While watching Precious, I was entertained. I felt that the plot was involving and that, although it was a bit cheesy, it felt like a decent TV movie with outstanding lead performances. However, after mulling it over in the coming hours I began to feel angry at its nastiness.

The plot revolves around a 16 year old, overweight, black girl, Precious, who is abused by her stepmother, raped by her father and marginalised by society. Her rape resulted in a down-syndrome daughter and now, another pregnancy. To top things off, she's just been diagnosed as HIV positive and kicked out of school. Precious starts an alternative school programme called Each One Teach One. This is where the film gets into Sister Act 2 territory as we are introduced to the class of quirky unruly, street girls who, despite their intimidating exteriors soon open their hearts to each other and to Precious.

This is not a true story, it is a work of fiction by a writer who came up with a list of the most awful, things a person can endure then put it on the big screen. There is no emotional resonance to that. There is no tragedy in that. It is torture porn in the guise of social comment. Mike Leigh this ain’t, and if you’re expecting social realism, this is sure to disappoint. A disturbing, well-acted drama, Precious falls down in its inability to address any real issues and takes pleasure only in shocking its audience. The tacked-on “happy-ending” also negates any ounce of realism or dignity the film may have achieved with its fearlessly violent imagery.

Newcomer Gabourey Sidibe gives an admirably low-key performance as the titular character. Her face rarely changes; she accepts her lot and rolls with the punches for the most part. When she does break down it with a child-like sorrow that tugs at the heart-strings. The performance that is getting all the awards this year is Mo’nique’s portrayal of Precious’ abusive mother. This is a much more showy performance, but good nonetheless. Mariah Carey takes off all her makeup and sheds a few tears but brings little to her small role as Precious’ counselor.

VERDICT:

If you really like weepies and you’re the type of person who cries when you watch Oprah, you might enjoy this. However, if you like your cinema a little more subtle, there’s probably nothing here for you.

Movie Trivia:

In 1996, when the book upon which this movie is based was first published, it was titled "Push: A Novel." The film was likewise originally titled, "Push: Based on the Novel by Sapphire," but in February 2009, the movie title was changed to Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009) to avoid confusion with the 2009 action film Push (2009). When the novel was republished in 2009, it was as a movie tie-in edition with cover art from the film, a common enough practice regarding books that have been turned into movies. What is unusual about the movie tie-in version of the book is that the book's title had also been changed to the movie's - which means that the book is now called "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire," even though it is the novel "Push" by Sapphire.

Helen Mirren was originally cast as Mrs. Weiss, but dropped out. Mariah Carey was chosen as a replacement by director Lee Daniels only two days before the film went into production. Daniels has stated that he chose Carey based on her performance in Tennessee (2008), which he produced.

Shot in only five weeks.

Over 400 girls were interviewed from across the country for the part of Precious. Gabourey Sidibe was cast a mere six weeks before the start of shooting after being forced to the audition by friends.

Gabourey Sidibe read the novel Push years before when her mother, singer Alice Tan Ridley, was approached to play the role of Mary in an earlier production that never came to fruition.

Over the course of the shoot the production lost an editor, a cinematographer, three continuity people, three locations managers, two producers, two assistant directors, two sound people, two video playback people, and two caterers.

Mo'Nique played a character by the name of Precious in director Lee Daniels's previous film Shadowboxer (2005).

The film was produced independently by Lee Daniels Entertainment, and the completed film was caught in a battle between potential distributors The Weinstein Company and Lionsgate after its initial success at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. Oprah Winfrey's Harpo Productions and 'Tyler Perry''s 34th Street Films signed on to lend promotional assistance to the production, and Perry's existing relationship with Lionsgate helped land the film a release through that distributor.

Before filming the scene in which Precious slaps Consuela for saying "F for Fat", Lee Daniels told 'Gabby Sidibe' to slap 'Angelic Zambrara' as hard as she could while purposely not telling the other girls beforehand. In the film, the reactions from the girls in that scene after she does so is actually improvised.

Oprah Winfrey said that when she saw the movie, it "split [her] open", and that she immediately called Tyler Perry who gave her Lee Daniels' number, so that she could call him and tell him she would do anything to promote the film. When she called him, he was onstage getting an award at the Sundance Film Festival. Oprah later stated that this film was why "we make movies", and that she thought people might not "enjoy", but would "appreciate this experience".

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