Books2Movies Club discussion

Precious (2009) is a movie that won many awards, among them two Oscars, a Golden Globe and a Bafta, and many others, mainly for the screenplay and the performance by an actress in a supporting role, Mo'Nique. The movie is based on the novel Push by Sapphire, and tells the story of a pregnant teenager struggling to rise above her current dire circumstances, and getting that chance when she got placed in an alternative school program.

Here you can share your thoughts, questions and impressions about them with us.

I know that this is a viable story yet it seems when these stories come out these are the movies that win the most awards.

I haven't read the book nor seen the movie yet, but I would like to. The story sounds very interesting. I hope though it is not glum, I mean, that in the end she will come out of so horrid circumstances (reading from back cover), as a better and a stronger person, able to fight against abuse and to live by herself. We are so overwhelmed by so many bad things happening around us every day, so that's why I hope this story won't sadden (anger) me further.

It's not for the faint at heart. With any movie like this I call it poor man's therapy

Donnica wrote: "It's not for the faint at heart. With any movie like this I call it poor man's therapy"

I agree - even reading the outline of the story shocked me. I know these things happen, but how the system allows them to happen, always angers me. To be abused so much by your own family, that's a nightmare not a single child should ever experience.

I saw the first maybe 20 minutes of this movie a year or two ago, but I can't remember if I stopped watching because I just couldn't handle it anymore or if I just had something happen and I just never got back to it. Heavy material, though.

I'm a bit confused: is the book Precious also? Because I have a copy that says "based on the novel "Push" which doesn't make any sense to me. Is the novel Push and the movie Precious? Or is Push the first book and Precious a sequel? Or are they two names for the same thing?

Alana wrote: "I saw the first maybe 20 minutes of this movie a year or two ago, but I can't remember if I stopped watching because I just couldn't handle it anymore or if I just had something happen and I just n..."

Yes, yes, they are one and the same :) I am sorry if I confused you, I wasn't quite clear in the introduction. BTW I got the movie, I just have to find time to watch it :) The book unfortunately I wasn't able to find yet.

At last I encouraged myself to watch this movie. While there was not much graphic violence, the theme was really dark and shocking. I found it difficult to understand how it was possible not to notice that something was wrong in that family. The system was obviously faulty, but how did grandmother allow such monstrosities to continue? I mean, I think she knew what was going on, and she didn't do anything about it. Yes, that was her daughter (and son-in-law, but in the movie it seems he wasn't alive anymore?) who would have to go to prison, but her granddaughter's life would have been saved.
I honestly find it hard to grasp that. Such cases are present everywhere, in my country too. Mostly fathers would abuse their children, and other family members (mothers, grandparents etc) would earnestly try to keep their mouths shut, because of their reputation, embarrassment, whatever the reason they came up with. What was going on in their minds? How on Earth they justified those atrocities?
The most disturbing scene, that kept me trembling long after, was at the end, when Precious was with her mother and social worker. The whole movie I tried to figure out her mother, what was her motivation to be so horrible, and was she crazy after all, but in that - really powerful - scene, I finally got it. That woman simply was a monster. Not a crazy kind, but a narcissistic and consciously sadistic one.
I think I won't be able to read the book. The end is encouraging, but I don't think I'll be able to endure again the whole torment that preceded it.