Thursday, December 31, 2009

Precious



I have saved the movie, "Precious" as the last movie of 2009. Actually, that is not true. I spent the day in Tulsa and did not want to drive back to see films not shown in my fair city. That is not totally true either, "Precious" is a movie that I knew I needed to see, but I kept putting it off.
"Sherlock Holmes" is fun. "Invictus" or "Blindside" is uplifting. "Precious" is raw, real, and rough. As the New York Times pointed out "Blindside" and "Precious" have basically the same story with very different points of view, outcome, etc. Although this movie is fiction based on the novel "Push" by Sapphire, it is not your typical popcorn movie. I forgot my popcorn as soon as it started. The story is about a 16 year old pregnant over-weight black girl in Harlem who is trying to go to school. She already has one child and both kids are from her father who has abused her all her life. Her Mother (from Hell) played by the comedian, Mo'Nique, has NO redeeming value. You hate her instantly. As you can see, this is not the feel good movie of the year, but it is one of the best. The directing is superb and the cast including Gabourey Sidibe (Precious), Mariah Carey, Paula Patton and Lenny Kravitz are so real it is spooky.

It is a movie of hopelessness and HOPE. It is excellent but Raw. If course language is a stopper, stop.

You will leave this film thanking God for your blessings. I wish this was fiction, but sadly it is not.

I give it ****1/2 stars.

2009 Movie #87

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