I was very uncomfortable with the laughter from the audience. I know that the comedic interruptions allowed for easier viewing of a difficult story, but I was much more moved after reading the book than I was after seeing the movie. I don’t actually blame this on Daniels, but instead the surrounding audience who seemed unaware of how deep the plot and subplots of the movie went. (Laughing at a bunch of 16-year olds who are just learning their ABC is tragic to me.

The most encouraging theme of the story is intervention and neighborly concern. Precious was able to find a better circumstance because of opportunities, both big and smalle – her math teacher’s recommendation, her principle stopping by the house to give her the name of the alternative school, Ms. Blu’s consistent reinforcement of self-worth, or the social workers insistence of identifying the home life issues. I think if people begin to think of themselves as potential catalysts for positively changing the lives of others, even in the smallest ways, the fruits of our efforts will be bountiful.

Uppity on toward the One who holds the future…

And I think the end of the movie was proof-positive that it doesn’t end with a social worker or a caring teacher. That in fact, Precious disappears into the crowds with a nine-month old baby and a toddler with Down syndrome and we have NO idea where she went off to–and she’s only 17! What the movie showed was the bare minimum required: Precious was able to leave the house of a mentally ill mother and begin to see a future for herself past the next five minutes.