Congratulations to Mo'Nique for winning the Academy Award for best supporting actress for her portrayal of Mary Jones in the movie Precious.
Ask anyone their feelings regarding the movie Precious and you will definitely get an ear full.
Precious was a movie, in my opinion, that needed to be told – from both sides.
Was it a hard movie to watch? For me, yes! Was it one that focused on what society tends to personify when it comes to people of color? Yes! Did it have redeeming qualities? In my opinion -- YES!
Art often imitates life and life is not the fairy tale people choose to lose themselves in. I am thankful that Ms. Mo'Nique took on this role that needed to be told; that has given hope to those who had lost hope as the abuser and the abused.
Mary Jones was all too real. I grew up with Mary Jones. No, she wasn't my mother, but she was the mother of some close to me. What I observed in my childhood in terms of abuse to my childhood friends, is not what even adults should have witnessed. Yet, through it all, like Precious, they persevered through physical and mental abuse. They did because they made a decision not to become double victims.
The story, although portrayed by African American actors, is not solely our story. Abuse has cycles that is bilingual and is a world traveler. It knows no gender nor is it limited by socio-economic boundaries. Abuse is universal and until we acknowledge, expose and above all things, care enough to help, the cycle will continue and the Mary Joneses of the world will continue to be judge, jury and in some instances, executioners of those who are oh, so Precious.
Ask anyone their feelings regarding the movie Precious and you will definitely get an ear full.
Precious was a movie, in my opinion, that needed to be told – from both sides.
Was it a hard movie to watch? For me, yes! Was it one that focused on what society tends to personify when it comes to people of color? Yes! Did it have redeeming qualities? In my opinion -- YES!
Art often imitates life and life is not the fairy tale people choose to lose themselves in. I am thankful that Ms. Mo'Nique took on this role that needed to be told; that has given hope to those who had lost hope as the abuser and the abused.
Mary Jones was all too real. I grew up with Mary Jones. No, she wasn't my mother, but she was the mother of some close to me. What I observed in my childhood in terms of abuse to my childhood friends, is not what even adults should have witnessed. Yet, through it all, like Precious, they persevered through physical and mental abuse. They did because they made a decision not to become double victims.
The story, although portrayed by African American actors, is not solely our story. Abuse has cycles that is bilingual and is a world traveler. It knows no gender nor is it limited by socio-economic boundaries. Abuse is universal and until we acknowledge, expose and above all things, care enough to help, the cycle will continue and the Mary Joneses of the world will continue to be judge, jury and in some instances, executioners of those who are oh, so Precious.
Great post, Linda!! Your are so correct--people need to speak up. Only by continuously speaking, can we make the world see reality--abuse is there, hiding behind doors in every neighborhood, in every part of the world. Thanks for the post~
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post. Linda. Abuse is indeed universal, and thrives on the silence/denial of victims and onlookers.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Mo'nique for winning this Oscar and also for helping to pull back the veil on abuse.
Yvonne
http://lifelinesproverbsliving.blogspot.com/
Yay for Monique!
ReplyDeleteSeventeen years in the human services business here and yes, Mary Jones is real. She absolutely crosses all ethinic and socioeconomic backgrounds.
I'm very glad for Mo'Nique and her recognition from the Oscars. I haven't seen "Precious" and probably never will (just not my kind of movie, that's all) but I've heard nothing but good things about her portrayal of Mary Jones, so I believe the win is well-deserved.
ReplyDeleteIt's great to hear from you Joyce. Your words are so true. We need to look at and then react positively to the ills of our society.
ReplyDeleteThanks for coming. Please visit again.
Linda!
So true Yvonne. Thank you for stopping by.
ReplyDeleteLinda!
Yes Rhonda Mary Jones is very real. Like I said, I have known her and her victims.
ReplyDeleteLinda!
Hey Kendra. I've heard the same from others. Not every movie is for every person.
ReplyDeleteThank you for dropping in.
Linda!
Many of the scenes in Precious were difficult to watch and depressing. Yet, I realize hiding these stories of extreme abuse is not the answer. The story of abuse, poverty, and self esteem issues for many women is real and universal. Great writers have written about these issues and movies have been made (i.e., The Color Purple, The Bluest Eye, and many others). Nonetheless, I think that Precious could serve its purpose even better as a documentary. Nonetheless, congratulations are in order for the author, actors, and director who depicted this painful slice of the human condition.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your thoughts with us Angeline.
ReplyDeleteLinda!