Rating: 9/10

Writer: Geoffrey Fletcher (screenplay) and Sapphire (novel)
Director: Lee Daniels
Cast: Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe, Mo’Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz

Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE, is a testament to the beauty that can come from pain, an ode to those with the strength to endure great suffering while never giving up or in.

PRECIOUS’ courageous protagonist is Clareece “Precious” Jones (Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe), who everybody calls Precious. She is a morbidly obese teenage girl who is pregnant with her second child, both from her father. Both conceptions were a result of rape, something that her father has been doing to her for a long time. In fact, the only images we see of Precious’ father come via flashbacks of rape, since we usually only see Precious and her mother living in their dirty apartment. Precious’ mom (Mo’Nique) mentally and physically abuses her, as well as blaming her for taking her man.

Precious’ school life isn’t great either, she can barely read, and early on in the film she gets expelled and sent to an alternative school. Given the state of Precious’ life, it is not hard to believe that she often retreats into a fantasy world, one where she is famous and is the dating the “light-skinned” boy of her dreams.

It is at this new school that Precious begins to really think she can do something with her life. The movie doesn’t unfold quite like you might think. It does eventually offer catharsis, but probably not quite in the way you were expecting. And you know what? PRECIOUS is almost certainly better for it. It is a penetrating film, one that shows you immense beauty, but only after making you experience the proper pain to appreciate it first.

The film features many notable performances with every key character in the film feeling true. The decision to cast Lenny Kravitz and Mariah Carey in supporting roles may be surprising at first given the nature of the film, but it pays off. I didn’t even realize who they were when I saw the film. I kept thinking, those two look so familiar, what else were they in? Especially with Mariah. I was stunned when I found out later that it was Mariah Carey playing Mrs. Weiss, Precious’ case worker. The fact that I couldn’t recognize two well-known faces speaks to just how real the film is, and of course, the performances by Mr. Kravitz and Ms. Carey.

However, the film’s most impressive performance belongs to Mo’Nique as Mary, the abusive mother of Precious. Mo’Nique is a popular comedienne and has appeared in several film roles, but they are usually of a lighter nature. What Mo’Nique does with Mary is stunning, as she convincingly creates an incredibly unlikeable and repugnant character. Mo’Nique deserves tobe  nominated for an Oscar for this performance. And she probably will, it is just too great to ignore.

PRECIOUS is unflinchingly realistic, as it creates a depressingly real world, and one we can certainly buy. No Hollywoodization here, just a story of a seemingly over-matched girl continuing to move on despite the many obstacles that come at her. The film’s authentic, raw feel makes us moved by everyone of Precious’ struggles and victories. This authentic feeling speaks to the amount of thought and work that went into PRECIOUS, as well probably a little piece of the soul of everyone involved. You can’t be a part of story so harsh, but rewarding, and not lose a little bit of yourself in it.