Apologies for the gap between posts - have been busy.
But I have lately caught up with some film, 'Precious' (Dir.:Lee Daniels, 2009) being the latest and I was pleasantly surprised at the powerful acting performances from all cast members. The story is of a dyslexic, obese girl, Precious, who is pregnant with her second baby, the result of being raped since the age of three by her father. Kicked out of school by a powerless Principal, she is referred to an alternative school and there, the teachers unravel her ghastly problems and give her some reason to hope and continue her struggle. You will, I am sure, have seen plenty of trailers and clips on talk shows, so you will have the gist of the story, and yes, it is worth it seeing Mariah Carey making up for past filmic mortal sins by giving a clean and clear acting performance (unplugged and unmadeup) so I won't duplicate any of that but the format and screenplay were both extremely effective in telling this lurid and confronting tale. I am not a fan of voice over but in 'Precious', it gives us glimpses of the girl's hopes and dreams that could not otherwise havebeen seen. The book 'Push' (Sapphire) is a monologue and the detail is vital. My only criticism is of the audio and many speeches are lost due to accents, swallowing of words and the naturalistic approach. Sometimes I would have liked subtitles!
However, it is an Oscar contender and will probably win for Mo'nique's performance if nothing else. The star of the film, newcomer, Gabourey 'Gabby' Sidibe has great potential as an actress, sustaining a harrowing role with enormous aplomb. She has great depth in her eyes and expression. However, she must be cared for by a really thoughtful crew of agents now, be encouraged to lose the obesity and make the most of what should be a massive boost to the potential of her future. With her health as the key, young Gabby needs to trim down and I could see her with a great career as a versatile actress. I have lately seen her on talk shows and she displays a personality and intelligence that will stand her in good stead and help her make hay while the sun is shining at its brightest on this, a fabulous start to any career she wants! I'd certainly look forward to seeing her in other roles.
The tale of Oprah and Tyler Perry getting on board after seeing the film at Sundance is well known, and it is good to see these two once again putting their money to great use.
Good luck all at the Oscars!
