Precious

Last night I went out with my girls and watched the highly anticipated premier of "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire".

I am a HUGE fan of the book. The movie...not so much.

"Push" is the gritty story about Clariece "Precious" Jones who is illiterate, sexually, physically, emotionally, and psychologically abused by both her mother and father. Ths contemporary "The Color Purple" is brutal, honest, eye-opening, and inspirational. The film is not.

I was surprised at how funny the movie was. In the book, Mary Johnson - Precious' mother, is a heinous monster. Comedienne Mo'nique played the role realistically even if comical. I expected to cry my eyes out and instead I cracked up laughing. The movie is a sugar-coated version of the book but it will still leave those who hadn't read the book feeling the abuse Precious endures.

Another disappointing aspect of the book was that if took some of the serious themes and almost made it cartoonish. Myself and many of my friends felt we saw a lot of our own mothers in Precious' mother. I don't think there's a person in America who hasn't seen a black woman beat the living shit out her child. The physical violence Precious endures is common in the Black community. A cultrual flaw that many praise instead of correct. The sexual abuse Precious encountered that was a dibilitating force in her life was eluded to. I understand that in order to bring the movie to the masses they couldn't go that deep...but still.

The acting was very good throughout, with Mo'nique leading the pact. As good as her performance was, I can't call it Oscar worthy. All of the characters were surprisingly good considering the heft of the material.

Synopsis: If you read the book, be prepared to be disappointed. If you didn't - you'll still get enough of the grime to feel moved.