my (short) review

I saw Precious this evening. I had debated about seeing it, since I already knew I would have a negative reaction to it. But since I wanted to properly critique it, I needed to watch the film for myself.

I will give Precious two things: fantastic acting and great cinematography.

What I did not like about this film:

-It literally degrades the black American family. Please come and film a movie about my life, or another average black person. I do understand that these stories exist, but this could of been literally any poor person's story, but it becomes a "black thing."

-The film causes you to hate the mother. Of course, but what about Precious' father? We never see his face, and so the film places the blame onto the mother- when in reality the rape was never her fault.

-As I watched it, I couldn't help but think of how during slavery masters and much of white America viewed black women as poor mothers because a few African women has thrown their children into the water when they were taken into bondage on slave ships. This film was degrading to black motherhood.

-Much too graphic. There are other ways of getting a violent point across.

-The incest thing really bothers me, because, and I'll be frank- it's not a black thing. I'm not saying that obesity and poverty are, but incest, that's not something that happens much in the black community compared to in others...

-And I'll stay on that topic for a few more minutes, why is it permissible that the incest is part of this film, but was never even alluded to in Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, when it was part of the book? Can we not "see" white actresses like Ashley Judd in roles like that?

-I hate that some of our schools do not provide the necessary means for students to thrive. I am frustrated with the disparities.

So, there we go- just a few of my thoughts on this.

Comments

[Tonya]

Thank you! I worked in Social Services for a few years and I saw my fair share of horror stories and hardship situations for blacks, whites and Latinos. I read Push years ago. The book is extremely disturbing and hard to read, but quite accurate when it comes to abuse, poverty, lack of education and even mental illness. Nonetheless, why it needed to come to film made no sense to me when these type of stories have been told before. Poverty, abuse,lack of education, mental illness is not a black thing. Bottom line...struggle is not a black thing...it's a life thing.

Yes, we as blacks have had and still have struggles due in part primarily to racism/discrimination having such a continual foothold in this country, BUT what about all the great things we have within our families, even when we are poor, working class or middle class? To constantly highlight the negative is draining and defeating and frankly I am sick of it.

I am a black female originially from a small town Georgia, no my family was not wealthy, matter of fact they were just middle class. But, I was exposed to many great things such as, becoming a debutante in high school, went to a HBCU for undergrad, pledged a sorority while there, graduated Cum Laude, obtained a Masters degree and have a career I enjoy. No my life was nowhere near a fairytale, because I certainly saw my fair share of hardships and heartbreak along the way, but my life was the lives of MANY of my friends and sorors which is rarely, if ever shown on the big screen. The closest I have ever seen was Love Jones, The Best Man, Love & Basketball and Why Did I Get Married.... barely a hand full of movies.
17% of the Black population lives in poverty, but that small population has the become "spokeperson" for the entire black American population in this country. Why the 83% of us is continuing to allow this is what I do not understand?

[Emmie Anne]

I haven't seen it the film, but Tyler Perry gets this same critic a lot. He does put the African American family in a certain light with each one of his films, and that light while entertaining, really isn't positive for the black family. I don't think it would be such a big deal if there were more films depicting the African American family, but there aren't and he is producing the majority of the films. I just don't think it's a fair representation.

The achievement gap in this country is a joke. When I pull school records for my kids accused of life sentences, the kids don't try, teachers don't care and the end up in jail. It breaks my heart every time.

[Keya]

I'm tired of black folks being potrayed in a negative light also. Most of us do not live like that. I was anxious to see this movie because I wanted to see Mo'nique in the film (she played her mom), but I think I'll wait to see this movie on video.

[Dad]

Nice discussion here folks. I'm Katie's Dad and agree. In fact I liked the comment about how the other 83% of us live ... very full, rich in spirit lives. We have some great stories to tell. Lets start sharing our real stories.

[Carina]

I'm too scared to see it because I think it will be too emotionally draining and upsetting. I know, what a pansy way to think.

I heard from the director that an older white woman came up to him after a screening at Sundance and said, "This is my story." He was trying to communicate the universality of the story. It's true, the situations depicted are far from just being a "black" experience. I'm torn between honoring the story of all the women like Precious out there, and being uncomfortable with a portrayal of African American life that might fit too much into a stereotype, if that makes sense at all.

The interviews Sapphire has given have been really interesting.

[Tonya]

Emmie Anne,
Good points. As a Southern girl I can say there are certain behaviors and characterizations in Tyler Perry's movies that are real to me and even entertaining, but I do not want this to be the stereotype of all Black families in the South or in America. Those characters are merely "pieces" of black America. There is so much more to us, but its ignored.

We desperately need balance with our movies so all aspects of black life can be shown accurately.

[Kayla]

Thank you for posting this. I agree with the points you made here, put simply.

I will say that incest/child molestation happens quite often in African-American households. It's just considered a taboo topic to bring up and parents, grandparents, and siblings often fight to prevent it from being brought to light; and forget about trying to discuss it in a public forum.

(I've worked in the SVU working with children and women who are victims of sexual and domestic violence.)