I was cordially invited to attend the pre-screening of “Precious”, unfortunately due to the hectic HBCU Homecoming schedules, I wasn’t able to partake. Good news is I know a team of young black educated, opinionated, passionate women who were willing to take my place and provide a review for you. This is the second of two entries provided by a good friend, Keva Miller.
Click Here for review #1
-Roundup Russy
The movie “Precious”,set to release Nov. 6th, is based on the novel Push by Sapphire. If I were to call Lee Daniels’ adaptation daunting or daring it would be a sore understatement.
Claireece “Precious” Jones ( Gabourey Sidibe) lives the life that she herself would not wish on her own enemies. At 16, Precious has made it all the way to high school with good grades. Yet she hides an incredible secret: she is illiterate. On top of the enormous burden of pregnancy for the 2nd time by her own father, Precious must endure the mental and physical abuse of her mother (Mo’Nique). Her mother’s tortured soul has transformed her into a person that is almost unfathomably bitter. As a result she releases her own anguish on Precious.
Precious’ life is a war everywhere she steps. She embodies just about every social dysfunction and obstacle imaginable. She is African American, a woman, overweight, illiterate, fatherless, and the list goes on. She is pummelled with abuse in every institution that society tells us should be a safe haven. Yet throughout the movie, Precious maintains a strength about her that no doubt comes from her numbing pain.
Lee Daniels captures the emotional volatility of the movie beautifully through his shooting techniques. He creates an aura so gothic and painful that at times the movie is quite difficult to watch. In many ways the theatrics play out like a horror film. He uses cinema to articulate the fact that Precious’ only escape from her harsh reality is through her own day dreams. Throughout the movie Daniels uses breaks to depict Precious’ fantasies about the “good life”. They often happen at moments of high turmoil and conflict. She often envisions herself as what she sees as her opposite: a white woman or the girl with the “light skinned” prince charming.
Precious’ life begins to change as she enters alternative school. She encounters a slew of characters that include those portrayed by Lenny Kravitz, Mariah Carey, and Paula Patton. Each act as a nurse, social worker, and teacher to Precious, respectively. They add varying rays of hope to this inner city nightmare. We see Precious consume pain with happiness. She exemplifies the beauty of human nature and the ability of the heart to strengthen, heal and nurture through pain.
“Precious” is a movie everyone needs to go see. Although rattling and disturbing at times, the movie provokes thoughts and social dialogues that are long overdue in the black community. “Precious” is Lee Daniels and Sapphire’s courageous step toward healing the often unspoken wounds of our society.
Precious hits theaters November 6th
-Keva Miller
After seeing an advance screening of Daniels’ “Precious” two weeks ago, I am still moved. By far, the most outstanding performance is Mo’Nique as Mary, Precious’ mother. From her utterance of her first insult to Precious, the audience knows that comedian Mo’Nique has been inhabited by a actress of Meryl Streep caliber. Monique’s delivery of Mary is so thoroughly convincing that it is an injustice to call her execution a performance. I’d warn viewer that the movie is difficult to finish. On several occasions, I considered walking out. The cinematic tragedy of Precious’ life both beautiful and suffocating.
- James Guilford