Movie Musings: Precious

Those who read the blog regularly know I've been on a quest to see as many nominated films as possible before tonight's Golden Globe awards. Pursuing that mission, today I saw Precious.

I have been reading in magazines and online about the film and have seen many interviews with the cast as they promoted its release. From all of that knowledge I soaked up, I knew this was not going to be an easy movie to watch. I went to the theater armed with tissues and hoping my weak stomach wouldn't cause an embarrassing scene.

The film is about a young girl, Precious, as she struggles to get by each day living with an abusive mother, having an elementary school level reading and writing comprehension, and carrying her second child, fathered by her own sexually abusive father.

Gabourey Sidibe, who plays Precious, is absolutely superb in this role. She manages to portray an entire spectrum of emotions during the film. This is a character with the weight of the world on her shoulders, and Sidibe brings her to life. In real life, Sidibe is a funny, high energy twentysomething, as evidenced by her fantastic appearance on the Ellen Degeneres show.

The other shining star of this film is Mo'nique. Best known as a stand up comedian, Mo'nique completely transformed to play an absolute monster. A mother with so much hatred, her actions are completely unfathomable.

The supporting cast featured Paula Patton as Precious' teacher, Mariah Carey as her social worker, and Lenny Kravitz as her handsome and caring hospital nurse.

While it was hard to think about anything other than the story line, credit is certainly due to director Lee Daniels who pieced together this film in the most unexpected ways. Precious' character acted things out on screen in real time, but there were also many scenes where she did voice overs. Each time something terrible would happen to her, she would imagine herself in a dream world, one that was opposite of her true circumstances. Daniels cut back and forth between present day, Precious' dream world, and flashes of Precious' memories to create a haunting yet piercingly authentic final product.

While the subject matter is extremely disturbing, Precious is a must see. The Critics Choice Awards just honored Mo'nique with the "Best Supporting Actress" trophy and I am guessing she will take the Golden Globe home tonight as well.

A massive round of applause for a cast that really dug deep to pull out a powerful performance.

 

Molly Galler

Welcome to Pop.Bop.Shop. My name is Molly. I’m a foodie, fashionista, pop culture addict and serious travel junkie. I’m a lifelong Bostonian obsessed with frozen confections, outdoor patios, Mindy Kaling, reality television, awards shows, tropical vacations, snail mail and my birthday.

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