“Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” is a harrowing, if occasionally hoary, story of a teenager’s survival and self-reliance amid demonic domesticity. First-time screenwriter Geoffrey Fletcher’s screenplay thankfully strikes with more coiled instinct than clichéd incidents. And although director Lee Daniels (the writer of “Monster’s Ball”) sometimes pushes the plot’s most exploitative elements, “Precious” addresses its characters’ afflictions head-on and features two remarkable performances – from Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe and Mo’Nique – that are instant Oscar frontrunners.
Precious
Precious
Precious
“Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” is a harrowing, if occasionally hoary, story of a teenager’s survival and self-reliance amid demonic domesticity. First-time screenwriter Geoffrey Fletcher’s screenplay thankfully strikes with more coiled instinct than clichéd incidents. And although director Lee Daniels (the writer of “Monster’s Ball”) sometimes pushes the plot’s most exploitative elements, “Precious” addresses its characters’ afflictions head-on and features two remarkable performances – from Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe and Mo’Nique – that are instant Oscar frontrunners.