Let’s start by saying that this film doesn’t leave a hard-hitting stone unturned… There are scenes of violence, rape, incest, bullying, teen pregnancy… The list goes on, you name it, and it’s there.
An initial read of the blurb almost managed to deter me from what I imagined to be a slow-moving sob story, which would move me no closer to tears than the likes of a willowing James Blunt song. An overweight teenager, Claireece ‘Precious’ Jones, from Harlem suffers a childhood of torment and abuse but begins to turn her life around when she enrols in an alternative school.
Oh and it ‘stars’ Mariah Carey. I can tell you now that I enjoy watching an R ‘n’ B singer delve into the acting World about as much as I enjoy getting to Nandos to find out that they’ve run out of Perinaise/Lemon + Herb Marinade (that’s not very much at all, in case you’re questioning).
So you can imagine my surprise when I found myself horrified at the abuse Precious was undergoing and felt myself willing her to turn her life around and be a success. And what was even more shocking, was the fact that Mariah Carey is almost convincing in her role and though I hate to admit it, she delivers a pretty stellar performance.
The whole thing is an emotional rollercoaster in the greatest sense, one that I would most definitely re-visit for a second ride. The main thing is that it’s believable, there will be a Precious out there somewhere and I’m sure many who watch it will relate to her in some way.
Now I don’t want to go all deep on you guys, because you all know that that isn’t my vibe at all. But if you’re in the mood for a heart-wrenching 110 minutes, take a little look into the life of Precious; I’m almost certain you’ll be willing her on as much as I was. There, I’ve admitted it, I’m a big softy at heart.
The Film Corner 12 