The Precarious Politics of Precious: A Close Reading of a Cinematic Text

Abstract

There has been considerable controversy over Lee Daniels's directorial debut Precious: Based on Novel Push by Sapphire since its release in 2009. Various news outlets such as New York Times , ABC News and The Huffington Post have discussed film's polarizing effect. For example, on November 21, 2009, Times writer Felicia R. Lee posed question that seemed to be on many people's minds: Is film a reinforcement of noxious stereotypes or a realistic and therapeutic portrayal of a black family in America? In its unrelentingly close examination of eponymous character's tragically abusive childhood, Precious is simultaneously a grueling social problem picture for twenty-first century and an amalgamation of familiar images that resonates with racial stereotypes. The film—and its controversial reception—has even been linked to other hotly contested movies like The Color Purple (1985). Prominent intellectuals have been recruited to censure what Jill Nelson described as self-hatred and Ismael Reed termed the racism at heart of Precious . This essay examines critical controversy ignited by film and offers a close reading of text. By closely reading performances, film's aesthetic, and social context, I argue that Precious is complex and contradictory rather than simply offensive. To dismiss it as offensive is to lose sight of good—even exceptional—filmmaking and commentary within film. Instead, picture is a cultural palimpsest upon which multiple signs have been inscribed.

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