Over the weekend, Taro I had the opportunity to see Precious. I was floored by this movie. Having heard so much about the tough subject matter beforehand, I was actually kind of dreading it but I steeled myself and went ahead.
Well, I'm so glad I did. This is not a film for the faint of heart, as the sixteen-year-old protagonist is subjected to horrific abuse at the hands of her family. However, the film is ultimately an uplifting story about the triumph of the human spirit, and beauty and hope and love far outshine the ugliness.
I cannot remember the last time I saw a film that dealt so candidly and touchingly with the subject of breastfeeding. Indeed, one of the most moving and pivotal points of the film is when 16-year-old Precious, having just given birth to her second child, tenderly breastfeeds the baby for the first time while we hear hear a voiceover in which she expresses her deep love for the baby and her powerful desire to keep the child instead of giving it up for adoption. I'm not sure what the exact lines are, but as the baby latches on, Precious says something like, "I have what this baby needs. I am what this baby needs."
It was just so lovely to see breastfeeding portrayed in this deep and beautiful way. The scene is even more powerful in the context of the rest of the story -- knowing what kind of awful abuse Precious herself has endured at the hands of her parents, seeing the way that she bonds so sweetly with her own child is all the more moving and indicative of the character's ability to rise above her circumstances and change her own life and the life of her children for the better. A girl who had been devalued and treated like dirt for her entire life finds power and love through this natural act of mothering. I was profoundly moved.
Have you seen Precious? What are your thoughts? When was the last time you saw breastfeeding in a movie and how was it portrayed?
I have wanted to see this movie for awhile...but as an abuse survivor I haven't been brave enough to do it yet. I tend to stick to the comedies...Plus, in my line of work, I hear the heartwrenching stuff all day. I heard the movie was amazing. I am glad it protrayed breast feeding in such a powerful way. The last time I remember seeing breastfeeding in a movie was "Away We Go" and well, it was more comical than serious. I still found it funny though. Does the artificial boob to feed the grandbaby in "Meet the Parents Count?" :)
ReplyDeleteOh, I want to see it!, I hope I can find it online soon as I suppose it won´t get international screening.
ReplyDelete16 years old mothers remembered me of MTV 16 and pregnant. That show is so controversial to me, not for young mothers an all the teen motherhood subject, but for the bad treatment and exposition of all those newborns! None breastfeed or is informed correctly about it, nobody cares from the hospital to the families.
Maybe it is nonsense to your post but it just came to my mind.
Happy 2010 for you!
Andrea
I'm planning on seeing this film, too! I've heard great things about it.
ReplyDeleteThe last movie I saw that included breastfeeding was "The Hangover." Heather Graham pulls one out to nurse. I think it was included in the film only to seem shocking and showcase her breasts. The men in the film behaved the same guys around us behave ... squirmy and uncomfortable. As Americans, we have so hyper-sexualized the booby. I plan on breastfeeding when I have a child, but it's rather disheartening to think people are going to be so uncomfortable with it.
Anyhow, that was a random tangent there! Can't wait to see the film. Am thrilled the Mo-Nique won a Golden Globe -- heard she was did a great job with her scary character.
The last time I saw breastfeeding in a movie, it was used as humor. It would be awesome to see it's true value portrayed in a movie. I too am a little scared to see Precious. I don't know if I can take it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing that loving scene!
I've recently seen Precious, and it floored me as well. All my assumptions and expectations about the film were wrong. It's a beautiful movie and story.
ReplyDeleteI did see Precious, and to say the truth, the only part I could have enjoyed was the full on view of Precious breastfeeding. No cloths, nothing draped over baby. Just beautiful biological nurturing at its finest. The movie in its whole was too difficult for me to handle. I was left with a blank stare for days. I didn't sleep that night. I cried during the WHOLE movie..
ReplyDeleteI did a post last month on this movie too. Those bfing scenes were inspiring
http://arubanbreastfeedingmamas.blogspot.com/2009/12/breastfeeding-precious-or-perverted.html
I've been staring at my DVD wanting to pop it in, but I haven't been able to do it knowing what it was about. BUT your post inspired me to watch it.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen it yet but you have me in tears just reading this post!
ReplyDeleteSteph
I'd decided not to see it for a variety of reasons. But I am moved by your experience. This is the first I'd heard or read anything about the portrayal of breastfeeding. Sounds incredibly powerful. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing... I will catch Precious when it's on Netflix.
ReplyDeleteI think I shot you an email when I saw The Hangover, which is the only movie I can think of (from my entire life) that showed a woman openly breastfeeding. I was disappointed that most people in the theater with us gasped/laughed when it happened. I'm not sure if it was there for completely shock value... you could kind of argue that it was there to show how outgoing and self-confident Heather Graham's character was. (That's me giving benefit of doubt.)
Thank you for sharing your experience seeing the film Precious.
Leigh, I recently watched a movie called "The Devil's Arithmetic" which is based on the book of the same name. I read the book when I was young, it is about the Holocaust seen from a modern day teen's point of view. Anyway, one of the women in the Concentration Camp hides her pregnancy and eventually has her baby while there. There is a scene where is is breast feeding her newborn as the guards walk in having discovered that there is a baby being hidden. It's is one of the most touching scenes I have ever watched. Just wanted to share that. A very moving movie and amazing scene!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the film is inspiring, but I'm not sure I can bring myself to watch it. We rarely watch movies as it is and I don't think I want to spend 2+ hours immersed in such a sad and horrific story. It might be a little too much for my heart to bear.
ReplyDeletestephanie@metropolitanmama.net
Did we see the same movie?
ReplyDeleteI am still breastfeeding my 9 month old and saw the movie a couple months ago. I agree the subject matter is hard to take, but what REALLY affected me - as a mom who is currently breastfeeding - was the part at the end of the movie where Precious's mother (Mo'nique) admitted to the social worker (Mariah) that she still had her milk. Did you miss the scene early in the movie where Precious's mother was masturbating and yelled for Precious to come to her? The end of the movie cleared up my question of why she wanted Precious to come in the room and what was going on there - HER MOTHER WAS SOMEHOW SEXUALLY ABUSING PRECIOUS BY MAKING HER BREASTFEED. Did you ladies miss that part?
I was horrified. For weeks I couldn't get that thought out of my mind. NOT COOL.
Precious's mom was sexually abusing her but it wasn't by forcing her to nurse, it was forcing her to perform oral sex on her (read the book, it's pretty graphic on that scene).
ReplyDeleteI too was surprised that in illiterate teen would choose to breastfeed but I attributed that to finally having some education and prenatal care, and learning how important it was-I'm sure she didn't nurse her daughter as those things were missing when she had her (she had her at home, with her mother 'kicking her in the head'. She says she 'finally got to see a Dr' for prenatal care for her son). But then she stops nursing when she finds out she's HIV+.
All in all, I was depressed by the movie. It tried to end on a feel-good note but here's a 16 year old with an 8th grade education, no job, no money, no family, 2 children to support and who is HIV+. In spite the good things and good people in her life right now, really, what are her chances?