Precious, based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire, quasi-follows the narrative of the subject, Claireece "Precious" Jones (Gabourey Sidibe), an overweight 16-year-old negotiating her future in a future-less environment.The story is not a new one in Hollywood dramas; a teacher inevitably gives her the break that saves her. But the unpretentious dialogue and the unexpected fantasies are part of what grounds what would be a cliche movie and allow it to hit home.
The film does not fail to remind us that Precious is indeed sixteen with outbursts such as;
he keep sayin he gonna marry me but how he gonna do that when it's illegal to have sex with me?
And most poignantly, the (script)writer allows us to delve into the character of Mary, Precious' mother with her desperate justifications;
Who... who... who else was going to love me? WHO else was going to touch me? WHO else was going to make me feel good about myself?
Precious is an exploration of the weak as characterised by Precious, a young black woman in Harlem contending with all kinds of abuse, not sure herself whether she wants or is worth more. It could be anyone's story. And performance, dialogue and all montage included, this is why it triumphs.
Director: Lee Daniels
Screenwriter: Geoffrey Fletcher
Actors: Gabourey Sidibe, Mo'Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey
Genre: drama
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