If there's anything that everybody loves, it's a happy ending. The time when we like it the most, though, is when everything else is so depressing and frustrating and saddening that a joyless ending at least means that it can't get any worse, and anything even resembling a happy ending seems out of place.
Once a drama film presents us with that tension between what we see in the present and what we want in the future, it's done its job. After all, that's the nature of a drama: dramatic buildup and dramatic release. And with that said, Precious is 100 percent natural drama, nothing processed.
Based on the novel Push by American author and performance poet Sapphire, the movie follows the basic outline of the book, centred around 16-year-old Claireece "Precious" Jones (Gabourey Sidibe) and her harsh Harlem life with her incestuous father, abusive and bitter mother, and her own teenage pregnancy and illiteracy.
When Precious finds a way to a better life through an alternative education program that her principal introduces her to, she decides to use that to get herself out of her negative situation for herself and her children.
The first thing you notice, from the very first scene, is the creative cinematography employed. A lot of magical realist scenes, and beautiful and interesting transitions between Precious' reality and fantasy, make the movie an intriguing watch.
As a matter of fact, with the exception of Precious' narration, the dialogue-less scenes effectively tell the entire story of the movie, with many of the details and events of these scenes being the ones that push the movie along.
The leading characters of this film are not those who have made a strong name for themselves before this point, but that speaks nothing about their ability to get the job done in this film. Regular TV actress Mo'Nique, as Precious' abusive mother, is a shocking and at points frightening performance.
Relative newcomer Gabourey Sidibe successfully pulls off the lead role of a downtrodden and hopeless teen, a character 10 years her junior, and brings the crowd close to tears with every passing minute.
Even other supporting character Lenny Kravitz, as a supportive and friendly male nurse, is nice to see, and Mariah Carey also plays a sympathetic social worker who brings a certain emotional quality to her performance.
We also see a lovely group of supporting characters who play Precious' schoolmates at her alternative education institution, who for the majority of the film provide comic relief.
The format of the movie is the same as the book from which the plot is derived: Precious' stream-of-consciousness narration, not of the events around her but of what she thinks and what she feels, exists between almost every scene, tying everything back together to the centre of how her life affects her mentally and emotionally.
Accompanying that are the magical images of her fantasy life, either interrupting or existing alongside her reality. The movie is definitely for mature audiences, both due to its adult language and its sexual references, including rape.
If CAPE subjects had suggested movie lists, this should definitely be a movie for Sociology and Literature students to look at. Precious paints an interesting picture of 1980s Harlem and its effect on every other part of its inhabitants' lives.
The culture of poverty and dependency theory are both evident in the attitude of Precious' mother toward her seeking an education instead of taking hold of welfare.The images of incest and rape, and the emergence of HIV and AIDS in this period, are the things that create the tension that moves the film along.
One problem with this film may be that some characters simply stop appearing after a certain amount of time passes, such as Precious' grandmother and her alternative school teacher.
Although all of the main characters are always present, the minor characters have no justification for their disappearance as the movie progresses. Also, there are some roles and scenes that were presented that were far from necessary.
Everything considered, this film will definitely have you in your seat fighting off tears. Very heartfelt performances from the actors and actresses, and a really touchy subject matter that evokes sympathy, make the movie worth every penny.
There are a few scenes that feel like fillers, but they take nothing away from the experience. And, most importantly, Precious keeps the emotion going from top to bottom.
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
Starring: Gabourey Sidibe, Mo'Nique, Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz.
Running Time: 109 minutes [1 hour, 49 mins.]
5/5 stars
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