Film Review: Precious

“Precious” (2009, directed by Lee Daniels; written by Geoffrey Fletcher) is a film based on the novel “Push” by Sapphire. The film’s plot goes around an illiterate, poor, insecure, overweight, sixteen years old African American, Claireece Precious Jones (Gabourey Sidibe) who lives in an unimaginable background in Harlem with welfare checks. Mary (Mo’Nique), Precious’s unemployed terrifying mother is jealous of her husband’s love for Precious; therefore constantly abuses Precious with physical, mental and verbal abuse. When kicked out of her school for her second pregnancy, Precious is set off to go an alternative school, “Each One Teach One,” where Miss Blu Rain (Paula Patton) teaches students with hope and love. The social worker Miss Weiss (Mariah Carey) finds out that Precious’s father (who dies of AIDS) impregnated Precious and Mary did not stop the sexual abuse of Precious that has started at the age of three. In the end, Precious leaves her mother with her down syndrome daughter, Mongol, and her newborn baby, Abdul and continues her education to get her high school diploma. 

Daniels’ achievement of this powerful film is praised for its cinematography. The scenes are roughly handled as it is hand-held camera with rough editing. The camera zooms roughly especially in close-up shots. These effects of camera and editing perfectly fits the dramatic crisis in the film. Precious imagines fantasy, a world of fame, when she is in trouble. Also Precious isolates her mind by setting herself into the television when her mother is abusing her. The lighting is dark in Precious’s dirty apartment with her abusive mother. In contrast, the lighting changes in Precious’s haven when she goes to “Each One Teach One” and Precious’s fantasy.  The soundtracks are rarely heard in the film as it it mostly dialogues. Instead, Precious’s mumbling voice-over narrates the her lonely world. Daniels achieves the characteristics of the African American characters brilliantly. Daniel clearly sets the environment of the poor abusive home with physical, sexual and language abuse. Her mother (Mo’Nique) is the villain of the film that makes the audience to flinch in fear and horror. He clearly shows the physical abuse when Precious’s mother, Mary, throws down the television to hurt Precious and her newborn baby. Mary’s frightening violences make the audience to fully engage in the film as they hold their breath. 

The budget for the film is estimated to be $10 million and the gross is $47 million. It is produced by Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry The film has been praised in TIME magazine as “too powerful for tears.” However, it has received some negative response for degrading African Americans. Its kudos for the actresses and its story are endless. “Precious” has received six nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Supporting Actress (won by Mo’Nique) and Best Screenwriter (won by Geoffrey Fletcher) at 82nd Academy Awards. Also “Precious” had won and nominated at many film festivals and awards for its outstanding film. “Precious” is a powerful film that leaves the audience with a strong message, “life is precious.” It is a great film for the general audience but is rated R for child abuse (sexual assault and pervasive language).