Molay is a bit of a movie enthusiast. Maybe that is a bit of an understatement. I watch all sorts of movies from You, Me, and Dupree to the Japanese film, Departures (whose music was fantastic). I don’t playa-hate on movie genres.
To defend what ends up being hours of time I could have spent on finding a solution to poverty, I often watch movies to observe the craft of storytelling and messaging. So in a weird way it is educational for me. That said, I admit that I’m not immune (read: I’m a sucker) for a good ol’ fashioned movie that pulls at the heartstrings and makes us want to root for the underdog.
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire is one such movie, that I’m eagerly anticipating.
But I find the response to my excitement in this film very interesting. Or at least telling of the way different people see the world. For those of you who haven’t heard the hype a la Oprah and Tyler Perry or seen the preview, here is a short summary from Film Jabber, which seems to be the same as the official one:
“Set in Harlem in 1987, it is the story of Claireece "Precious" Jones (Gabourey Sidibe), a sixteen-year-old African-American girl born into a life no one would want. She's pregnant for the second time by her absent father; at home, she must wait hand and foot on her mother (Mo'Nique), a poisonously angry woman who abuses her emotionally and physically. School is a place of chaos, and Precious has reached the ninth grade with good marks and an awful secret: she can neither read nor write.
Precious may sometimes be down, but she is never out. Beneath her impassive expression is a watchful, curious young woman with an inchoate but unshakeable sense that other possibilities exist for her. Threatened with expulsion, Precious is offered the chance to transfer to an alternative school, Each One/Teach One. Precious doesn’t know the meaning of "alternative," but her instincts tell her this is the chance she has been waiting for...”
Now depending on our clichéd half-empty or half full view on life, you could see this as having the potential to be incredibly depressing or immensely uplifting.
Some people I have talked to ask me why I would want to clinically depress myself by watching something like that? Am I being morbid? Others are curious about the hype. But funny enough, no one who has expressed they want to see this to me, has suggested that it is because of the half-fullness they foresee in the story.
Is it because it is sort of weird to admit you want to see a more elevating story? I guess I can see that. I don’t think many people walk around saying they want to be inspired by watching Rudy. I know I don’t….yet…
But on the other end, its seems kind of unfortunate that its harder for us, myself included, to welcome inspiration more openly. Apart from the few motivational articles, videos, etc forwarded to me by friends, most of what I come across in a week are negative and hugely disheartening. The ceaseless fighting of politicians claiming to have our best interests in mind, the missing Caucasian child on CNN (sorry guys, its true), or imagery and language of the rest of the world crumbling (except India and China of course) because of civil strife and natural disasters - it is all dismal. And yes, I would include Jon & Kate plus 8 here also.
While I would never diminish the reality or seriousness of these situations, I find it hard to believe that there isn’t more good stuff happening out there. Hell, if a large chunk of the people I know are working towards the social good and for social change, there has to be a lot of great things happening out there. The question then becomes why aren’t we seeing it?
So without belaboring my point, and I think I have one, I really want to see movies, articles, tv shows like Precious (not to be confused by the creepy dude saying that in Lord of the Rings) and more like them because: I want to see the good in life and in the world and I refuse to settle for less.
I want to see her character getting a chance to make it despite her circumstances. I want to see more positive portrayals of minorities as heroes and inspiration in the mainstream, not just funny sidekicks. I want to cry but then smile.
And soon I will admit that I saw Rudy for the inspiration.
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