*** Official PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL "PUSH" BY SAPPHIRE Review Thread (1 Viewer)

[Patrick Sun]

Precious is 16, soon to have her 2nd child, lives with an abusive mother, and gets dismissed from her school due to her pregnant condition. Her principal arranges for Precious to attend alternative school in the Each One Teach One program in hopes of encouraging Precious to attain her G.E.D.

Think it can't get any worse for Precious? The rest of the film weaves through Precious in her new learning environment, slowly learning and expanding her worldview. She is encouraged to write about her feelings and her struggles by her teacher, Ms. Rains, while also dealing with her home life and the birth of her second child.

Mo'Nique's performance as Precious's mother is solid work (might even be worthy of a Best Supporting Actress nomination). Newcomer Gabby Sidibe as Precious is also a winning performance, as a lot of the film is in Precious's first person thoughts via voiceovers and fantasies, and she has to carry the film throughout to showcase her life filled with struggle and growth. Paula Patton, Lenny Kravitz, even Mariah Carey round out a solid supporting cast. Director Lee Daniels uses some nifty transitions from Precious's life and fantasy segments that never seems over-the-top or gratuitous, remaining reflective of Precious inner monologue to propel the story along.

I give it 3 stars, or a grade of B.

 

[Allen Hirsch]

"Precious" is the kind of movie I normally would have no interest in seeing, based on just the story synopsis. But it's gotten such rave reviews and I'd seen an interview with the lead actress, Gabourey Sidibe, that made me change my mind.

There are truly terrific acting jobs by both Gabourney Sidibe and Mo'Nique - I expect Sidibe to get a best actress nomination and Mo'Nique a best supporting actress nomination (watch the last 15 minutes to see her really earn her stripes).

Directed by Lee Daniels, Precious is a very inspired work of art by someone with a fresh vision (showing how someone like Precious copes with the awful life she has through fantasy). It doesn't preach morals but reveals a truth: her debased environment is largely a result of a welfare system that was designed to help the underprivileged and poor, but often actually helps enable and perpetuate a dependent underclass.

Precious is about a very tough subject, but ultimately shows the triumph of the human spirit - highly recommended.

 

[Robert Crawford]

This thread is now the Official Review Thread for "Precious". Please post all HTF member reviews in this thread.

Any other comments, links to other reviews, or discussion items will be deleted from this thread without warning!

If you need to discuss those type of issues then I have designated an [COLOR= #44708c]Official Discussion Thread[/COLOR].




Crawdaddy

 

[WillG]

Watched this film last night. I really have to say I didn't care for it much at all. I found it pretty dull and pretentious and it lost my attention about half way in.

I'm surprised there hasn't been more a negative reaction over this from the black community, because it seemed there was a lot if material that reinforced negative stereotypes of the black community. I know this movie was "Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire" but it seemed to me that is this film was made by a white director, all hell would have broken loose around of how many were portrayed.

I was also taken completely out when:

Precious's mother throws a glass jar at her which completely shatters on her head and she is left completely unfazed.