"Precious" Review

“Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire,” an emotionally charged drama from director-producer Lee Daniels (“Monster’s Ball”) oozes with passion. The film tackles several (perhaps, too many) social issues with courage and unflinching detail.

In 1987 Harlem, Claireece “Precious” Jones (newcomer Gabby Sidibe), a black, overweight, illiterate, sixteen-year old girl, struggles with her abusive mother, Mary (played brilliantly by comedian Mo’Nique), attempts to salvage her education at an alternative school, and gives birth to her second child by her sexually abusive father.

Just reading the plot synopsis, one can tell that “Precious” is a heavy, even depressing, film. However, the film does not wallow in its pain and suffering. Director Daniels adds several comic moments to prevent the film from devolving into complete misery. He also includes a few fantasy sequences in which Precious escapes into a world of fashion shows, movie premieres, and gospel concerts. In many ways, these fantasy sequences provide an “escape” for the audience as well.

But the meat of the film takes place in a cold, harsh reality. Precious’ mother Mary, living off welfare checks, crucifies her child’s self-esteem with verbal and physical abuse. When Mary does not like the food Precious prepares for her, she forces Precious to eat it. When Precious attempts to talk back to her vicious mother, Mary smacks her with a frying pan. Several critics have described her as a “monster,” and while this description seems apt, it completely ignores Mary’s psychological problems, which actress Mo’nique magnificently highlights in the film’s climactic scenes.

The acting ensemble in “Precious” is universally solid. Daniels coaxes wonderful performances out of entertainers like Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz, and the aforementioned Mo’Nique – a comedian never known for her dramatic acting chops. Paula Patton is also quite good as Precious’ sympathetic teacher at the alternative school. But the real stand-out is Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe as Precious. Sidibe’s Precious keeps a hardened face for the majority of the film, but the audience can see the hurt hidden beneath her stoic expressions. And when Precious finally break down, Sidibe handles it deftly, without devolving into over-the-top theatrics. By the film’s uplifting closing scene, the audience sees the strength in Precious as she hoists her child over her shoulder and walks bravely, head lifted proudly, through the streets of Harlem. The emotional impact of these scenes is a testament to Sidibe’s fine acting skills.

While the acting in “Precious” is top-notch, the film’s editing is convoluted and confusing. Many times, the film jumps from scene to scene without much rhythm or coherence, and at other times, scenes just “end” abruptly. Part of the problem may be the film’s unfocused narrative. Daniels and company do not seem to have a clear vision. The film shifts its focus too often, and, at times, it feels like Daniels is trying to accomplish too much by tackling several social issues at one time. Daniels even adds several stylistic flourishes. While some of these stylistic choices work (his music choices are superb), others feel obnoxious and mar the film’s emotional content.

But something about the film’s lack of restraint is good. The film may have lost some of its impact if Daniels had not incorporated so many personal touches. Even if some of his artistic choices are garish, they come from the heart. Daniels shows great passion and personal voice in his direction. While his direction makes “Precious” flawed, it also makes the film a genuinely moving experience.

B+

Have you seen "Precious?" If so, leave your thoughts in the comments.

Bullet Point Reviews

Here are a few quick, bullet point reviews for three films now available on DVD.

"Monsters vs. Aliens"

• shallow
• mindless action sequences
• uninteresting characters
• fun voice work by Seth Rogen
• forgettable
• C-

"Angels & Demons"

• overlong
• good, focused performance from Ewan McGregor
• bland performance from Tom Hanks
• plagued with far too many twists
• misses several opportunities to be more interesting
• uninspired, but somewhat amusing
• C

"Star Trek"

• fun, well-made blockbuster
• well-written characters wrapped around exciting, frenzied action sequences
• strong performances from Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto
• emotionally engaging in parts
• final action sequence lacks impact and coherence
• B+

"An Education" Review

In “An Education,” a light drama directed by Lone Scherfig, Jenny (Carrey Mulligan), a young woman hoping to attend Oxford University, falls in love with David (Peter Sarsgaard), a rich gentleman, and starts to question her academic aspirations.

The film features several great performances. Carrey Mulligan is fantastic as Jenny. She captures the character’s desire for independence with great expressive detail. From her infectious smiles to her emotional sobs, Mulligan nails nearly every emotion. Alfred Molina also delights as Jenny’s overbearing father. Molina’s performance is broadly comic and over-the-top, but in a good way. His explosions of wit and anger feel natural for a father who sincerely wants the best for his daughter.

While the performances are uniformly excellent, the film’s narrative runs snags at several instances. Many of the characters, with the exception of Jenny and her father, feel either undeveloped or clichéd. For example, the character of David, Jenny’s older lover, feels underwritten. Why is he seducing a girl nearly half his age? The script fails to gives us any insight into his motives. And although Rosamund Pike is a hoot as Helen, a rather ditzy friend of David’s, her character feels a tad one-dimensional.

What the script, written by Nick Hornby, lacks in characterization, it makes up for in theme. The film deals with the complex balance between personal pleasure and accomplishment in a way that is neither stuffy nor simplistic. Unfortunately, the script’s narrative snags prevent these themes from ever fully resonating. While the first two acts feel refreshingly light, with a few key dramatic moments sprinkled throughout, the film’s last act becomes far too heavy-handed. All of a sudden, the film deteriorates into a bunch of speeches and “profound” one-liners, and the film starts to feel artificial.

While the film’s conclusion feels artificial, the production design does not. “An Education” vibrantly recreates the culture of the 60s in both London and Paris, without drawing too much attention away from the narrative. The result is an extremely polished art design.

To conclude, “An Education” succeeds due to a few magnificent performances, but lacks a powerful, coherent script to support its weighty themes.

B-

"The Blind Side" Review

“The Blind Side,” an unfocused, breezy drama, follows Leigh Anne Toughy (Sandra Bullock) as she takes in a homeless, uneducated, black teenage boy, Michael Oher (played by Quinton Aaron), and helps him turn his life around through a mix of family, school, and football.

“The Blind Side”, directed by John Lee Hancock (“The Alamo,” “The Rookie”), could have been heavy-handed and overly dramatic – and in some scenes it is – but Hancock wisely presents the story with a light touch. Unfortunately, the film is too unfocused for the light tone to pay off.

Hancock, who also wrote the screenplay based off a true story, meanders from one genre to the next unable to find an appropriate angle from which he can anchor the story. At times, the film feels like a heart-tugging melodrama, and at other times, it feels like a primetime sitcom. And for a good ten minutes, the film’s primary focus is one football game. The result is a tedious mess that lacks emotional resonance. An audience cannot connect with a film if the film is unsure of what it wants to be.

While the film’s unfocused storyline causes it to be disengaging, the film’s condescending treatment of Michael Oher prevents the audience from sympathizing with him. “The Blind Side” seems to suggest that the only way for an impoverished black teenager to succeed is for a family of white do-gooders to help him. At no point does Michael ever take initiative and try to accomplish something for himself. Instead, he lets others guide his actions. Since Hancock fails to give Michael any fortitude or individuality, the character leaves the audience cold.

If the film succeeds in one area, it is in Sandra Bullock’s performance. Bullock manages to create a genuine character out of what could have been a bland caricature. Her character’s southern charm and generosity feels genuine. The rest of the cast is comprised mostly of caricatures. Ray McKinnon, in particular, is dreadful as Michael’s football coach.

“The Blind Side,” although refreshingly light and boosted by an admirable performance by Sandra Bullock, ultimately feels aimless due to a lack of passion and focus from its director.

C-

"A Serious Man" Review

“A Serious Man,” a dark comedy from directors Joel and Ethan Coen (“Fargo,” “The Big Lebowski,” “No Country for Old Men”), follows Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg), a Jewish physics professor, as his life spirals out of control once his wife (Sari Lennick) divorces him. And as Larry tries to save his relationship with his wife, life bombards him with even more problems. Soon, Larry starts questioning whether God is punishing him.

While the plot of “A Serious Man” sounds simplistic, the ideas behind the film are not. The film tackles the complexities of religion head-on. Larry, like many religious people, wonders why so many bad things happen to him, when he is trying desperately to be a serious, religious man. When he visits several rabbis for counsel, they do not seem able to give him a definite answer. Through Larry’s situation, the Coens seem to be suggesting that one cannot fully understand the method to God’s madness. According to the Coens, life does not have one definite meaning.

Likewise, “A Serious Man” does not have one definite meaning. Part of what makes the film so rich is how open it is to interpretation. The deliberately ambiguous ending begs the audience to ponder the film's meaning. Thus, the discussion that the film fosters can be almost as rewarding as the film itself.

While the film is cerebral and philosophical, “A Serious Man,” like many films by the Coen Brothers, is also quite funny. While not all of the humor works and some of it may be lost on a non-Jewish audience, several scenes rank among some of the funniest of the year. From a pair of racist neighbors to a silent rabbi, the film features several quirky, often hilarious, characters. However, one truly stands out. Sy Ableman (Fred Melamed), one of Larry’s fellow professors at the university, condescendingly consoles Larry to great comedic effect. Melamed easily gives the funniest performance in the film.

The film’s other performances are also quite good. Stuhlbarg embodies Larry with such sincerity that it is almost impossible not to sympathize with the character. Aaron Wolff also fares well as Danny Gopnik, Larry’s son. However, Richard Kind, who plays Larry’s brother Arthur, is far too over-the-top. It may not be entirely Kind’s fault, because the character feels a tad underwritten, but Kind does not help the situation by devolving into shouting instead of deepening his character.

While “A Serious Man” does not rank among the Coens’ best work, it is still undeniably strong, both stylistically and thematically. For directors with over a twenty year filmography, they continually challenge themselves to produce fresh, unique films. With the Coens still working, there is proof that creativity remains strong in modern cinema.

B+

Have you seen "A Serious Man?" If so, leave your thoughts in the comments below. Remember, you don't need a Blogger account to comment. You can use the "Name/URL" option or remain Anonymous.