I'll start out by saying I did not plan to watch this movie (this week or ever). No, Tuesday was supposed to be all about Fantastic Mr. Fox and fun so when I got to the theater and found out it was sold out, I was let down. I wasn't prepped for what I did see.Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (good grief!) tells the story of Claireece "Precious" Jones, a 16-year-old Harlem girl growing up under the darkest of circumstances: her absent father raped her repeatedly causing a second pregnancy; her mother belittles and physically abuses her and blames Precious for her failed relationship; and somehow she managed to reach the ninth grade...without knowing how to read or write. And even though the situation seems absolutely hopeless, Precious holds onto her dreams of fame, fortune and love that help her push through every time her reality grows ever more bleak.
I'm not going to lie. This movie was tough. And for some reason, (though I think it's because we only caught glimpses of the sexual abuse) I hated Mo'Nique's character much more than the father's. How do you stand by and watch your little girl suffer? Better yet, how do you play a role in it and keep on living? There were moments when the hatred she shows Precious becomes too much to bear - I had to cover my face a couple times.
Still, I left the theater wishing I had felt the film more, that I had become a bit more entwined in the characters' lives. It also scared me a bit that I left thinking, "It was good, but...eh." Yes it portrayed a horrible situation, a story found in those neglected places we turn our heads away from and pretend don't exist. Maybe those sick stories in the news have desensitized me to this. Or maybe I just wish everyone still living in the dark also had a chance to push through, too.
Precious: 3/5 Toasties
Image: sidereel.com