hyped garbage

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Some stories are difficult to tell, but they still need to be told. In 2009's 'Precious,' Lee Daniels delivers the painful story of an obese, poor, pregnant, illiterate girl struggling to survive in Harlem. Based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire, the material was rich enough to earn a nod for best picture, as well as a few wins.In 'Precious,' acting trumps nearly every other aspect in terms of importance. The film is directly tied to the talent of the lead actress who portrays the 16-year-old Precious, Gabourey Sidibe. In her breakout role, Sidibe does an excellent job bringing to life the emotional weight of her character's situation. We are also surprised to see Mariah Carey in a role that virtually no one could have imagined, dressed down and without makeup as a homely welfare case worker. For this. she earns lots of credit given her reputation of being a diva. And Paula Patton's sympathetic ABC teacher Ms. Rain is a single kind of elegant.But the best acting effort is without doubt the abusive, domineering, despicable mother - Mary - who is brought to life by Mo'Nique. Throughout the film, we see how Mary's years of abuse, both physical and verbal, has impacted Precious, and it becomes clear how things have devolved so far. Mo'Nique grabs the role by the horns, becoming nearly unrecognizable and making viewers forget who she is to the point where you think she really is a lying, welfare leech. The final scene is the cherry on top, as Mo'Nique brings it home in a big way - enough to earn her a best supporting actress Academy Award.Aside from the acting, Daniels' mark is left on many aspects of 'Precious.' From hazy flashbacks or daydreams to odd hallucinations of photographs talking to the title character, there are all kinds of unorthodox film techniques littered throughout. It makes for a weird juxtaposition with the subject matter, considering how serious it is, and leaves the audience feeling uncomfortable.Overall, 'Precious' delivers a powerful message, but the film is not as strong as it could have been.

I find it ironic with a film directed and produced by Lee Daniels, with Oprah Winfrey on board as executive producer, that some reviewers on this board would consider the film racist. What it says to me is that any treatment of an historical event or a real life situation would be considered racist if the person watching is uncomfortable with it. That's always bugged me, because how are creative artists supposed to get their message across if they can't show the way people are and the ways they strive to better themselves? As for the picture, I was in OMG! mode ten minutes in when Mother Mary (Mo'Nique) began her verbal assault against her daughter Precious (Gabourey Sidibe). That some people actually live in this kind of environment is more than an eye opener for those of us better advantaged. It was incredible that Precious maintained a sense of decency and humility by attempting to make life better for herself considering the enormous odds working against her.From a personal point of view, I don't know how teachers like Ms. Blu Rain (Paula Patton) are able to do what they do, showing the kind of patience and understanding needed to draw abused students out of their shell to foster learning. I don't think it's something I could do, and I have the utmost compassion and regard for those kinds of teachers and social workers who can go to work every day with the prospect of failure never far away. It has to make the positive results achieved somewhat triumphant.I'm glad I watched this picture but I thought there would be more of a resolution to the fate of Precious at the end of the story. Though there was some closure for her in disowning her abusive mother, one can't help but realize that there was no happy ending here for a single mother with two young children and no immediate prospects for improvement except for keeping a positive attitude and desire to succeed. It takes a special kind of person to maintain that drive without succumbing to dire circumstances surrounding them. I would have preferred more of a silver lining ending to the story, but in reality, life doesn't always work like that.

Just for starters, please do watch the film.First thought that it is not a movie about black people (like all those movies showcasing about the discrimination shown/was shown to them).The movie is about HUMANS, about the precious people we have around. It is a bold movie, which questions how we treat people, how the media/society have changed our perception of beauty, and how tough is it for girls who have to live a life of "Precious".The acting is amazing, and the technical aspects of shooting dream sequences will remain fresh for a long time.Overall, the movie is too bold to be a Hollywood product. It has that quality and vibe of world cinema

I gave up on this movie. It just makes you angry! Such a complicated story, just like normal life which is very boring to watch as entertainment. I understand the meaning of the movie, of course, and it is a serious subject that many people go through, unfortunately. However, for me at least, seeing a film with such a disastrous actress (Gabourey) is just not in my taste. I mean, she might be good at what she does on screen, but the kind of person she is privately (and knowing this) makes it difficult to enjoy her movies. Why do I think so? Because she advocates beauty and acceptance although she looks the way she does because she abuses herself. Advocating for fat acceptance is really dangerous, because of the deadly diseases connected with obesity. It's just as dangerous as advocating for anorexia or any other eating disorder. Health should be the norm. Secondly, she wears dead animal skin (a.k.a. fur) which is not something I want to support by promoting her movies.