Obese, illiterate teenager Clareece "Precious" Jones lives in Harlem with her dysfunctional family, she has been impregnated twice by her father and is in a destructive relationship with her mother. Precious is invited to an alternative school where she hopes that her life can change direction. Now, while this all sounds like something that you'd see on Maury Povich or for better ratings, Oprah Winfrey, this is the plot to the movie "Precious" based on the popular novel "Push". Clareece is played by Gabourey Sidibe with Monique playing her abusive mother. The film also stars Lenny Kravitz, Paula Patton and Mariah Carey as Ms. Weiss.
I look at this movie as another big break for Black directors, actors/actresses to really kick down the doors of Hollywood that has been closed or merely cracked. While a small percentage of people who will view the film see the stereotype of Blacks being perceived as always struggling and hurting. Let us not forget ignore that many Black films in comparison to films of an all white cast tend to express morals and values consistent with Middle America. This isn't a blaxploitation and the stories are about as real as if the plot occurred in a white family, a latino family or a European family with subtitles at the bottom. The movie is gritty but promises to move audiences of all colors, race, ages and genders.
With Academy Award wins by African-American actors being limited to an exclusive club of Hattie McDaniel, Sidney Poitier, Harry Belafonte, Halle Berry, Denzel Washington (twice), Jaime Foxx and most recently Forest Whitaker, Morgan Freeman and Jennifer Hudson, one would question does this movie in all of it's high prise in an "Obama-era" (taking all politics out though) bring home the golden bacon in Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress categories along with possibly Best Screenplay.
Mo'nique by many critics may have a late night talk show on BET that loses ratings every time she shows her arms, but she shows that she has the acting chops to star in a dramatic film. Mo'Nique plays the abusive mother of Precious played by Gabourey Sidibe and has earned her front runner spot for Best Supporting Actress, the same position Jennifer Hudson found herself in when playing Effie White in "Dreamgirls". I ask also can Gabourey Sidibe bring a Best Actress in a Lead Role nomination for her turn as the troubled teen. Can Mariah Carey land a nomination for being completely made under as the no nonsense Ms. Weiss who was originally to be played by Academy Award winner Helen Mirren.
The winners club for African-American actors are limited with a larger balloon of those who did not win including Dorothy Dandridge, Cicely Tyson, Diahann Caroll, James Earl Jones, Danny Glover, Angela Bassett and that's just to name a few. I do look for big things in the future from Will Smith, Nia Long, Viola Davis, Taraji P. Henson, Nate Parker (?), Kimberly Elise and another win for Jennifer Hudson. While I don't have amazingly huge expectations, I am tremendously optimistic about African-American actors and actresses.
(Leave me your comments you know I love those)
wow, i love this blog.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on a lot of points and as a "black" actor i find myself constantly trying to maintain my beliefs about this industry, dealing with conflicts such as Tyler Perry v Spike Lee, the state of black television, reliving past stereotypes and deciding which "work" is correct or appropriate. This movie is indeed a big break for African Americans in the industry so long as WE take advantage of the opportunity.