‘Precious’ glimmers through raw, bitter drama

Very rarely does a film evoke such raw emotion, passion and disillusionment as does "Precious," the brainchild of Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry and director Lee Daniels.

"Precious" is a social advocacy film at its finest, shedding light on a young mother stifled under a social and educational system that has left her behind.

The film follows Clarice "Precious" Jones, a 16-year-old growing up in 1987 Harlem, played by Hollywood newcomer Gabourey Sidibe. Her life is complicatedly simple. Living with her mother, played by comedienne Mo'Nique, Precious is enslaved in her own home. Within minutes of the opening scene, viewers discover Precious has a child and is pregnant with her second, all by her abusive father. An intense rape scene is coupled with visions of fantasy as Precious escapes the violence of her home. We discover in the latter portions of "Precious" that her father had been infected with HIV, further complicating the story and providing a true punch to the heart for viewers.

Much of the movie's conflict centers on the relationship between Precious and her mother. Her mother, who lives off welfare and decides to not work, is jealous of Precious' sexual relationship with her father. The resentment is alarming, and the relationship vile. It is easy to hate the mother as she serves as one of the primary characters involved in Precious' horrid forced lifestyle.

There is a continual bittersweet juxtaposition throughout "Precious" of young childhood fantasy and harsh reality. There are times when viewers forget Precious is 16, only to be reminded with a sequence of scenes devoted to her illustrious, flamboyant imaginary "modeling career." Seconds later, Precious is back to the harsh reality of her everyday life, forced to be an adult amid near-impossible circumstances.

Precious is in all of us and is one of the reasons this film is so incredibly impactful. Though our own hometown experiences may not relate directly to Precious' plight in Harlem, the nature of her struggle is innately human. Precious represents the fantasy in each of us—the desire to escape whatever current situation we find ourselves in for a better present and future.

Among several themes throughout this movie, "Precious" points out the flaws in the public education system. Before moving to an alternative high school, we see Precious in a learning environment that harbors little academic excellence. Precious is reading at roughly a second-grade level. The educational system represented in the film is real—an institution that marginalizes minority students who are seen as useless. Their education has been tossed to the wayside for the needs of the privileged.

There has been much discussion surrounding the film about whether or not it perpetuates and promotes classic African American stereotypes. While there are moments, "Precious" serves less as a solidification of stereotypes and more as a glimpse into reality. This story is happening, it is active. People like Precious exist—her situation is just one story of several in our country.

The theatrical performances by Sidibe and Mo'Nique have already garnered attention are both likely to receive Academy Awards. Mo'Nique especially, stepping outside of her usual comedic tone, shatters all barriers and creates a character so disgusting yet so human. Very rarely are viewers so emotionally disgusted by a character and then in turn feel a sense of empathy for her dire situation. The mother is as much a main character in this film as "Precious." The final scenes of the film prove Mo'Nique is more than a comedienne and can act alongside the Hollywood legends. Even Mariah Carey, as a determined social worker, is surprising with her performance.

While depressing in the traditional sense, "Precious" provides a glimmer of hope. There is a silver lining through the incredibly melancholy nature of this film. The process of evolution "Precious" goes through indicates to us that change is possible. The will to survive and the motivation to improve one's place in society is possible as "Precious" serves as a beacon of hope for individuals in similar situations.