This movie earned my respect for it's guts. It's about Precious (Gabourey Sidibe), that girl some of you might have known back in highschool: the obese one who sat in the back of your algebra class, off the grid, whom you never knew or cared to know, the girl who never talked or laughed, who just sat severed from the din of day-to-day life. It's about an introvert who's as inwardly interesting as outwardly opaque. As the saying goes: quiet rivers run deep. This film follows that girl home, shows you her fantasies, what she eats for breakfast.
It's fantastically absorbing. Everyone wants to be inspired. Everyone loves stories of the unfortunate overcoming the odds to find happiness. The odds stacked against Precious are so bad it seems like she's been totally forsaken by all decency in the world, as if she won the fuku lottery and is destined to live hell on earth. But she some how carries on. I have to ask myself, was the writer going for shock value or do people really live this way?
The cinematography is excellent and the acting is pretty good, too. Mo'Nique generously puts herself on display, with a genuine performance that breaks through to something beyond. It seems like she is actually channeling her own life experiences into this character. It's really impressive to watch.
Stars: 4/5
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