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Precious (2009)

Precious (2009)

7.3

Movie

United States of America
English, Italian
Drama
2009
imdb

What it's about

Set in Harlem in 1987, Claireece "Precious" Jones is a 16-year-old African American girl born into a life no one would want. She's pregnant for the second time by her absent father; at home, she must wait hand and foot on her mother, an angry woman who abuses her emotionally and physically. School is chaotic and Precious has reached the ninth grade with good marks and a secret; She can't read.

The take

Precious is the devastating story of how teen student Precious (Gabourey Sidibe), a victim of every kind of abuse possible, grabs a chance to turn her life around when she enrolls in an alternative school. She learns to read and write, eventually hopeful for a better future, but standing in her way is her violent mother Mary (Mo'Nique, in an Oscar-winning performance) and an at-risk second pregnancy. Though the film can be polarizing (is it emotionally manipulative or bleakly honest?), there's no denying that Precious is a moving film. The tragedy of Precious' life is heartbreaking, but how she pulls through is inspiring. It's no wonder the film was a frontrunner in the 2010 awards season, eventually sweeping Oscar wins for Best Supporting Actress and Best Adapted Screenplay.

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