Throw Momma From The Train

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In Contention's Kris Tapley said this morning that Lee Daniels' Precious is "the frontrunner of this year's Oscar race." Reading this prompted an involuntary leg-muscle spasm so sudden and fierce that it tipped over my black office chair and sent me crashing to the floor.

Precious is a film to sincerely admire and respect as far as it goes. It moved me more than I suspected it would (based on the first half hour, I mean), but Mo'Nique's mom-from-hell performance almost makes it into a kind of grotesque horror film. What she does is a bit like Mary Tyler Moore's emotionally frigid mom in Ordinary People not just withholding affection from her sad-sack son (i.e., Timothy Hutton) but talking like Lawrence Tierney and spewing pea soup out of her mouth.

Precious touches bottom and exudes compassion, but it's nothing close to a masterwork...please. It's a very good film fortified by strong discussable performances. It's a contender, sure, but no way in hell is it any kind of front-runner. Not now, not next month or next year...forget it.

Yeesh<< previous | next >>Gervais and the Globes

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on October 26, 2009 at 10:08 AM

comment #1

VictorLazlo says ...

Uh oh. I smell a full on anti-PRECIOUS crusade. Wells started out liking it. A shame, but I'm used films about black people being dismissed around here (if they are even mentioned).

This is odd:

"Precious touches bottom and exudes compassion, but it's nothing close to a masterwork...please. It's a very good film fortified by strong discussable performances."

Name one movie that won best picture in the last ten years that rose above that bit of praise.

Posted by VictorLazlo at October 26, 2009 10:50 AM

comment #2

Sabina E says ...

"masterwork" (or "masterpiece") is such an overrated word.

Posted by Sabina E at October 26, 2009 10:52 AM

comment #3

DeeZee says ...

I dunno why, but I think the title for this thread would've been more appropriate for the Haggis/Scientology fall-out.

Posted by DeeZee at October 26, 2009 11:02 AM

comment #4

Emmanuel_Goldstein says ...

Who the fuck is Mo'Nique? Not that raunchy ass female rapper from a few years ago is it?

Posted by Emmanuel_Goldstein at October 26, 2009 11:32 AM

comment #5

Gabe Rodriguez says ...

So you've only seen the first half hour, Jeff?

Posted by Gabe Rodriguez at October 26, 2009 11:49 AM

comment #6

actionman says ...

Mo'Nique's mixed-race flow-chart speech/scene in Domino is extremely funny.

Posted by actionman at October 26, 2009 11:57 AM

comment #7

Tom Reagan says ...

Someone told me a few months ago that Precious was hands down the frontrunner for the Oscar. Personally, I think it's going to go to Up in the Air, which I've heard is a James L. Brooks level achievement. Also, I think Precious is going to rub some people the wrong way with the Monique character.

Posted by Tom Reagan at October 26, 2009 12:14 PM

comment #8

Jeffrey Wells says ...

Wells to Gabe Rodriquez: I've seen the whole thing. Work on your reading skills.

Posted by Jeffrey Wells at October 26, 2009 12:16 PM

comment #9

Chicago48 says ...

Wishful thinking if Precious is supposed to win best picture. The subject matter is too dark, and you can believe me, black audiences will. not. see. it. Maybe it will find sponsorship with white audiences, but the subject matter is too gross for black audiences. We/They don't want to see the "real deal'...these are things that we / they don't want to talk about. They are whispered about. I mean look at the body count of black boys in the urban communitiies. Do you see anybody picking up a fire bomb and bombing the drug dealer's house or the gun dealer's store?

It happened in the 1960s with the black activist movement, trying to keep drugs and guns out of the communities....but not with this generation.

Besides, the movie is on par with a Hallmark Hall of Fame TV movie. If you remember Monster's Ball was supposed to be a contender too, and it fell flat.

Won't happen.
Now it will get a few nominees for lead & supporting actress and maybe director. But that's about it.

Posted by Chicago48 at October 26, 2009 1:31 PM

comment #10

rory taylor says ...

excuse me all. you want to comment about precious and yet you give slumdog an easy go? what was so special about that film? everything about it was an easy lay? give me a FUCKING BREAK

Posted by rory taylor at October 26, 2009 2:05 PM

comment #11

Noah Cross says ...

Chicago, don't disagree with you too much, except where you suggest it might get a director nod but not Best Picture. 10 BP slots, has a chance...5 Director slots....No.

Posted by Noah Cross at October 26, 2009 2:55 PM

comment #12