Precious

Before I went to see Precious, I had my reservations, for starters I didn't like Lee Daniels's previous work, Monsters Ball. Also there was much hype around the film which made me wary of its true worth. Often when a film is hyped, everyone else jumps on the bandwagon regardless of how they truly feel. If Time Out gives it a 4 star and Jonathan Ross writes that this movie will stay with you long after you leave the cinema, how can you argue with the experts?
In my humble opinion, these reviews don’t even begin to do justice to the pure brilliance that is Gabourey Sidibe's performance or Mo'nique's complete lack of inhibition as she portrays the character of the evil mother who is not only complicit in Precious suffering but also guilty of exacting revenge through more horrific physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Even Mariah Carey did a sterling job although her role was minor. Admittedly not being a big fan of Mariah's, I didn't think there was much of physical transformation, just that the makeup came off and her true beauty was there for all too see. Or am I just hating?
The film was brilliantly directed. Lee Daniels deserves his Oscar nomination without a shadow of a doubt. There were moments of sadness but also laughter at times, Precious was a beautiful and likeable young lady who you could not help but sympathise with but also admire for her resilience in the face of so much adversity.
What really got me were the moments when I was so taken in, so shocked by what I saw in front of my eyes, I could not longer tell fact from fiction and the result was uncontrollable sobbing, and I mean out and out balling. Tears + runny nose + strained breathing. My friends thought I was having an asthma attack. I have never cried so much at a film. Infact the entire cinema was gripped at certain moments, the munching of popcorn stopped, as did the sipping of various sugary beverages, some of us held our heads in disbelief. Such was the power of Gabourey and Mo'nique's performance that an entire audience seemed to forget that they were simply watching a movie, a dramatisation of a work of fiction. A friend who sat at the end crying, eyes red, tissues soaked was comforted by complete strangers who were sat next to her and reassured her that it will be okay.

Precious is an incredible movie that deserves every accolade that it receives. I would recommend it to anyone who is brave enough to face the truth and prepared to admit their powerlessness to stop the nightmare someone out there is facing.