Review: Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
One of the most anticipated films at Austin Film Festival this year was Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire, a movie that is both a condemnation of "the system"and a tribute to the human spirit.
It's set in 1987, when the AIDS scare is in full swing, and an HIV diagnosis was a death sentence. The epidemic of teen pregancies is being treated with punitive action, and girls like Claireece "Precious" Jones (Gabourey Sidibe) are the epitome of failure of the system. Illiterate, raped, abused and tormented, Precious is a walking ghost with no hope other than a fantasy life where she's loved, and occasionally white, slender, and gorgeous. Precious has sailed through school despite never even doing homework or being able to read, and usually only noticed by bullies. When she's told by her principal she's being expelled, it seems like that's it for her, but it's just the beginning.
When the same woman who expelled Precious comes to her home to tell her that she can be transferred to an alternative school, not only is it clear there's a chance for Precious, but we also see what she has to deal with at home. Her mother Mary (Mo'Nique) is not just a welfare mother, she's a worse abuser than the father who rapes his own daughter. Mary is as much an emotional abuser, turning everything into Precious's fault.
Precious isn't a film where everything is explained; in fact, just the opposite. Much is left to the imagination, and all for the betterment of the story. Even the flashbacks of rape, while horrifying, are thankfully brief, although more unsettling than an explicit, prolonged demonstration of just what this girl has gone through.
Gabourey Sidibe, in her first professional acting role, does an outstanding job as Precious. She's sullen, vulnerable, resigned and fiesty all in turns, with nuances some seasoned actors can't hit. But the standout performances are Mo'Nique and Mariah Carey. This isn't Glitter or WiseGirls; Carey's unrecognizable Mrs. Weiss, the no-nonsense caseworker who isn't a paper pusher, is an exceptional performance. Mo'Nique portrays one of the worst mothers ever on film, but in a way that hints at the origins of her evil without rationalizing it, particularly the climactic confrontation between Mary and Precious in a social worker's office. It's a cinematic moment that will not be soon forgotten.
Director Lee Daniels is apparently drawn to tormented psyches -- he produced Monster's Ball as well as The Woodsman, a powerful film that portrayed a paroled pedophile in a sympathetic light without excusing his crimes. Even his directorial feature debut, Shadow Boxer, dealt with an incestuous relationship. Precious is no different, only this time he has Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry backing his film as executive producers.
Precious is a difficult film to watch, whether you're an abuse survivor or not. It's not a Hollywood film where everyone gets their just desserts. But it is gratifying, and likely to make at least a few people a little less judgmental, and leave a fire in the belly. Don't go see Precious because Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry tell you to, go see it because it's a good film.