REVIEW: Precious (dir. Lee Daniels)

Cast: Gabourey Sidibe, Mo’nique, Paula Patton, Lenny Kravitz, Mariah Carey

‘Precious’ is the story of an obese African American girl who, at the age of just sixteen, is pregnant with her second child by her own father; she also suffers shocking physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her sadistic and twisted mother. It would be difficult to imagine a more upsetting lead character, nor a more saddening and discomforting story; and yet, quite remarkably, the filmmakers have moulded this story into an uplifting and often funny film.

When her school discovers she is pregnant, Precious (Sidibe) is kicked out and sent home to her crumbling high rise flat where she lives with her mother Mary (Mo’nique). Precious defies her mother’s orders to go to the welfare office and sneaks to an alternative school, ‘Each One/ Teach One’, to register. It is here that Precious meets Ms. Rain (Patton), a softly spoken and patient teacher who forces her small class to write diary accounts and fairytales. Precious, urged on by the support of Ms Rain and her classmates, begins to develop a voice of her own. This is by no means the end of Precious’ journey – she must overcome childbirth, a near-fatal attack by her mother, and the possibility that she has HIV – but she will now face her obstacles with resolution, self-respect, and (most importantly) friends.

It is easy to see, then, that despite the harrowing subject matter, ‘Precious’ manages to pick out the moments of resilience, camaraderie, and selflessness that pervade the story. That is not to say that the film shirks its responsibilities to the context of the story: the relationship with Mary, the sexual abuse, and the general stifling atmosphere (the stained and cold apartment, the stale food, etc) are all laid before us in the same frank and unapologetic style in which the original novel was written. This almost impossible clash of tones and messages creates a truly wonderful emotional journey for the audience; as we swing between hope and despair, we realise that somewhere in the middle lies the hidden beauty of a seemingly mundane life.

There are elements of the script that don’t quite ring true. To begin with, it is hard to believe that a teacher at a soulless and impoverished state school would take the time or care to help one random pregnant student get into an alternative school. Similarly, it is slightly contrived that a group of troubled teenage girls thrown together by an institution would bond in such an unquestioning and trusting way. But while these events might not stand up to the stark and unfaltering realism of ‘The Wire’, they do not feel insincere in ‘Precious’ because the whole film is shot through with a sense that resilience and kindness of spirit will always battle through the apathy of modern life.

The cast are absolutely superb. Carey and Kravitz (surely two of the biggest egos in music) are restrained and respectful of the overall message of the story. Paula Patton is excellent as the kind and quite Ms Rain, who is still too young and hopeful to ignore the plight of her students. Mo’nique is extraordinary as the cruel and barren Mary. Her performance calls for wild, violent swings of emotions, which she pulls of perfectly; but she is at her most terrifying and absorbing in the moments of silence or quiet conversation, when the anger and spite is lurking nearby. Gabourey Sidibe is another wonderful discovery by Lee Daniels. You cannot help but be utterly engaged by her strange appearance and the sulking melancholy of her performance; and then when she suddenly smiles, it is a warm, innocent, and hopeful smile that will move many to tears.