PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE
4 out of 5 stars

oprah called it the movie that “split her open” and IMMEDIATELY called tyler perry on her speed dial of black celebrities to help promote it. well, that’s the rumor/piece of trivia noted on imdb.com. i know for a fact that if i were her and i had tyler perry on MY speed dial, i would have done that AND gotten an endorsement from “uncle” russell simmons too... :P



with that said, this movie is EXCELLENT. WATCH IT IMMEDIATELY. YOU WILL CRY BUT YOU WILL LOVE IT... as with me, three tear-soaked tissues and a set of puffy eyes later, i can finally get myself to write this review... so, here we go:


this is NYC circa 1987, and it takes place in what we call the “ghetto.” there is nothing glamorous about precious’s life. she’s an illiterate, obese, 16 year old girl, who is abused by a mother who calls her a “fat bitch” every five seconds and throws frying pans at her face, raped by a pedophile father TWICE, and her first baby has down syndrome. (talk about someone who has been dealt bad cards...) she’s ultimately kicked out of school for being pregnant again, but the principal suggests that she attend an “alternative school” where girls like precious can get their GED through a literacy and educational non-profit organization. there, she meets her gorgeous new teacher, ms. rain, played by robin thicke’s real-life wife paula patton, who helps her to read and write. (we see precious literally push herself to learn to do this and it is MOVING...)


some cameos featured in this indie gem: a de-glam/sans makeup mariah carey plays her social worker, who tries to get precious to open up about her past and possibly talking about her future, and a de-nose-ringed lenny kravitz plays her nurse when she finally delivers her baby. both mariah and lenny do a good job playing some important roles in precious’s life, but mo’nique DELIVERS a performance of a lifetime as the evil, conceited, abusive, bitch mother derived from the depths of hell. (it’s no surprise she won oscar gold for this—watch out for her @ the very end...) incest, physical abuse, rape...all words we cringe at upon hearing them, however this movie forces you to take a long, hard look at someone who lives those things everyday...


precious is just one story, and a semi-fictional, mind you... but boy, will it make you want to donate to a literacy foundation immediately, so it can help girls like precious everywhere. :) (it certainly did with me...)