Thoughts on PRECIOUS? — Page 2

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#26

re: Thoughts on PRECIOUS?

Posted: 11/7/09 at 5:59pm

I also felt Mariah's part was too small. I wonder if they cut it down for time? *spoiler* But in her last scene with Mo'Nique where she is describing the abuse, her acting is stellar without saying a word. Just her reaction to what she's hearing is fantastic.

#27

re: Thoughts on PRECIOUS?

Posted: 11/7/09 at 6:02pm

Mariah was excellent--she was an actress playing a character; there was no trace of a stripped-down diva in her performance. It was incredibly authentic. (The role was originally to be played by Helen Mirren). I'm surprised at how little buzz Paula Patton is getting--she takes an essentially stock role (the caring inner-city teacher) and imbues it with genuine pathos. She's every bit as Oscar-worthy as Mo'Nique in my opinion. But unless someone comes out of complete left field, I'd say that Best Supporting Actress is Mo'Nique's to lose.

"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe." -John Guare, Landscape of the Body

Updated On: 11/7/09 at 06:02 PM

#28

re: Thoughts on PRECIOUS?

Posted: 11/7/09 at 6:05pm

IMBUES not IMBIBES, love.

Unless she DRINKS the genuine pathos,

#29

re: Thoughts on PRECIOUS?

Posted: 11/7/09 at 6:07pm

I hope the Oscar buzz doesn't just stop at that one performance. The entire film is certainly worthy of a Best Picture nomination as well.

#30

re: Thoughts on PRECIOUS?

Posted: 11/7/09 at 6:10pm

Yes, her reactions are great, but then she just walks away after Mo'Nique spills her guts?? At least show WHAT she walked away for. Maybe she comes back with her supervisor and they offer her referrals for mental health treatment, or SOMETHING. That part bothered me a lot. I also didn't care that her sole purpose in one scene was to step away from her desk so that Precious can steal her file. I mean, really? I was so hoping Mariah would call her out on it when she came back with the soda. At least she wouldn't have looked like she can't pay attention. Paying attention should be what she excels at!

#31

re: Thoughts on PRECIOUS?

Posted: 11/7/09 at 6:12pm

I agree but that's not her fault, that's the script.

#32

re: Thoughts on PRECIOUS?

Posted: 11/7/09 at 6:20pm

But isn't what the character does and the script the same thing?

<-----I'M TOTES ROLLING MY EYES

#33

re: Thoughts on PRECIOUS?

Posted: 11/7/09 at 6:27pm

IMBUES not IMBIBES, love.

Perhaps I've imbibed a bit too much already!

I actually DON'T think that the film is worthy of the Best Picture nomination it will almost surely receive; the diegesis is rather sloppy and, at times, nonsensical, and really saved by its acting. Ditto the script and direction. Mo'Nique, Patton, and Sibide all deserve nominations, though.

#34

re: Thoughts on PRECIOUS?

Posted: 11/7/09 at 6:53pm

The problem with the script, I feel, is that there are two people fighting to be that hero for Precious and at no point in the story do those two people meet, let alone work together. We see the teacher helping her read and finding her housing (ummm, NOT her job!) but I have NO idea from watching the movie what the hell it was that Mariah was doing for her. If the script was a little more factual you would have at least one scene with Mariah paying the teacher a visit. I'm not sure what Mariah's purpose was, and by not giving her one it makes her seem like a bit of a loser. That's just my opinion. Oh, and I agree about Patton. She should not be overlooked!

#35

re: Thoughts on PRECIOUS?

Posted: 11/7/09 at 7:16pm

"Stock, it's based on the novel Push by Sapphire."
Good God

#36

re: Thoughts on PRECIOUS?

Posted: 11/7/09 at 7:33pm

Ok, one last vent and then I'm done.

Can we talk about the home visit? First of all, if Mariah was the social worker, that should have been an opportunity in the script to have HER do the home visit. And please know that we do more than just ASK when the baby's last visit to the doctor was. I'd have to also point out that for the most part, we can smell that BS that Mo'Nique was pulling with the nice routine. But nope, social worker just smiled and left on her merry, naive way. I need to stop thinking about this movie for now. HAHA

#37

re: Thoughts on PRECIOUS?

Posted: 11/7/09 at 7:34pm

Popular, maybe I'm wrong but wasn't the home visit shown in the movie a flashback? I seem to remember Precious talking about that visit and than it being shown.

#38

re: Thoughts on PRECIOUS?

Posted: 11/7/09 at 7:41pm

It was a flashback, Jordan. And it was the most ridiculous scene ("Precious, get my wig!")

#39

re: Thoughts on PRECIOUS?

Posted: 11/7/09 at 7:44pm

Um, before my social worker comes over I always put my wig on.

Racist.

#40

re: Thoughts on PRECIOUS?

Posted: 11/7/09 at 7:46pm

I suppose if both of you remember it as a flashback than it was. I was so sure Mariah was going to walk through the door that I was a bit thrown and confused at that point. Even if it was a flashback, why not have Mariah be the one to have done the visit - PROPERLY. Or at least make it clear that this was a case that was transferred to her by an adequate social worker who left her good notes with which to follow up on.

#41

re: Thoughts on PRECIOUS?

Posted: 11/7/09 at 7:47pm

Because she hadn't gone to see Mariah yet so she hadn't been assigned her case.

#42

re: Thoughts on PRECIOUS?

Posted: 11/7/09 at 7:48pm

The social worker in that scene was named Miss Taylor (or something like that), so it was definitely a flashback. She was played by Grace Hightower (Mrs. Robert DeNiro).

Updated On: 11/7/09 at 07:48 PM

#43

re: Thoughts on PRECIOUS?

Posted: 11/7/09 at 7:54pm

Well whoever she was did an awful job at assessing the situation. Awful!! Just another on my long list of disappointments in how social workers are portrayed. What happened to asking the adult to disrobe the child, checking for signs of abuse, checking the fridge for food, etc., and most importantly, picking up on cues that the child was NOT in a safe environment.

Not to mention, that later on her son took a nasty drop to the floor and then tumble down stairs. You mean to tell me that there weren't any signs or damage done to the newborn for someone to pick up on? Huge holes in the script.

Updated On: 11/7/09 at 07:54 PM

#44

re: Thoughts on PRECIOUS?

Posted: 11/7/09 at 7:57pm

I'll just say about that to please remember the time and place of the film. Social workers do an amazing thing with their lives but like all professions, some are better than others. And those that deal with horrendous situations on a daily basis have seen and heard FAR worse than the show that Precious' family put on for her that day.

#45

re: Thoughts on PRECIOUS?

Posted: 11/7/09 at 8:06pm

Fair enough, but if the social worker was going to be a bad one (and there are plenty out there) then make her bad and make the teacher her one hero.

If the social worker is written as being a good person who audiences assume knows her job well, then at least show her doing her job well. Otherwise, you are not doing justice to the ones who do amazing things.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that it would be nice, for once, to have social workers be seen in a better light. The script didn't intend to show Mariah's character in a bad light, but still ended up portraying her as merely mediocre. I would've preferred that we left feeling about the social worker as highly as we did the teacher.

#46

re: Thoughts on PRECIOUS?

Posted: 11/7/09 at 8:09pm

Mariah Carey's character might very well have been the first person in Precious' life to have said the words "I like you" to her. If for nothing else, that showed her character is someone who was there to help.

#47

re: Thoughts on PRECIOUS?

Posted: 11/7/09 at 8:14pm

You are right. Yet the real breakthrough moment where I felt like someone touched her heart was when the teacher told her she loves her. If that "I like you" moment was meant to show Mariah's character, then why trump it by giving the teacher a more powerful one?

I have to step away for a while to watch my niece and nephew. Keep the opinions flowing... I am so enjoying the discussion!

#48

re: Thoughts on PRECIOUS?

Posted: 11/7/09 at 9:15pm

How was Sherri Shepherd? Did she play a major role?

#49

re: Thoughts on PRECIOUS?

Posted: 11/8/09 at 2:17am

SEE. THIS. MOVIE.

Shepherd has a minor role but she's very strong. There isn't a weak link in this cast; I really think Carey and Monique are both deserving of Oscar nominations at this point. Who the hell would've ever thought of Mariah Carey as a potential Oscar nominee? Monique has the Oscar in the bag. And Gabby Sidibe should win as well; she is absolutely astonishing.

This is the best film of the year so far; it gets so deep under your skin and you don't even realize it until the lights come up. This is a movie that has the power to change lives. See it or regret it.

#50

re: Thoughts on PRECIOUS?

Posted: 11/8/09 at 9:35am

I can't wait to see it when it opens up in my area on November 20. I read the book and thought it was very powerful.

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