Austin360 blogs > Austin Movie Blog > Archives > 2009 > May > 15 > Entry
A “Precious” moment; no really, no sarcasm
One of the best films at this year’s Cannes Film Festival isn’t even in the official competition.
It’s called “Precious,” directed by Lee Daniels, and it previously played at Sundance, which might explain its absence from the competition in Cannes. (The French want premieres, and don’t take festival leftovers for the competish.)
Still, it’s a fine movie, full of moving moments and excellent performances, mainly from Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe. Based on the novel “Push” by Sapphire, “Precious” tells the harrowing story of a Harlem teen-ager who finally learns to read after being sent to an alternative school. The regular school kicked her out because she was pregnant with her second child. And it won’t be giving away anything to tell you that she had both babies not because she was promiscuous but because her father raped her repeatedly.
Her mother resents her, because she thinks Precious is taking away her Man. Never mind that her “Man”, if you can call him that, is a pedophile.
But the awakening of Precious after she learns to read keeps the movie from sinking into sorrow. Instead, it’s one of those great stories about someone who faces horrible odds but, through the force of will and help from others, manages to get her life in order and end up with hope.
Teachers, of course, play a big part. But so does a caring nurse (Lenny Kravitz) during the birth of her second child. And so does a therapist, played subtly by Mariah Carey. I know, that sounds weird to say. But Carey pulls off the role, and you hardly know it’s her.
The movie is laced with profanity, which is entirely suitable for the circumstances in which Precious finds herself. And it would be ridiculous to have it otherwise. So it’s bound to get an R rating. That’s too bad. It should be seen by nearly every high school student. It’s all about empathy and hope, and we could use more of both.
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By Amanda P.
November 13, 2009 8:01 PM | Link to this
I JUST CAME BACK FROM SEEING THIS MOVIE. IF MO’NIQUE, OR THE LEAD ACTRESS IN THE FILM, DON’T GET OSCARS, AN INJUSTICE HAS BEEN SERVED.
PLEASE SEE THIS MOVIE, IT WILL CHANGE YOUR VIEW OF ABUSE VICTIMS. THERE WERE GROWN MEN IN THE AUDIENCE BROUGHT TO TEARS. I WENT THROUGH AT LEAST 12 TISSUES!