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Gerald Wright's Movie Coverage


Precious

PRECIOUS: Based on the Novel 'PUSH' by Sapphire

Directed by: Lee Daniels
Running time: 109 minutes
Release date: November 6, 2009
Genre: Drama and Adaptation
Distributor: Lionsgate
MPAA Rating: R

In order to get a full understanding of this film, you must understand how this story came about. The author of the novel "PUSH' is Sapphire. Her acclaimed biography sets her apart from your everyday writer. As an African-American lesbian feminist, she has rank very high in the literary world with fusions of poetry, prose and short stories of sexual abuse, prostitution, racial and sexual violence, lesbian love and mother-daughter relationships. It is only right for her to write such a book. She is a writer affiliated with the Nuyorican poets, and draws from the world of black female victims adopting their emotional horrors as her own. It is this commitment to human sensitivity that makes her work as a first time novelist so riveting.

As the screenwriter, Geoffrey Fletcher adapted this book for film and brought all the painful, explicit and sordid details to the screen. He was fortunate to study under Martin Scorsese and Spike Lee where he wrote, directed, shot and edited his own short films. Now as a adjunct professor of film at Columbia University and New York University, he has mastered the craft of filmmaking.

This story which is set in 1987 Harlem, New York is about an abused pregnant 17 year old African-American girl named Clareece Precious Jones (Gabourey Sidibe), who is HIV positive, poor, overweight, and illiterate. She has a mentally challenged child fathered by her mother's boyfriend who raped her at the age of 12. Her mother Mary, brilliantly played by Mo'Nique, bullies her endlessly. The relationship between mother and daughter is so strained that it borders hate and jealousy. Precious wants a better life and seeks help through a program for young women ran by Ms. Rain (Paula Patton).

Gabourey Sidibe is a newcomer and gives an outstanding performance that challenges her craft. Her portrayal of shattered soul is the best break-out performance this year. In Precious' miserable life she fantasizes of love and romance with handsome men to escape reality. Her character is brilliantly conceived and executed.

Mo'Nique's strong supporting character of Mary took center stage. Her performance is a disturbing account of life on the edge. She embraced her role dynamically as the so-called welfare queen who lacks motivation, and exposes herself as a disgusting unethical person. The dimensions of her work on screen are superb.

The supporting cast members include Paula Patton playing Ms. Rain, the teacher who gives her all to educate the young women in her class. Mariah Carey as Ms. Weiss the guidance teacher and Lenny Kravitz as male nurse John complete this film.

This is a sensitive and effective movie and a great Afrocentric feminist perspective on values.


FILM RATING (A+)