Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire will be known throughout the rest of this review as Precious. I do not know anyone who uses the entire clunky title. I understand the need for it to be recognized as being based on the novel, but was there not a better way to go about it? The name change was necessitated by the recent film Push, which told the story of people endowed with special abilities which do not include being overweight and illiterate. Sure, you remember Push, right? It wasn't all that bad. It is no Precious, but it is not all that bad.
Precious has been gathering quite the perfect storm around it as it steams into wide release. It seems like wherever it goes it receives rave reviews. The big question as I went in to see it was whether or not it would live up to the hype. I am happy to report that it does. This is a powerful and moving film that deserves all of the attention it has gotten. It paints a very real, incredibly vivid portrait of dysfunctional life and the people who have to try to live with it.
Yes, the movie can be quite depressing, but there is an undercurrent throughout the entire film that colors the experience. Precious has a great deal of hope. Through all of the abuse and darkness, there is always that glimmer of hope, a ray of potential happiness shining through the gloom that makes the conclusion all the more better — dare I say hopeful?
At the center of our story is Claireece "Precious" Jones (Gabourey Sidibe). She is 16, overweight, illiterate, and pregnant for the second time by her own father. On top of that, school is a minefield of cruel kids who pile on the jokes and abuse and home is no better. Her mother, Mary (Mo'nique), continues the trend of abuse. Precious is physically, verbally, sexually, and emotionally tormented by her own mother.
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