Precious

[Boner M]

I'm surprised there isn't a thread for this, although the reception here has been generally pretty poisonous, judging from the passing mentions in various threads.

Anyway, for all the film's garishness, crassness, sordidness, and awkwardness of tone, I found it a fairly effective immersion into a damaged psyche. Granted, it flails about queasily trying to achieve that, but I'll take its messiness and lack of good taste over what currently passes for Oscar-friendly filmmaking (in that regard, I'm surprised it's been embraced so warmly).

I can understand the criticisms that it panders to its white liberal audience, but at the same time I think Precious is too flawed and specific a character to allow for audiences to project themselves onto. I appreciated, and was surprised by that aspect of her characterisation. I'm also sorta perplexed by what some folks have described as a note of tacked-on uplift in the film's ending. To me, it was never absolutely certain that this was a happy ending for Precious and Daniels wasn't suggesting it was; it was merely her being able to make that choice and break free from her mother's grip that was cathartic. I thought the ending was well-earned.

Additionally, I know it's a cliche to prefer subtle acting over showboating, but I was more affected by Paula Patton & Mariah Carey's work over Mo'Nique's, whose one-note role doesn't allow for her to be much more than a totemic grotesque.

A deeply flawed film, but also not the vile, Crash-level work of manipulation that its detractors led me to expect.

[Melville]

garishness, crassness, sordidness,..., immersion into a damaged psyche.
That sounds pretty great. I might actually consider renting this now.

[Winston*]

Tideland with black people?

[Ezee E]

Tideland with black people?
Quotewhore!

[MadMan]

Yes I'll admit that because it got nominated for Best Picture and for two actress noms I'll probably see it. Where as before I really didn't have any interest.

[baby doll]

Tideland with black people?Except watchable.

[eternity]

Tideland with black people?
If Tideland was a piece of shit and inept in every way, yeah.

[Boner M]

If Tideland was a piece of shit and inept in every way, yeah.
Why the av, then? That scene was supposed to be funny (and in the way you probably find it funny, too).

[Boner M]

Oh, I also forgot to mention the classroom scenes and all the scenes with Precious' classmates are what make up a large part of my positive reaction to the film. Spot-on depiction of rehabilitation through camaraderie.

[eternity]

Why the av, then? That scene was supposed to be funny (and in the way you probably find it funny, too).

Oh, I know. It was funny in an intentional way, which is a good thing in its own right, but also contributed to one of the film's main problems; it puts a big wink on a smile on immeasurable torment. The whole thing is a stylistic failure and a self-indulgent mishmash that only accomplished to get smirks and guffaws from me at the most inappropriate times.

[eternity]

Oh, I also forgot to mention the classroom scenes and all the scenes with Precious' classmates are what make up a large part of my positive reaction to the film. Spot-on depiction of rehabilitation through camaraderie.All of the Paula Patton and co. scenes are surprisingly decent, even if it is familiar ground. Everything else...Mo'Nique, ugh. She sounded like she was reading the script in front of her grunting in monotone the entire film, not really portraying this character in any memorable way, then tacking on that one final scene that "shows how much of a monster she really is", but that was just a way different version of the same mediocre performance. Two mediocre performances in a film doesn't make a great one, and it's pathetic that she's the frontrunner. It's just a case of "oh she's a funny lady and she's being all angry so let's give her the statue", and it doesn't even work. Mariah Carey's performance, which also reeked of "I'm not wearing makeup so I seem like a normal person and that's amazing" syndrome, was at least convincing.

I'm ranting and probably not making any sense. I'm willing to concede now.

[Boner M]

Oh, I know. It was funny in an intentional way, which is a good thing in its own right, but also contributed to one of the film's main problems; it puts a big wink on a smile on immeasurable torment. The whole thing is a stylistic failure and a self-indulgent mishmash that only accomplished to get smirks and guffaws from me at the most inappropriate times.
I guess these aspects could be seen as making light of domestic abuse, but I thought they added to the film's subjective qualities; in particular, showing how Precious uses her own sense of humor as the only way to escape some of those tormenting situations.

[number8]

I gotta say that the "incest/insect" discussion was my favorite scene of the movie, the only one that actually radiates authenticity.

[Bosco B Thug]

The Last Airbender is BETTER THAN Precious.

Huh? Oh, I mean, surprisingly, I have a considerable reserve of respect for this movie. I agree that it's not utterly contemptible, nor is it as sadness-mongering as people make it out to be. It's a worthwhile story told with a worthwhile commitment to and sincerity in telling an ugly, marginalized story. But Daniels is just the worst kind of stylist. You can just tell when he's locked onto a visual he thinks is just so good that he forgets to make it not feel like one of those clever stylistic interludes on a TV sitcom.