Movie Spotlight: Precious

Viciously abused by her mother (Mo'Nique) and pregnant by her father, Harlem teen Precious Jones (Gabourey Sidibe) has an unexpected chance at a different life when she enrolls in an alternative school. Teacher Blue Rain (Paula Patton) encourages her, but Precious must battle unimaginable barriers everywhere else in her life. Lee Daniels directs this drama that features appearances by Mariah Carey and Lenny Kravitz.

The movie “Precious” covers a lot of themes throughout its storyline. It covers sexual, mental, and physical abuse, body image (obesity), motherhood and teen pregnancy, illiteracy, and poverty.  I will focus on the main three since it is what we have mostly covered on this blog.

Sexual Abuse

Precious’ father sexually abuses her which results in two pregnancies. Her first child Mango is born with Down syndrome and her second child Abdoul is born healthy. Towards the end of the movie Precious discovers that her father had HIV and that she as well has HIV from the incestuous rapes. Throughout the movie Precious goes to counseling to receive help from the government and at these counseling session Precious discovers that her father had been molesting her since the age of three and maybe even before then while her mother was present. 

Mental and Physical Abuse
Precious’ mother physically and mentally abuses Precious. Precious’ mother is constantly telling her that she is stupid and that school is not going to help her accomplish anything. This type of mental abuse puts barriers up for Precious who strongly believes she cannot learn anything. This changes once she goes to an alternative school. The physical abuse Precious receives is from her mother. Her mother throws pots, pans, and T.V.s at her throughout the movie.  The audience later finds out that her mother is envious of Precious because her father gave precious more children than she gave her mother. In reality Precious is not to blame for her father’s actions. It is silly to believe that a three year old was trying to seduce a middle-aged man.

Fight Scene Between Precious and Mother

Body Image

This movie pushes the barriers on body image with the main character (Precious) being obese. The movie displays a stereotypical obese character because Precious, although pregnant, is constantly asking for McDonalds. There is also the scene where Precious steals a ten-piece bucket of fried chicken just for herself. You would think that a mother of two would try to be healthier for her children. What the movie lacks to display is how Precious’ body might be both a prison and a sanctuary. 

Precious Stealing Fried Chicken

My Comments

This film is a powerful film that depicts a sad story.  The movie, although, it does use a lot of darker African Americans tries to comfort the audience by placing a few lighter African Americans playing into the stereotype that you cannot get ahead without assimilating to the respective “white American.” The people that help Precious overcome some of her barriers are either light skinned African Americans or Caucasian. For example, the principle that helps her find the alternative high school is Caucasian. Then once she arrives at the alternative school her teacher is a light skinned African American. We see this again in the delivery room, the nurse that Precious takes comfort in is a light skinned, African American, male nurse. Even her counselor that helps her defeat her greatest barrier, leaving her abusive mother’s home, is a light skinned African American. Finally, throughout the movie when Precious leaves the real world into her dreamland where she dreams of being a famous actress, her boyfriend is a light skinned male. There is also a scene where precious is getting dressed and as she looks at the mirror her reflection is of a skinny, white female. Precious plays into the stereotype that black is bad and white is good. 

-Daisy Magana