Based on the novel Push by Sapphire, the film discloses the story of Precious a girl, raped by her own father. As a result of the assaults, she is pregnant with her second child. Her mother treats her badly. Precious gets the chance to go to “Each One Teach One“; it is a school for young adults from underprivileged and abusive milieu. Precious improves her skills and graduates.
In our opinion the film is especially moving. It is based on a true story. That is the point why the film caught our attention. The actors and actresses act emotionally and the plot is realistic. As a result, the film version seems reasonable.
Closing on the scene we chose - where Precious is with her mother at the welfare office to discuss in which household Precious and her two children should live - ,like the producer, we would select a clean setting, with a little bit of privacy.
In our opinion the actresses were an excellent choice because they act authentically and lifelike - as an example, when Precious cries. She snivels because of her mother, who forces her to stuff herself with greasy, unhealthy food, even when Precious does not want to do so.
It was a great choice not to use a soundtrack because the scene focuses on a serious interchange. The sound effects were well chosen because they give a naturalistic feeling.
Sound and image are synchronic.
Most of the time we would choose close-up shots on the protagonists. Sometimes we would use medium shots or long shots to show the entire setting and each protagonist’s expression. The director mostly applied close-up shots which we would do as well.
The director also decided on straight-on angle so that the spectators could see that Precious‘ mother was crying. We would utilize straight-on angle just as the director did because everyone in the conversation has an equal position. A straight-on angle is plied to present everyone as equal and a high angle could be used to show it when someone stands up.
Due to the camera movements, the camera moving like a human head in an interchange, seems accurately close to life.
Both the novel Twelve and the film scene start calmly with a hard topic. Twelve begins with the protagonist describing himself and his life as a drug dealer. The film scene begins with a conversation between Precious and her mother; they discuss where Precious should live with her two children. The novel terminates truly awfully; many of the characters are shot. In the film the scene ends comparatively well; Precious is happy to have both of her children and not to have to live with her mother, but her mother seems truly sad with Precious‘ decision. Whenever Precious finds herself in a hopeless situation, she imagines being in a positive one. In Twelve cruel memories are written in italic font. Twelve is narrated and the film is shot from the first person narrator point-of-view. The two oeuvres are long enough.
This scene was added as it ends the relationship between Precious and her mother.
We would recommend the film to students our age. It would make it more accessible to the audience to see the film once. One time is enough because the film remains in memory.
Sources:
DVD:
Daniels, Lee, producer: “Precious”, 2009
Novel:
McDonell, Nick: Twelve, Reclam, 2005
