Posted on November 18th, 2009 by Colin
6 Comments »
This last weekend I saw the modern urban tale much publicized by executive producers Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey, Precious. SPOILER ALERT! It’s depressing!!!
Want to read some reviews? I was really impressed by Armond White’s review for the New York Press heavily crticizing the identity politics at play in the story. But for a white gay male review, which I figure is more applicable to the readership here, I’d suggest Rich’s review on his blog FourFour (which actually tries to serve as a response to some of White’s criticisms).
My opinion is pretty simple and I’m not going to spend a lot of time explaining or defending it. I liked Precious. However, I think that the hype is more due to sensational subject matter rather than the actual film making. I thought Mo’Nique’s scenes were fairly manipulative storytelling and maybe would make more sense in a short format rather than a feature length film. My favorite parts were actually the classroom scenes, which abandoned the stylized, grease smeared, low lit scenes of abuse in Precious’ apartment for a more improvised, almost cinema verité style and tone. The way I see the movie, Lee Daniels used so many different styles of storytelling in this movie that there are basically 4 different movies smushed together in one. I think it’s effective, since different people will probably relate to these very different moments, causing the emotional impact to effect a wider audience. But it’s not something I would label as anything more than mediocre film making.
What I’m interested in, which no one seems to have pointed out, are a couple moments where, when one considers the star power/personas associated with the film, real life and the story being told seemed to clash for a moment in the way that we as an audience might react.
The first one was a scene when Precious and the alterna-schooled kids actually start talking about people watching Oprah. I can’t help but question whether or not this qualifies as a shameless shill. Yes, in 1987 Oprah was a common cultural touchstone for people to relate with. But since she’s attached as an executive producer, is this a secret sell of her brand/identity/show? All I remember is that the dialogue about Oprah went on for what seemed like a really long time.
The second, and by far the more important moment, is when Precious is at the welfare office and askes Mariah Carey ( playing her social worker) “What are you?” And then Mariah doesn’t tell her. Because it’s a secret. Forever I just thought Mariah Carey was a white girl, but then, when one considers all these different racial minority groups that seem to relate to her, I just don’t know anymore. And maybe, just maybe, I came out of the film thinking the real point of Precious was to get me to question Mariah Carey’s racial identity. Not that I’d ever think something so shallow and flippant after watching a movie that tackles heavier issues.
What are you Mariah?!!1!!
Are you Mexican, Mariah?
Are you Black, Mariah?
Are you Italian Mariah?
Are you Irish, Mariah?
Are you Alien, Mariah?
WHAT ARE YOU MARIAH?!?!?!
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November 22nd, 2009 at 10:58 pm
She’s half-black half-white. Her mother is Caucasian, and her father is African-American.
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December 15th, 2009 at 9:15 pm
Well it’s a fact that Mariah Carey is black and white (black mom, white dad) (she did have a movie about her life glitter I believe) that’s not fair that they are clowning her minimum makeup was used in the movie ya digg so for the super sexy mariah carey your probably used to seeing is probably not her every day she is getting up there in age too. your sexy Mariah! Shotti Smooth from philly says do ya thing!
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December 30th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
I love Mariah. She goes through phases. She is like the moon. At 1st she was White(Vision of Love). Then she was kinda of Italian(Tommy Mottola cage bird years)….and then she was a free butterfly/sitting on puffy’s lap drinkin cristal/hip-hop/Nick Cannon/auto-tuner Mariah and she has been Black ever since…
Her experience is like mine…Black(Prince), White(Grunge), White Fag(Morrisey) and then finally Black Again(R. Kelly and Beyonce and the luv 4 them is not ironic)
See racial identity is fun!
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Colin reply on December 31, 2009:
So when Mimi was emancipated it was kinda like breaking free of her slavery under the italians?
will reply on January 1, 2010:
YES! LET FREEDOM RING WITH A FIVE OCATVE VOICE! MiMI TOOK THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD RIGHT INTO NICK CANNON’S ARMS AND HOT 97′S HEART!
January 3rd, 2010 at 1:06 pm
You guys are fucking idiots
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