PRECIOUS (Lee Daniels) A harrowingly realistic account of a black teenager who endures physical and mental abuse from her mother, the extent of which leaves her with no self-esteem at all. So much so, that the continuous sexual abuse she receives from her father seems acceptable, along with the fact that she has borne him a child, as well as being expectant of another, which leads to her expulsion from school and having to enrol into a special school for problem students, where with the aid of her teacher and the support of her classmates, she eventually realises her true value in life. There have been some misguided reviews read in other quarters, one of which stated that this Movie was made in an attempt to elicit guilt from the audience, which to me is an ignorant attempt at being controversial. It was not what I took away from it. As far as I was concerned, it’s a story about an occurrence that is pretty much commonplace within inner city areas (and this includes the UK). It is pretty long and some may find it tedious, but this is an issue that cannot be dealt with flippantly. It has been depicted using plenty of handheld shots, giving it the typical gritty urban style. The performances were believable, with Gabourey Sidibe, as the eponymous heroine, made one sympathise with her throughout. There were some light-hearted moments where she would fantasise the ideal situations (man, figure, style of dress) but these were tinged with sadness as there exist those with self-esteem issues for whom this escape is their only salvation. Mo’Nique, as Mary, Precious’s mother, remains the star of the show in her portrayal as a horrendous slob who is completely reliant upon her daughter and the welfare system. The support she receives from her classmates and her teacher (Paula Patton) quite warming and as the story progresses, there is none of the sentimental mish-mash usually associated with Hollywood. As mentioned earlier, its length and pace may not be to everyone’s taste, but then again, for this to be effective, that’s the way it has to be portrayed. Some people may find it depressing, but then again, it will be confined to those that do not have a true grasp of inner city life. To these I say, ‘Guess what? It’s not meant to be viewed while enjoyed with popcorn and cola, nor is it a call for sympathy. Basically a realisation that not all life is full of roses. If the viewer feels that this is going to elicit any acts of charity, then don’t go and see it. If it makes a person appreciate their own lives or feels they can draw any inspiration then definitely recommended. © K. Payne (2010)
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