Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire

March 8, 2010 | By In Article |

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5 Comments so far

  1. Gore-Hound on March 8th, 2010

    What an overated film. I had pretty high expectations about this one but was very disapointed. I didn’t feel any empathy for Precious as she was wholy unlikeable. For a far superior film with a similar theme try “Bastard out of Carolina”

    I really hope that the Academy don’t feel the need to award this film anything, nothing special at all. Sorry to say as I’m open to moving films but this one didn’t move me an inch.

    And what an annoyingly pretentious title to plug the book.

    Rating: 1 / 5

  2. A. B. Jackson on March 8th, 2010

    12/06/09 my selective viewing of black cinema as well as selective readings of black books generally dispel the myth that “only $money can depict class and style. (I’ve seen the movie “Precious based on the book Push” filmed by director Lee Daniels)but have not read the book “Push” by Sapphire. (The era is 1987, a time after faith based leaders as well as other noteables,inclusive of artists,authors and actors and “quality of life experts” have already became more involved with solutions for the black society’s woes from external forces(civil rights) with less emphasis due to the unrealized need for the “clean sweeps needed from within its psyche”(e.g. needs for :self construction not self destruction) ..the fact that the movie script gave an extra twist “out of the blue” to “alternate life style” as to “who were really ‘the Good Samaritans’ to “Precious”..seems to fits right in with the author’s line of thought throughout the various situations presented….For it(the movie) to end “tidy”, with “Precious”(actress Gabourey Sidibe)to have her diet in place(her children somehow looked after by someone), even “her mother Mary”(artistan MO’Nique) put in some sort of mental health consortium….( a smooth evolution just wasn’t in the script).. the movie’s shred of hope: a “sequel” (?)perhaps ,which has “Precious” do better for herself within her life’s journey.
    Rating: 3 / 5

  3. TGav on March 8th, 2010

    Like most “slice of life” movies meant to induce viewers’ indignation and outrage at one injustice or another, “Precious” hits the mark with deadly precision. It would be almost inhuman not to pity Precious, or be outraged by her circumstances and (most of) the adults in her world, but no one should really be surprised. Her story represents an amalgam of all too real experiences suffered by teens and broken families irrespective of geographical or racial boundaries.

    After so much emotional investment into the story and main character, the movie never offers a satisfying release. Nor should it- the story is dismal as dismal can be. Life sucks, and then you die. Painfully. ANy “Hope & Change” moments live only in her dreams and fantasies never to materialize into any real life experience. Precious was check-mated in life from the moment of her birth. The efficacy of antiretroviral therapies available in the 80′s was marginally above placebo. How’s that for a “hopeful”. And who would be granted legal guardianship of the children? Mostlikely their granny who did such a spectacular job with her own daughter. How’s that for “change”. The inept and impotent social services network available crumble in the breeze. Even her name, Precious, in the end is nothing more than a cruel sarcastic pun.

    Predictably, this film is every critic’s darling and is sure to rack up awards. However I am unaware of any reviews mentioning the failed liberal agenda responsible for Precious as a real person or merely in the abstract to actually exist. And so the praises are off the mark other than to rightfully congratulate some fantastic performances.

    The real outrage provoked by stories such as this needs to be directed at the root cause which not only created this depravity but continually feeds and sustains it. If someone knows a film which more effectively exposes the cruelty of the welfare state then please let me know.

    Take this movie as a simple glimpse into someone’s dire life if you so wish, but better to think beyond that narrow view.

    If I may ad lib on a recent quote from a Man of the Cloth: “LBJ, your ‘Great Society’ hens have come home to roost!”

    Rating: 4 / 5

  4. Balaji Rajam on March 8th, 2010

    One of the best movies of the year so far. Sidibe and Monique’s performances are Oscar worthy. I also loved the overall treatment of the movie.

    With such a complex subject it was very smart of the director (Lee Daniels) not to use a heavy hand. When I saw the trailers for the movie, I was afraid of that. I was expecting an overdose of melodrama and over-wrought background scores relegating a powerful story to Hallmark-ish crap.

    But thankfully Daniels has managed to evade all those trappings. Instead of taking a shortcut and going for the visceral emotional response, Daniels has succeeded in making us really think about the character’s plight and the more bigger social implications.So thank you Mr. Daniels.
    Rating: 4 / 5

  5. Val on March 8th, 2010

    There can be no doubt or argument regarding the two lead performances in Precious. Gabourey Sidibe (Precious) and Mo’Nique as her mother( if you can call her that) really give it their all, and it is sometimes horrifying and mostly depressing to witness. For me, this was more of a character film than a film with a good plot. This film deals with incest, sexual abuse of the most horrifying kind, poverty, and lastly, what it means to have a dream. Precious has a dream, she has plenty in fact, but in her mind, she will always be the poor, obese girl from Harlem with the worst mother in history and pretty much a dead-end life. Already her life is massively screwed up. Pregnant by her own father for the second time, doing poorly in school and constantly abused at home, it seems she could sink no further. Her mother resents her (for reasons that will be revealed at the end of the film), and tells Precious flat-out that she should have aborted her. Precious seems to be used to this and she remains quiet and unassuming for alot of the movie.

    Precious is given the opportunity to go to an alternative school where it seems, for a bit, that things can turn around for her. But reality always rears its ugly head sooner or later and her situation takes a nose-dive. I don’t want to spoil anything or discuss the plot too much only to say that at times, I felt like I wasn’t watching anything new. I don’t want to diminish the great performances, but I’m pretty sure we’ve all seen films with people such as this, in situations and locations pretty similar. If you are going to watch this film, expect great performances, and don’t be too dissapointed that the actual plot doesn’t have anything fresh or new to offer.
    Rating: 3 / 5

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