How much is the Hurt?
Written: Oct 17 '09 (Updated Nov 16 '09)
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Product Rating:
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| Bang For The Buck |
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Pros: All the actresses are wonderful. The script is well written. Great lines.
Cons: Slow in the beginning. The message is smothered.
The Bottom Line: In light of the fact that few all black movies are being made on a serious note, this one should be supported.
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| lli_wright's Full Review: Precious |
I saw the movie, Precious Based on the Novel PUSH by Sapphire having not read the book, but I have read the film fests reviews and everyone gives high marks to the movie. Some think it's the sleeper "Slum dog"...I think -- Not so fast.
This is a woman's movie. Men will squirm throughout the scenes watching two black women (Precious and her mom) throw insults and frying pans at each other. Black men especially will think they stepped back in time to the "Color Purple" and Mister.
The movie follows the two year odyssey of Clarice "Precious" (Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe), a 16 year old black girl, overweight, illiterate and pregnant with her second child by her father (Mother's long-time boyfriend). That info is revealed in the first 15 minutes of the movie. It should hit us with a jolt but it's so calmly revealed the announcement comes off as just another day at the office. "Oh, she's pregnant again". And perhaps that's the way it feels to black girls in the ghetto because out-of-wedlock pregnancies are so common.
Precious fantasizes in vivid cinemascope about being white, having good hair and dating a light skinned man. This in order to distance herself from the abuse she suffers. These fantasies are intercut throughout the movie and may be "overdone" to bring home the point that she's depressed living a black ghetto life. Her mother, Mary (comedienne Monique) is THE welfare queen. All she thinks about is the next check and how to keep Precious and her downs syndrome grandchild close by to qualify for payments. She treats Precious like a slave. She cooks for her mother, runs errands, as Mary sits in front of the TV watching shows and images totally unlike her ghetto life, and so uninvolved with her daughter's dilemma you want to throw a shoe at her. Her attitude makes you wonder, how can a woman be so heartless toward her own child. Scenes showing the actual rape by the father and Mary's standby viewing gives clues. If you want to see a mother from hell, you came to the right movie, as Monique gives one hellish performance.
The good about the movie: It showcases great talented black actresses, the type of movie that a black actress kills to be cast in. The roles are substantial and meaty. Paula Patton really shows great acting chops as Rain. Monique's portrayal will turn you inside out with rage. The movie doesn't preach to the audience. The Precious character is not one we see or want to see on screen, and Daniels managed to humanize her.
The bad about the movie: It doesn't pull at the heart strings. You want this movie to soar and sing. You want to cry and sympathize with the main character and her helpers, but instead it is like watching someone's sordid life unfold and not caring if she succeeds.
Precious speaks in two voices: her illiterate voice, barely understandable and her educated voice in voiceovers; this to show us that she has the capability of being better than she sees herself.
There are small cameo roles from Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey (almost unrecognizable) and Lenny Kravitz. With all the great hit makers and songwriters, one would think there would be a hot movie score, but the music is undistinguishable. [Where's the MJ Blige song that plays over the trailer?] Lee Daniels (the director) didn't spend a lot of money on wardrobes as almost everyone wears the same in each scene. The location is Harlem and a sense of the depressive environment is candidly visual when Precious wakes to another hard day, quietly walks through alleys and trashed streets, head bowed. If you saw "Monster's Ball" which Daniels directed, then you know his style-- subtle without beating you over the head. You observe dysfunctional people, broken people, and families but not allowed through his direction to pass judgment. He doesn't drive home the point that these people need sympathy or help. Within the first 30 minutes of Monster's Ball, the Heath Ledger character blew his brains out and from that point there were two stories of dysfunctional lonely people (Halle Berry and Billy Bob Thornton) trying to connect.
Somewhere in this story is a sociological movement that requires action. It just needs to be flushed out to get our sympathies.
Afterwords 11/1/2009:Sapphire, the author, was interviewed by Katie Couric and she explained why she wrote the book. It's a compilation of many teens she counseled as a social worker. She made a statement that children are like clay that parents mold. She talked about children who were having babies as early as 12. Her interview was heartfelt and shed light on how the movie came about. I'm still torn whether Lee Daniels did enough with the movie to make the audience really care about the main character.
Recommended:
Yes
Movie Mood: Serious Movie
Viewing Method: Film Festival
Film Completeness: Looked complete to me.
Worst Part of this Film: Duration
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Epinions.com ID:
lli_wright
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Location: Chicago, IL, US
Reviews written: 244
Trusted by: 13 members
About Me:
Working stiff who loves to give opinions to anybody who will listen.
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