Precious

"Precious" tells the story of one woman's desperate attempt to survive coming from a broken home, while suffering from severe sexual, mental, and physical abuse. This movie isn't for the faint of heart, as some of the story content, viewers might find disturbing. However, it's definitely one of the best films I've ever seen. Starring Mariah Carey (Mrs. Weiss), Paula Patton (Ms. Rain), Lenny Kravitz (Nurse John), Mo' Nique (Mary), and Gabourey Sidibe (Precious). "Precious" tells a unique and truly powerful story about one woman's struggle to survive everyday society, while often fantasizing and yearning for a better way of life. However, suffers the harsh realities as she must learn to confront her abusive mother, Mary, and her conflicted past. Lee Daniels and his team of writers, do a great job setting up the tone of the movie as it allows the audience to deeply engage Precious' journey through life, as she confronts her past and feelings of self doubt, in order to strive for a better future. "Precious" may not be getting the same amount of hype as "Avatar" or "Sherlock Holmes", but it's definitely one of the best films of last year. Truly worthy of the Oscar nod.

Before seeing this film, I used think Daniel Day-Lewis (Daniel Plainview in "There Will Be Blood") played the best jerk in a movie while using a lot of bull s*** to justify his actions. However, that was until I saw this film. Not only did Mo'Nique play a convincing antagonist in the movie, as the abusive mother to Precious, but she does it so naturally that the audience just can't help but hate her guts. Constantly putting Precious down with her verbal and physical abuse, while implementing psychological intimidation. Unlike most mothers where they want to encourage their children read and learn, she merely wants Precious to be illiterate and live off welfare. Using a lot of nonsense to justify why she wants to academically cripple her daughter; shamelessly justifies letting her own boyfriend molest and rape her daughter, as she grew up. Yet she doesn't feel the least bit bad about it in the movie. Mo'Nique does such a great job portraying this character that by the time viewers finish watching this film, they'll literally want to just slap the heck out of this woman for even allowing such sadistic and harsh things to happen to her daughter.

Gabourey Sidibe gives a command performance as a illiterate, pregnant teenager that struggles through life. Enduring all sorts of abuse at the hands of her mom's boyfriend and her own mother. Playing her character with a strong sense of imagination and resourcefulness through out the movie. Yet wanting to live a better life, but unsure how to. During Precious' transformation as she is initially scared of her mother, but gradually learns to stand up for herself, as she wants more out of life. This allows for the viewer to not only feel a sense of empathy for the main protagonist, but it gives the audience a reason to want to see her succeed.

Lee Daniels does a great job setting up the tone and atmosphere of the film. As he not only creates a film about relationships and adversity in life, but he also adds the theme of how love can conquer all. Not necessarily love between two lovers, but love between friends and your children can sometime give you strength when none is available. Truly, a remarkable film in every sense of the word. "Precious" definitely gets my vote as one of the most potent films of the last decade.