turned outwards renders her nothing short of demonic. The punishment she unleashes on her daughter would cripple the strongest character, but Precious knows at some instinctual level that there's something better out there, and knows how to get through the pain to what she needs. Which in this case is an education at an all-girls school for severely disadvantaged kids. Under the earnest gaze of her lesbian teacher and a group of misfit students, Precious teeters on the verge of Welcome Back Claireece. Yet Daniels transcends obvious clichés to report in agonising detail a gut-wrenching story of determination and courage.
Claireece learns to read and write, how to negotiate her domestic situation and the perils of social services. She learns about self-empowerment and self-fulfilment. It's thrilling, chilling stuff and not without more than one gasp-out-loud moments as unimaginable grief revisits the teenager again and again. Yet in-between there are moments of blinding fantasy to guide her toward a future she knows is hers at the most fundamental level.
Precious is handled with tangible skill by Daniels who dances around mawkish and WTF pitfalls with seaming ease, abetted by an exemplary cast that includes, as unlikely as it seems, Lenny Kravitz and Mariah Carey in glam-down support roles. It's a heady mix of big emotion and bigger performance that will surely take Daniels and cast back to the Oscars. Above that, and more importantly, it's an entrancing story that shows how anyone can rise to beat seemingly unbeatable odds.
// COLIN FRASER
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It’s not surprising that Oprah Winfrey got behind the push for Lee Daniels' Precious, based on the 1996 novel Push by Sapphire. It is a raw and vivid portrait of a young, 16 year-old African American woman who had been subjected to a miserable life that is quite hard to digest. The film covers many issues including sexual abuse, the tyranny of the welfare system, the predominance of obesity in lower-income families and above all (and that’s not making light of the sexual abuse) the absolute loss of dignity that comes with being illiterate.
Precious Jones, hauntingly played by Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe, leaves no emotional rock left unturned. Her face says it all. She is about to have a second child. The father is her own father, who has been abusing her since she was a child. If that’s not enough to make you want to shut your eyes, then read on. Her first child suffers with Down Syndrome and lives with her grandmother. Meanwhile Precious remains at home with her mother, Mary, played by the award winning comedienne Mo’nique, who is the mother from hell. She sits and chain smokes, occasionally gets up and thumps her daughter and spews forth a constant stream of criticism referring to her ‘fat arse’ and the fact that ‘cause she is so fat, she makes the room feel small.’ There-in lies the irony, as Mary ain’t got no alibi either.
Then along comes Ms. Rain, played by Paula Patton, who runs a much needed literacy workshop where students like Precious can learn the gift of language and self-worth. She finds herself surrounded by like-minded people who are all battling the same demons. The characters in the classroom are witty, self deprecating and provide a glimmer of hope for the future.
Precious has her baby and on this occasion one feels there is a God in the guise of Nurse John, played by Lenny Kravitz, who looks after her in the hospital and also her welfare officer, Mrs. Weiss (a very believable Mariah Carey). In both cases the music performers work well on screen bringing naturalness to their roles which are in keeping with the reality of the story. There was much hullaballoo made by the likes of Oprah about Mariah’s performance on screen, sans makeup.
Precious survives and succeeds in achieving success in literacy and some semblance of happiness in her life. It is a far cry from the moment when we see her walking down the street wishing that either a piano, or a desk, would fall out of a window and put an end to her misery. There are moments in the film when we enter into her fantasy world and these scenes provide a moment of relief from the daily horror. This film is not a comfortable viewing experience. However, when Precious manages to push herself into a better existence you leave the cinema feeling that all is not lost. A nice sentimental touch is the dedication for ‘precious girls everywhere’ and the sad fact is that we know there are plenty.
// SALT
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