PRECIOUS
US, 2009, 109 minutes, Colour.
Gabourey Sidibe, Mo’nique Paula Patten, Mariah Carey, Sherri Shepherd, Lenny Kravatz.
Directed by Lee Daniels.
Based on an award-winning novel by poet and essayist, Sapphire, from her time as a social worker and teacher with deprived and abused children, Push, this is a very moving film about a subject with which moviegoers will be familiar. But, here it is presented so well and movingly.
The basic narrative is straightforward: the late 1980s, a completely dysfunctional family in the Bronx, where the pregnant 16 year old Claireece Precious Jones (already the mother of a daughter who has Downs Syndrome) by her father, lives with her indolent and abusive mother. One of the distinguishing features of the film is that at moments of deep hurt and crisis, Precious retreats into her imagination where she is beautiful, successful and admired. These imaginings the audience is privy to. But Precious is a very big girl, very big and this causes insults to be poured on her.
Praised by her maths teacher and supported, though at first quite ungratefully, by the principal, Precious is advised to go to a special Each/Teach organisation run by Miss Blu Rain, an elegantly beautiful, intelligent and sensitive woman.
The rest of the plot might be anticipated but it is seeing Gabourey Sidibe's performance and her eliciting our interest and sympathy that makes the film worthwhile. The other performances are also strong: comedienne Mo'nique as the slatternly mother, Paula Patton as Miss Rain, singer Lennie Kravitz as a male nurse and Mariah Carey as the social supervisor.
The screenplay pulls very few punches: school behaviour, violence at home, incest, teenage pregnancy and motherhood, childbirth, choices for adoption or opportunity for development, illiteracy, lack of self-esteem, lesbianism, racism. But, this is all presented with such conviction and compassion that it wins audience hearts and minds.
1.Familiar material but the fine presentation, exploration, characterisation?
2.The author of the novel, her experience in teaching, social work, drawing on that background? Similar to Miss Rain in the film?
3.The Bronx, 1987, the streets and the neighbourhood, the ghetto atmosphere, race issues, the apartments, school? A sense of realism?
4.The opening with the fantasy and the glamour, Precious and her imagination, glamour, success, being loved? The introduction and her fairy godmother, the red scarf (and later giving it to the little girl in the office)? Songs, dances, the awards ceremony? These fantasy inserts at desperate moments in Precious’s experience?
5.Push as the title of the novel, birth, push in life? The use of the title, Precious?
6.Clareece and her being the film’s anchor? A portrait of Clareece, her appearance, large, heavy, pregnant, sixteen? Her mother talking about abortions? Her father and the rapes? Having her daughter, Down Syndrome? Her grandmother and the care for the child? At home, doing the cooking, being insulted by her mother? At school, her imagination with the teacher, her being mocked? Her flair for maths, the teacher praising her? Her prospects?
7.Being called to the principal, sullen, her pregnancy, questions about her mother? Her father? The principal’s visit at night, talking, the proposal, her mother’s negative reaction?
8.Going to the office, the woman at the desk, meeting Miss Rain, her being sick, deciding to go for the lessons? The girls in the class, racial background, Jamaican, Italian, African American? Past drugs experience? Different ambitions, getting their stories, the colour, their talent? The classes and Precious becoming involved, the discussions, writing the journal, Precious and her learning to read with Miss Rain?
9.Miss Rain, her poise, her decision about Clareece, helping her, work with the class, the way she treated the girls, personal? Teaching Precious to read? Her concern about Precious, the baby, adoption, having the chance to better herself?
10.The birth, the baby, calling him Abdul? The girls visiting? Nurse John and his help, later at the dance, a guardian angel friend?
11.Miss Weiss, talking with her, listening, the money issues, the interview with her mother, her tough stances, home truths? Judgment?
12.The portrait of Precious’s mother, lazy, watching TV, eating, insulting her daughter? The smiles and show for the supervisor? Her disliking her granddaughter? Ousting Precious? Later and the interview with Miss Weiss, her breakdown, wanting to be loved?
13.Precious, finding somewhere to stay, Miss Rain’s help, the party, the award? Miss Rain and her partner, Precious’s reaction? The girls and their discussion, her saying ‘insects’ instead of ‘incest’?
14.Precious, her achievement, possibilities, dealing with her past? A film of encouragement? The images of Sophia Loren and her daughter in Two Women?
