Precious
I saw Precious tonight with Alejo. There were some amazing performances. And there were moments which were hard to watch. But they were hard because there are things in life that are difficult to witness.
I didn't really connect emotionally with Precious until about halfway through the movie, but in thinking about it afterwards, I realize that it was that she hadn't really expressed herself much up until that point. And there's part of the problem with empathizing with others: often we need to see who they are before we can reach out. Some people are so downtrodden that they've lost the will to open up; unfortunately, then they're even more easily ignored.
I was reminded of how I felt when I read "Still Separate, Still Unequal" in Harper's Magazine a few years ago. The article explored the issue of increasing segregation at many of our schools. My post on it here.
At the end of the movie Precious is walking down a crowded city sidewalk with her children, and I thought about how quickly and automatically I make judgments about people. And even though I've had this revelation before, I need to keep bringing myself to be present to it: you just never know what people have gone through to arrive at where they are today.
It's easy to presume to know. It's easy to give up. It's hard to remain open and to keep going.
I didn't really connect emotionally with Precious until about halfway through the movie, but in thinking about it afterwards, I realize that it was that she hadn't really expressed herself much up until that point. And there's part of the problem with empathizing with others: often we need to see who they are before we can reach out. Some people are so downtrodden that they've lost the will to open up; unfortunately, then they're even more easily ignored.
I was reminded of how I felt when I read "Still Separate, Still Unequal" in Harper's Magazine a few years ago. The article explored the issue of increasing segregation at many of our schools. My post on it here.
At the end of the movie Precious is walking down a crowded city sidewalk with her children, and I thought about how quickly and automatically I make judgments about people. And even though I've had this revelation before, I need to keep bringing myself to be present to it: you just never know what people have gone through to arrive at where they are today.
It's easy to presume to know. It's easy to give up. It's hard to remain open and to keep going.
Labels: movies
posted by michael at 12:34 AM
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1 Comments:
Michael, I have placed Precious on the top of my movie list for the season. (It's a pretty long list...Precious has had good staying power.)
After seeing the trailer I was moved, shaken....felt like I had the complete emotional experience promised by the film. I wondered if the movie itself could deliver on the promise.
I used to be less sensitive to movie images, preferring to integrate them into a fabric, a texture, of the work.
Now, I tend to quesiton the motives of filmmakers for their artistic decisions, and consider if there is some streak of exploitation beyond what is required for artisitc or expository purposes. I wonder if there are some things that need not be acted out, portrayed, or witnessed, to deliver the same power or make a point.
I was a bit concerned about how far Precious would need to go, and what I would be subjected to, "by choice" since I purchased a ticket, to make its point about the abuse suffered by its main character.
Based on your review and the positive remarks of others, I will give it a look.
I was also moved by your reaction last March to the article you read...thanks for sharing it again.
Thanks!
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