Precious (R) (2009)
Easily one of the most profound and powerful films this year, this gem from director Lee Daniels is destined to get nods at Awards ® time. Set in Harlem, in the present, Precious (Gabourey Sidibe) tells her own remarkably sad story through a series of narrative thoughts and writings. Based on a novel by Sapphire, the saga of this young, morbidly obese, illiterate, abused African American teenaged girl will shock and amaze you. The resilience of the human spirit and the kindness of strangers cannot trump the lot that life has dealt Precious, but it does tend to ease the pain a bit.

Both Gabourey Sidibe as Precious and Mo’Nique as her abusive mother, give noteworthy performances. The subjects addressed in the film are controversial and in-your-face reality issues, that may cause the audience some discomfort, but there is no doubt that there are many young people like Precious struggling to make it in American society against amazing odds. It is both an eye-opener and a heart breaker! Rating:  4