Hope is Precious

By Aisha Kibwana     11/12/09 6:00pm

Precious, a movie adapted from Sapphire's novel Push, is a story of undying hope and painful sacrifice. It takes viewers on an emotional rollercoaster and sucks them, phenomenally, into intense swings of the pain, anguish and joy of the characters. Set in Harlem in the late 1980s, Precious revolves around 16-year-old Claireece Precious Jones (newcomer Gabourey Sidibe), an obese, illiterate girl whose sole activities revolve around her struggle for emancipation from the abuse that surrounds her.

Her struggle is endless. There exists no safe haven to which she can escape. Her mother (Phat Girlz's Mo'Nique) abuses her both physically - by throwing pots and pans at her, among other things - and emotionally, by calling her an animal, or worse. For added measure, she occasionally abuses Precious sexually.

And if that's not enough to make your stomach churn, Precious is also the mother of two children, brought about by her father's rape.

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To keep her under oppression and in eternal slave-like servitude, her mother takes the welfare money meant for Precious and her children, one of whom suffers from Down syndrome. As a result, Precious has no chance of escape whatsoever as she completely depends on her mother for survival.

It's a bleak situation. Yet, Precious perseveres. The 16-year-old emerges as a survivor, and an incredibly courageous one at that. Her dreams never cease and she always hopes for a better life and future for herself and her children.

In the film's darkest moments, when Precious ponders suicide, she doesn't fail to add a little colorful humor to her remarks - an indicator of her inextinguishable yet constantly challenged optimism.

Although the movie is all about Precious' story, and Sidibe does an incredible job in her role as Precious, the supporting and minor characters are essentially what complete this movie. Their Oscar-worthy acting from Mo'Nique complements Sidibe's own chops, and their destructive relationship becomes all the more real because of it.

Additionally, the movie brings with it two big names in entertainment: Lenny Kravitz, who, like Sidibe, is a first-timer as on screen actor (although he was a voice actor in The Rugrats Movie), and Mariah Carey (Glitter).

Carey's role as a social worker is a minor one, but her acting has vastly improved from her Glitter days. She is the embodiment of the firm and exhausted social worker, complete with deep bags under her eyes, noticeable peach fuzz and a face seemingly free of makeup.

It is a stark contrast to the diva that the world knows. She plays her role so well it is easy to forget that she is Mariah Carey, the international superstar.

Kravitz, who also plays a minor role in the movie as nurse John, has a major impact on Precious. He is one of the first people who openly portrays love for Precious, and is the first to give her a Christmas gift.

Although Precious has no shelter in her own house, she finds warmth, friendship and even love at her alternative school, Each one/Teach one. Her family are her classmates, each of whom brings much laughter to the classroom scenes. They essentially become what Precious significantly lacks: caring friends who listen to her life struggles. They help alleviate the dark mood of the movie and, for once, provide her much-needed encouragement.

Her teacher, Ms. Rain (Deja Vu's Paula Patton), fills a motherly role in Precious' life, but her performance stumbles in light of Mo'Nique's resurgence onto the screen. Watching Mo'Nique is like watching a lion tear a doe to pieces. Her character is clearly the embodiment of evil and of all the things wrong with humanity; still, her character is so strong and her acting so believable that when she cries in the movie, you actually sympathize with her.

Quite frankly, this is what an outstanding performance is all about. She gives 100 percent, and it would be disappointing to not see her at least nominated for an Oscar.

Stylistically, this movie is lacking in fancy cinematography. After all, this is the story of a life in the ghetto. Glitzy New York takes a backseat to the grime and gutters.

Many of the scenes are confined to the rooms where the story unfolds: Precious' apartment, her classroom, the welfare center. Occasionally, the film provides scenes of Precious in the subway or walking the streets of New York, but the camera almost always fails to pan for perspective. This, however, is not a detriment, for it allows the audience to hone in on Precious' psyche all the more.

Even when her surroundings are brought into focus, they are gritty and unsettling, a perfect mirror for Precious' life. The director obviously chose this background to reflect her Precious' turbulent life, emptiness and need for love and passion.

Despite the heavy theme of the movie, viewers can still find release in numerous comedic moments. Still, considering the gravity of the situation, it sometimes feels wrong to laugh.

Don't let that deter you from this film, but if Precious fails to make you cry, then there is little that might. At the end, you may be seized with an urge to stand up and cheer Precious on. It's a reminder that no matter what happens, life is still precious, and that sometimes a movie is worth every cent.

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