Point Park University's Student-Run Newspaper

Point Park Globe

Point Park University's Student-Run Newspaper

Point Park Globe

Point Park University's Student-Run Newspaper

Point Park Globe

Tales of a troubled teen

“Precious: Based on the novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” is a film that is both heart wrenching and uplifting, tragic and hopeful. It is the story of a girl who overcomes adversity and comes to love herself in a world where it appears that no one else does. “Precious” conveys the powerful influence that love and friendship can have on one person’s life.

Claireece “Precious” Jones (played by Gabourey Sidibe) is an overweight, African-American 16-year-old living in Harlem in 1987. She is pregnant for the second time by her father, and is a victim of physical, sexual and emotional abuse by her mother. In school, she has no friends and is continuously made fun of for her weight and appearance. Although she is in the ninth grade, she has made it through school her entire life with a secret: she is unable to read or write.

Precious has lived her entire life feeling unloved, ugly and unworthy. She makes it through the days by living in a fantasy world in her mind where she is skinny and beautiful, a dancer on a rap video or a movie star. Precious desperately wants to make something of herself, but her mother (played by Mo’Nique), tells her that education is a waste of her time and that she should be put on welfare. However, when Precious is sent to an alternative school named Each One/Teach One, she finally gets the opportunity she has been waiting for to escape from her family and her old life into a better, happier future.

At her new alternative school, Precious meets Ms. Rain (played by Paula Patton), who serves as a loving teacher and mentor. She also meets several classmates, who have overcome obstacles of their own in life, and they both understand and embrace Precious as one of their own. With this newfound guidance and support, Precious goes on a journey of learning, where she learns how to read and write, become independent, overcome her difficult past, and most importantly, love herself.

Winner of the Dramatic Grand Jury and Audience Award prizes for the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, “Precious” is truly deserving of recognition.

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