Lee Daniels' The film 'Precious' (2008) based on the novel by Sapphire.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/b015b74g/

The casting is excellent. The acting is excellent. The look is excellent. But I didn't really see the point of this story.

Dysfunctional Black America. Same ole same ole. Why repeat such stories? To indict the education systemtndict the welfare system?

What kind of hope was given? I didn't feel the ending was triumphant. Precious is dreaming if she thinks it's going to be an easy ride.

The most shocking thing was the persistent ignorance (even in the 21st century) about the transmission of HIV.  I mean, come on. The level of ignorance was on par with what it was back in the 1980s.

I think Armond White's New York Press' was right: "Black pathology sells" because it conforms to and reinfornces racist ideas that  higher class blacks have of lower class blacks and it conforms to and reinfornces racist ideas that racist white people have of lower class blacks.

I agree with Courtland Milloy (Washington Post) that the 'pleasure' in the film is 'purient' with 'about as much social value as a porn flick.'

But Sukhdev Sandhu (Daily Telegraph) said it best when he dismissed the film as "a dispiriting mix of cliche & melodrama."