Precious: Based on the Novel by Sapphire

Editorial

There's a lot to like about this very urban, very American film, which mixes straight drama with stylised set pieces, while cramming in as much social commentary as it can. It's already received a lot of hoopla in the States, so you can expect Sidibe to be walking a real red carpet when Oscar calls.

First-timer Sidibe and comedienne Mo'nique are breathtakingly believable as the unbearably dysfunctional daughter and mum. Director Daniels also displays an inherent understanding of the harsh environment in which they live. The street scenes emphasise just how bad life is for these folks. New York's Harlem 20 years ago was no picnic.

What's frustrating about the film is the number of outlandish fantasy sequences, which Precious uses to mentally block out her darkest moments. Although they might well work on paper (based on the bestseller Push by poet Sapphire), on screen they prove distracting and, at times, even annoying, jarring with the ultra-bleak narrative and confusing the audience.

There's also a wealth of social issues in the novel that are rammed into the storyline here — rape, incest, AIDS, lesbianism, obesity, etc — and they, too, seem overblown, as if all the boxes had to be ticked off. The final niggling issue is Precious's mentor, Blu Rain (Patton). Although oozing spirit and sensuality on screen, the suave Ms Patton seems just that: far too gorgeous to be teaching disadvantaged kids.

Much has also been made of Mariah Carey who delivers a reasonably solid performance as the social worker out to assist Precious escape her abusive mum. Precious, then, is both impressive and disappointing. It showcases the formidable talents of Sidibe in spades, making her an instant star. And for its hard-hitting drama, it simply cannot be faulted. It's just not entirely sure what it wants to be.

 Ed Gibbs