Precious is a gritty and powerful film that is about teen pregnancy and abuse, and trying to overcome all obstacles. This is no “Hollywood” movie. This film is stripped down to its bare essentials and it’s a tough look at a very rough life. Beauty is nowhere in sight, and this goes for the ghetto setting and the actresses who hide nothing from the cameras. Lee Daniels (the director) is fearless for revealing it all to us, and everything is out there for the audience to see and take in.
Sixteen-year-old Claireece “Precious” Jones (Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe) is pregnant with her second child and the father of both of her children is her very own father. She was raped each time she got pregnant, and her mother (Mo’Nique) never did anything about it. Instead, her mother became jealous and angry at her own daughter for “stealing” her man. Precious does everything for her mother and her mother does nothing. Her mother is physically and mentally abusive to her and wants nothing to do with her grandchildren.
If that is not enough, Precious cannot read nor write, but her teachers know she is intelligent and can learn if given the opportunity. So she gets transferred to an alternative school where her teacher, Ms. Rain (Paula Patton), is encouraging and patient with her students. She really starts to care for Precious and roots for her to do better, and it starts with Precious writing in a journal every day.
This film is about a girl trying to get out of the horrible situation that she lives in. She is trying to escape her terrible environment and place herself in a better one to raise her children in. There are scenes in the film when Precious goes in to her fantasy world to block out her harsh reality. A place where she is confident and has a boyfriend, and where she is loved by everyone.
Precious has a good story, but it becomes a great film because of the performances. Just like their director, they become fearless with Lee Daniels and hide behind nothing. Paula Patton is amazing as Ms. Rain, a teacher and person who shows Precious how to be loved the right way. And even Mirah Carey pulls a strong performance out as Mrs. Weiss, who is responsible for whether Precious and her mother need welfare or not.
But the most brilliant and powerful performances in this film are by Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe and Mo’Nique. Sidibe is a breakout female that has never done a film before. She is able to pull out so many emotions from within and really digs deep, going from oppressed to determined. This material is tough for any actress, but it has to be twice as tough for a newcomer. She does not miss a beat and it is simply a top-notch performance from every direction.
Who would have thought Mo’Nique could have created such a monster of a woman and pull it off superbly? The same woman from movies like Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins, Soul Plane, and Phat Girlz has come out swinging in this film. Literally. She goes to this dark place inside of her where she portrays a brutal, angry woman who is full of hatred and rage.
Mo’Nique transforms from a comedienne to a bitch. She is relentless when it comes to her daughter, and she does not care about education and just wants those welfare checks. In the end, you are let in to Mo’Nique’s characters’ mind and it kind of explains why she has been acting the way she has. Of course, there are no excuses for what she has done or let happen, but you almost feel sorry for her in a way. Sadness for the life she has lived.
There has been so much buzz for this film and it started in January at the Sundance Film Festival. Since then, it has been sweeping everyone else off their feet. Now I see why there has been so much talk about this film and it’s performances. There is no question that this film will receive award nominations, and who knows how many awards it will win. It’s dark and ruthless, but also has a message of hope and inspiration. As the film says, “For precious girls everywhere.”
Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association and the Southeastern Film Critics Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of The Vick’s Flicks Podcast. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
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