Precious - Not As Depressing As I Thought It Would Be

Like most of the easy-going movie public, I admired Precious from afar. Casting a movie with a majority all-black female ensemble; two of which being Mariah Carey and Mo'nique, had to be a hell of a pitch to a production studio. "Wait, so you want to make a dramatic movie starring an all female, black cast and it doesn't have a 'Soul Train line' or cameo by Medea?" Having Oprah and Tyler Perry as producers helped more than it hurt Precious gain public and critical notoriety. The acting is beyond stellar. Granted the content dances on the line of gut-wrenching and full-blown cavity search, the plot is 70-30 not-that-harsh of an experience. Had it not been for Lee Daniels' heavy director hand, Precious would be a near-perfect movie.

When I heard Lee Daniels was directing Precious, I racked my brain trying to remember why his name sounded so familiar. Then it hit me; Shadowboxer. Shadowboxer was an utterly forgettable, straight-to-DVD film starring a very uncomfortable nude scene between Cuba Gooding Jr and Helen Mirren [separately nudity has worked for them, in this move ... not so much]. Although Shadowboxer was rife with unintentional comedy it is this very movie that made me think he'd be perfect fit for the book-to-film adaption of Sapphire's "Push". Artistically, Daniels took some pretty bold chances in Shadowboxer; Precious is a more reined in approach to dramatic film making. 

The star, Gabourey Sidibe; an unknown actress who plays the all-but-crucified C. Precious Jones. Typically, I have a knee-jerk reaction to movies centered around a black actor/actress with a physical or mental impairment; it makes it a smidge too easy to empathize with the character. I remember the comedic exchange between Eddie Murphy and Steve Martin in the movie Bowfinger. Eddie's character wants an 'Oscar-caliber role' and Steve has a lot of non-traditional ideas [all of which don't fit into the stereotype of black actors in major roles today], but Eddie signifies African-American representation in American film with this short and poetic jab. "Find me a role as a retarded slave and maybe they'll give me that Oscar!" With this said, though the story may not be treading over new ground, Precious is still a triumph. Within this movie, every current issue that plagues the black community, our American society, and all of us as human being are succinctly addressed.

The setting is 1987, but Precious Jones' story is timeless. She is an overweight 16-year-old mother of one and expecting another. Living with an abusive mother, played by Mo'nique, who depends on people like those played by Mariah Carey to supply the household with what she calls 'The Wellfare'. Though Mo'nique steals every scene she is in and Mariah accidently emulates an Italian Brooklyn-ite with grace; the real star was the alternative school teacher, Ms. Rain played by Paula Patton. Patton introduces a character seldom seen in most black cinema. In addition to being a lesbian with a live-in wife, Ms. Rain goes out of her way to inspire the students in her class[who are also all female] to open doors for themselves. Having a Brooklyn stoic-ness in her personality seemed believable to teach and take control of a class that initially seemed uninterested in learning their AB3s.

The movie hits home with me at this point. When Precious and this stoney-eyed teacher cross paths something about their story resonated on a personal level. Maybe its because I knew far too many women and men with histories' akin to that of Precious'. Maybe it was at this point I began reflecting on my own upbringing. Be that as it may, we see something seldom discussed in black film and theater; Gender equality and image as it relates to society. Lee Daniels has an occasional clumsiness in how he narrates a scene with silence, but on the topic of how we [regardless of race & gender] see ourselves; very well executed.

However, the few blemishes in Precious begin and end with Lee Daniels and how successful he matures the plot. Some scenes are artistically jarring where as some scenes are jarring because of horrendous CG work and lack of understanding of how to end a scene. And it pains me to say that with such a meticulously crafted story the "down-trodden" elements of Precious almost become predictable nearing the end of the film when another atrocity is introduced in Precious' already hard knock life. At worst, these are glaring nitpicks that you can easily look past when you see that every cast member; from the students of Ms. Rain's class to male nurse Lenny Kravitz, has something positive to contribute to this rough-around-the-edges film. Go see this movie, buy this movie, tell others to not be afraid of Mo'nique.

I Give Precious...

The "You Need Some Serious Psychological Counseling" Award