A gritty, life-affirming tale of an abused African-American teenager's struggle to change her life in 1980s Harlem. 16-year-old Clareece 'Precious' Jones (Gabourey Sidibe) has been abused from an early age by her now absent father, and is pregnant with his second child. With a venomous mother Mary (Mo'Nique) who treats her like a servant and her school life blighted by her illiteracy, Precious struggles to cope with her seemingly hopeless life. But the offer of a place in an alternative school and the nurturing of literacy teacher Ms. Rain (Paula Patton) soon begin to transform the teenager, offering her a path to a brighter future. Mo'Nique won the Best Supporting Actress awards at both the 2010 BAFTAs and the Academy Awards for her portrayal of Mary.
MyMovies
It's not hard to see why director Lee Daniels initially didn't get much support from studios when he was pitching ...
It's not hard to see why director Lee Daniels initially didn't get much support from studios when he was pitching Precious; this is a film about an overweight, illiterate black teenage girl who is pregnant with her second child from her absent father. Precious may sound like a tough sell, but this is a film that needed to be made and is certain to be one of the best, most powerful films of the year.Clareece 'Precious' Jones is a 16-year-old who leads a hellish existence in late 80s Harlem. She grows up being physically abused by her poisonous mother (played brilliantly by Mo'Nique) and is pregnant with a second child from her sexually abusive father. Forced to wait hand and foot on her repulsive mother at home and ignored at school, Precious is only able to escape through the power of her fantasies where she sees herself as a glamorous celebrity, adored by the crowds.Still, hope arrives for Precious in the form of an alternative school program that introduces her to the inspirational Ms Rain (Paula Patton) and a motley crew of classmates who still have enough compassion to give her strength. The struggles that Precious must undergo in this story often seem overwhelming, but her spirit and the love she finds in the classroom provide her with the will to persevere.This is not a film for the weak-hearted; Daniels does not spare us the harsh realities of life for his heroine in 1987 Harlem and it can often prove tough viewing. One scene in particular, when Precious returns home after giving birth to her second child, will live long in the memory due to its brutality. Yet, the revelations of Precious' life never feel heavy-handed or cynically included to evoke an emotional response. Daniels deserves praise for finding the humanity in what often feels like an inhumane story.The acting is terrific all-round: Mo'Nique, Paula Patton and even a barely recognisable Mariah Carey in the guise of a social worker deliver stunning performances. However, the star of the show is undoubtedly newcomer Gabourey Sidibe, who is simply magnificent in an incredibly challenging role. Often difficult to watch, occasionally hilarious, but consistently brilliant, Precious is a film that deserves to be treasured.
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MyMovies
It's not hard to see why director Lee Daniels initially didn't get much support from studios when he was pitching ...
It's not hard to see why director Lee Daniels initially didn't get much support from studios when he was pitching Precious; this is a film about an overweight, illiterate black teenage girl who is pregnant with her second child from her absent father. Precious may sound like a tough sell, but this is a film that needed to be made and is certain to be one of the best, most powerful films of the year.Clareece 'Precious' Jones is a 16-year-old who leads a hellish existence in late 80s Harlem. She grows up being physically abused by her poisonous mother (played brilliantly by Mo'Nique) and is pregnant with a second child from her sexually abusive father. Forced to wait hand and foot on her repulsive mother at home and ignored at school, Precious is only able to escape through the power of her fantasies where she sees herself as a glamorous celebrity, adored by the crowds.Still, hope arrives for Precious in the form of an alternative school program that introduces her to the inspirational Ms Rain (Paula Patton) and a motley crew of classmates who still have enough compassion to give her strength. The struggles that Precious must undergo in this story often seem overwhelming, but her spirit and the love she finds in the classroom provide her with the will to persevere.This is not a film for the weak-hearted; Daniels does not spare us the harsh realities of life for his heroine in 1987 Harlem and it can often prove tough viewing. One scene in particular, when Precious returns home after giving birth to her second child, will live long in the memory due to its brutality. Yet, the revelations of Precious' life never feel heavy-handed or cynically included to evoke an emotional response. Daniels deserves praise for finding the humanity in what often feels like an inhumane story.The acting is terrific all-round: Mo'Nique, Paula Patton and even a barely recognisable Mariah Carey in the guise of a social worker deliver stunning performances. However, the star of the show is undoubtedly newcomer Gabourey Sidibe, who is simply magnificent in an incredibly challenging role. Often difficult to watch, occasionally hilarious, but consistently brilliant, Precious is a film that deserves to be treasured.
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Press Association
According to figures released by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), an average of 60 ...
According to figures released by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), an average of 60 children are sexually abused in Britain every single day. It's a shocking statistic, even more so when you consider that so many more corruptions of childhood innocence go unreported, so many more voices go unheard. Precious: Based On The Novel 'Push' By Sapphire is a harrowing account of one of these voices - a 16-year-old girl living in 1980s Harlem - and the journey of self-discovery that leads her out of the darkness. Don't be lulled into a false sense of security by the 15 certificate: Lee Daniels's film is punctuated by entirely necessary scenes of cruelty that almost compel us to turn away from the screen in horror and distress. When writing the script, screenwriter Geoffrey Fletcher was forced to make significant changes to the original book by New York-based poet and teacher Sapphire. Hardcore scenes have been cut entirely, and peripheral characters fleshed out to provide flecks of humour and greater emotional support for the overweight heroine during her rites of passage. Most noticeably, the writer allows the central character, Precious, to temporarily escape her predicament into colour-saturated fantasy sequences, where she imagines herself on a red carpet with Tom Cruise or wowing the guests at a fashion show. The film begins with sixteen-year-old Claireece Jones (Gabourey Sidibe), aka "Precious", being summoned to the office of school headmistress Mrs Lichtenstein (Nealla Gordon), to answer worrying rumours that she is pregnant for a second time. Threatened with expulsion, Precious agrees to attend an alternative schooling project called Each One Teach One instead, run by literacy teacher Ms Rain (Paula Patton). The inspirational and caring tutor encourages Precious to keep a journal and to believe in herself. However, the pregnant teenager must contend with her monstrous mother, Mary (Mo'Nique), who would rather batter her daughter to a bloody pulp than ever let her leave. Precious: Based On The Novel 'Push' By Sapphire pulls no punches in its depiction of the lead character's ordeal. We genuinely fear for the lives of the teenager and her first baby, trapped in a cramped apartment with Mary, a sadist who treats her daughter as an emotional and physical punch bag. Sidibe fully deserves an Oscar nomination as Best Actress for her compelling portrayal of a young woman attempting to break the cycle of abuse and intimidation. Even more impressive is Mo'Nique's fearless embodiment of Mary, managing to reveal the tiniest chinks of humanity in her repugnant character's armour. Daniels directs with assurance, coaxing a superb supporting performance from Mariah Carey - sans make-up - as a conservative social worker, who can barely contain her tears as she listens to Mary's confession about the abuse perpetrated under her roof. Unlike so many, Precious musters the courage to speak up. Thankfully, her cries for help are heard.
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