Precious

Director : Lee Daniels
Starring : Gabourey Sidibe, Mo'Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey
2009

This movie was metal. I saw the trailer and thought this looked like any other young teen has to break through adversity, which they ultimately do, and live happily ever after. Precious fits into this role but has a completely different ending. Usually I probably wouldn't have seen this but it is nominated for best picture and with the Oscars being so soon, I gave it a chance.

Precious is the middle name of the main character. She is a larger 16 year old girl growing up in 1987s Harlem. As you would imagine, her life isn't easy. She goes to a school in which neither the students nor the teachers are really interested in learning, when she comes home she is ridiculed and beaten by her mother, and she is pregnant. Maybe the most disturbing thing out of all of this is the father of the baby is her own father and this is the second time he has raped her/gotten her pregnant. When Precious had the first baby, her mother (Mo'Nique) named her Mongo which is short for mongoloid because the she had down syndrome. Precious' grandmother take care of baby Mongo but Mo'Nique has her over every month or so when the social workers come by to assess their living situation which will determine if they are eligible to receive welfare. Like I said, metal.

Somehow through all of this, Precious is able to keep her spirits up for the most part. The principle of her school notices that Precious is actually trying to be a good student and gives her the opportunity to go to an alternative school where she can accomplish something. Most of the rest of the movie is Precious progressing through this new school with the help of the wonderful teacher Ms. Rain while still being reminded by Mo'Nique that she should have been aborted. I don't know what took Precious so long to run away but she finally does after her mother tries to kill her when she comes home with her newborn second baby that Mo'Nique wishes was really hers. Putting a ' in the middle of a word is really frustrating so I will leave it out from now on.

Rating : 4 stars. This movie really surprised me. I was actually moved. I don't even cry and Precious almost made tears come out my face. Monique literally scared me. She is in the running for best supporting actress and may come out with it. Mariah Carey was another reason that drove me away from seeing this and she didn't do so great. Her part was small and she got by with it but didn't add anything to the movie. Gabourey Sidibe did a pretty amazing job. She is up for best actress and deserved the nomination. I expected to be bored by this movie, now I am glad I saw it.

Best Scene : I forgot to mention, near the end Monique meets with Precious to tell her that her father just died from the aids. Of course to add to Precious misery he raped her and she is now hiv positive. The next day in school during journal time when they free write about her life silently, Precious just writes "Why Me". At least it was something like that, I can't exactly remember. Ms. Rain gets on her to write more and finally after a hour and a half of abuse and mistreatment and no one to comfort her, Precious breaks down and cries out. The scene was sad and super emotional. Definitely good stuff. Also I want to mention after all of the things I mentioned, the director finished the movie with you feeling good for Precious and just happy in general. HOW did they do that?!? The scene with Monique and Mariah Carey comes in second.

Quotes :
Clareece 'Precious' Jones: [Crying hysterically] Nobody loves me!
Ms. Rain: People do love you, Precious.
Clareece 'Precious' Jones: Don't lie to me! Love ain't done nothing for me! Love beat me down! Love rape me. Made me feel worthless!
Ms. Rain: [Tears begin falling from her eyes] But that's not love. Your baby loves you. I love you!

Mrs. Weiss: [Angrily] You just sat there, shut up, and let him abuse your daughter.
Mary: [Hysterically in tears] I did not want him to abuse my daughter! I did not want him to hurt her! I didn't want him to do nothing to her!
Mrs. Weiss: [Overlapping with Mary's voice] But you ALLOWED him to hurt her! You did!
Mary: But, those... those things she told you I did to her? Who... who... who else was going to love me? WHO else was going to touch me? WHO else was going to make me feel good about myself?

"Hi, I'm Joann, my favorite color is fluorescent beige. I'm already in the music business, shoot, I'm just here to get my GED!"

"Some folks has a lot of things around them that shines for other peoples. I think that maybe some of them was in tunnels. And in that tunnel, the only light they had, was inside of them. And then long after they escape that tunnel, they sitll be shining for everybody else. "

"ometimes I wish I was dead. I'll be okay, I guess, 'cause I'm lookin' up. Lookin' for something to fall, a desk, a couch, tv... my mom, maybe."

Screens







ya thats lenny kravitz

trailer