Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire (2009); drama film review

Poster artwork for the drama film Precious.

Value All That Is Precious by Linh

Precious is the film adaptation of the book 'Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire and it has gathered awards and recognition for the cast and crew following its debut at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. Mo'Nique, who plays the abusive mother, won almost every film award for Best Supporting Actress including a Golden Globe, BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards) and Academy Award for that category. The film also won the Best Adapted Screenplay Academy Award for writer Geoffrey Fletcher.

DISCRIMINATION: Precious (Gabourey Sidibe) faces isolation due to her skin colour, her class, her gender and her illiteracy in the film Precious. Image: Lionsgate, Icon Film.

An excellent cast that features recognisable faces ranging from various fields of entertainment including music (Mariah Carey and Lenny Kravitz), comedy (Mo'Nique) and television talk shows (Sherri Shepherd), as well as Ophrah Winfrey as the film’s executive producer, has helped bring Precious to critical acclaim and audience attention. The performances are outstanding and director Lee Daniels receives kudos for playing a part in bringing together an eclectic mix of talent.

SUPPORT: Precious (Gabourey Sidibe) receives advice and assistance from her teacher Ms Rain (Paula Patton) in the film Precious. Image: Lionsgate, Icon Film.

Precious is set in Harlem in 1987, and tells the tragic but hopeful story of a sixteen year old African-American girl named Claireece 'Precious' Jones who is obese, illiterate and pregnant with her second child. She suffers physical and emotional abuse from her mother, is teased by other students and seldom sees her daughter who has Down Syndrome. To escape her cruel reality, Precious concocts a world of fantasy where she is a respectable and much-loved film star, a gorgeous fashion model or a blonde and attractive Caucasian girl. Her mathematic skills are exemplary and her school principal uses this point as a way of sending her to an alternative school called 'Each One Teach One', after discovering Precious is pregnant again. Precious is at first apprehensive, but soon discovers literacy can help her find the light at the end of her long, dark and painful tunnel. With the help of her 'Each One Teach One' teacher Ms Blu Rain and social welfare officer Ms Weiss, Precious finds the courage to leave home and start life anew.

Newcomer Gabourey 'Gabby' Sidibe makes a stunning film debut in the lead role as Precious. She not only fits the role like a glove, she also conveys all the pain and joy her character experiences in way that touches your heart and brings tears to your eyes. Gabourey Sidibe also manages to avoid making Precious a sympathetic victim who is pitiful or pitied, but she portrays Precious as a survivor who remains on track no matter what curveballs life throws at her. She was a nominee for Best Leading Actress at the 2010 Oscars, but sadly, the Academy rarely rewards newcomers, which is a shame on their part.

DISCONNECTION: Precious (Gabourey Sidibe) and her mother Mary (Mo'Nique) prepare Precious' daughter Mongo (Quishay Powell) for a visit from the social worker in the film Precious. Image: Lionsgate, Icon Film.

Comedian and actress Mo'Nique gives a brilliant performance as Precious's abusive and hateful mother, Mary. Every scene she shares with her daughter is painful to watch, as any minute an object is likely to be hurled across the room at Precious' head. When Mary is not throwing things at Precious, she works her daughter like a slave as she sits at home everyday watching television and eating pigs’ hooves. Mo'Nique has won practically every award for Best Supporting Actress at every awards ceremony, and an Oscar win is well-deserved.

After her humiliating but hilarious drunken acceptance speech for Breakthrough Performance at the 2010 Palm Springs International Film Festival, Mariah Carey's film career has been given a boost. Is all forgiven for the disastrous Glitter for which she won a Razzie Award? She plays the social welfare worker Ms Weiss in the film, with a moustache and bad hair, who attempts to reconcile Precious with her mother Mary. In the process, she unearths deeper pains than those already displayed in earlier scenes. It's a pivotal scene in which Mariah Carey rises above the challenge and to her credit, succeeds on all levels.

DISCUSSION: Precious (Gabourey Sidibe) is not yet ready to open up to her social welfare officer Ms Weiss (Mariah Carey) in the film Precious. Image: Lionsgate, Icon Film.

Pretty and petite actress Paula Patton stars as Ms Blu Rain, the teacher at the 'Each One Teach One' alternative school, who takes on the roles of mother and mentor to Precious at the most distressing and traumatic times. It seems the classroom is where Precious can freely express herself and Ms Rain encourages her to write everything down in her journal as a form of catharsis. Paula Patton excels in conveying warmth, compassion and patience in her character and unfortunately, she was overlooked for awards by voters at film festivals.

There is much to applaud and appreciate after watching Precious, but there is no escaping the obvious fact that this film is aimed towards the sensitivities of a female audience.

However, Precious is not a chick flick. Although it does contain elements of a chick flick including a female dominated (lead and supporting) cast, strong-willed female characters, issues facing women of all ages and backgrounds (illiteracy, sexual/physical/emotional abuse, poverty, lesbianism and teen pregnancy), and too few male characters in minor roles who either are abusive or effeminate. It has relevance that transcends gender/race/sexuality and its saving grace from being anti-male is the sensible treatment of abuse and its far-reaching impact on everyone. The spotlight is placed on women in this film due to the narrative, but audiences are reminded throughout Precious that everyone is affected and there are ways to halt the abuse and liberate oneself to rise above the pain.

FRIENDSHIP: Precious (Gabourey Sidibe) finds a friend in John (Lenny Kravitz) in the film Precious. Image: Lionsgate, Icon Film.

The film has two male characters who play a role in Precious' life. Rodney 'Bear' Jackson plays Carl, the estranged father of Precious who rapes and impregnates her. Carl is seen in flashback scenes and mentioned numerous times but always as a dividing issue between Precious and her mother, Mary. The blame seems to fall heavily on Mary for being a "bad and irresponsible mother" rather than towards Carl for his actions.

Male characters are depicted from one extreme to the other with Carl as the negative aspects of maleness, while Lenny Kravitz portrays a male nurse named John, who not only is caring, kind and considerate, but also is very health conscious. Lenny Kravitz is fabulous as Nurse John, and when he's not making girls swoon, John acts as a father figure and friend to Precious.

The soundtrack to Precious features a terrific blend of pop, rap and hip hop including Humpin' Around' by Bobby Brown, Queen Latifah's 'Come Into My House', and  'I Can See In Colour' by Mary J. Blige.

Precious is a difficult film to watch as the abuse and physical violence is performed to look very realistic, with superb post-production editing to add realism to the scenes. The pain experienced by Precious during all the violence is juxtaposed and contrasted with some comedy and fantasy sequences from Precious's active imagination. It seems to act as a way to ease the painful experience for the audience as well as for Precious. It's a harrowing film but contains equally as much optimism and hope.

Director: Lee Daniels

Writer: Geoffrey Fletcher (screenplay), Sapphire (author of novel ‘Push’)

Cast: Gabourey Sidibe, Mo'Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Sherri Shepherd, Lenny Kravitz, Stephanie Andujar, Angelic Zambrana, Amina Robinson, Xosha Roquemore, Chyna Layne, Bill Sage, Sapphire

Producers: Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry, Lee Daniels, Tom Heller, Lisa Cortes, Sarah Siegel-Magness, Gary Magness, Asger Hussain, Valerie Hoffman, Mark G. Mathis, Simone Sheffield, Bergen Swanson

Cinematographer: Andrew Dunn (Director of Photography)

Original Music Composer: Mario Grigorov

Film Editor: Joe Klotz

Production: Roshelle Berliner (Production Designer), Matteo De Cosmo (Art Director), Kelley Burney, Paul Weathered (Set Decorators)

Costume Designer: Marina Draghici

Languages: English, Italian with English subtitles

Running Time: 1 hour and 50 minutes