Precious

This film contains very strong language,

some scenes which some viewers may find upsetting

and some scenes of a sexual nature.

'My name is Claireece Precious Jones.'

(BELL RINGS)

'I wish I had a light-skinned boyfriend with real nice hair.

'And I want to be on the cover of a magazine.

'But first I want to be in one of them BET videos.

'Momma said I can't dance.

'Plus she say who want to see my big ass dancin' anyhow?'

(MAN) If there's no volunteers I'm going to have to call people.

OK, Leticia, you got number one. Leticia.

-Jess, Wesley, two and three.

-'I like math.

'I don't say nothin'.

'I don't open my book even. I just sit there.

'Every day I tell myself something going to happen.

'Like, I'm going to break through.

'Or somebody going to break through to me.

'I'm going to be normal

'and pay attention and sit in the front of the class.'

-Principles.

-'Someday.'

Principles you can do in your head.

'I likes Mr Wicher.

'I pretend he my husband and we live someplace like Westchester.

'Look at him. He like me, too, I know it.

'I can tell by his eyes.

'He always lookin' at me and smilin' at me.'

Boys. Boys!

I'm not your fuckin' boy.

-You're disrupting the class.

-Well, I'm talkin' now!

Shut the fuck up. I'm tryin' to listen.

'Mr Wicher know I got his back.'

-122. (BOY)

-Woof!

-Woof!

-(WICHER) Why are we barking, Jess?

Monday's assignment. I'm assuming everybody did it.

(PUPILS) No.

No.

(WICHER) Please...

Precious... Quiet. Precious, get your things.

-I have to... Come here for a second.

-'Now this shit.'

Is there anybody who didn't do their homework?

Why? These aren't requests, these are requirements, OK?

You have to go to the principal's office.

(HONKS) Go to the principal's office.

All right, that's enough. That's enough.

-(WOMAN)

-No, he's not allowed on campus. Where was he seen?

Could you tell Mr Tork from room 25

to go to room 16 right away? Thank you.

No, he was seen on the second floor.

Send Claireece in here.

She ready for you now.

Mr Taylor? Ms Lichtenstein. ..Come in.

Matthew Williams, second floor.

In front of his locker. Yes. Suspended last week. Hm-hmm.

Yeah.

Yes, absolutely. Thank you.

Hello, Claireece.

Are you pregnant?

You're 16. You're still in junior high school.

And you're pregnant with your second child.

Is that correct, Claireece?

Are you pregnant again?

(TUTS)

-What happened, Claireece?

-I had sex, Ms Lichenstein.

Do you have any other thoughts about your situation, Claireece?

Claireece?

Am I in trouble?

Thank you. I gotta get back to math.

Sit down, Claireece. Sit down right now.

We should have a parent-teacher's conference

with you, me and your mother.

My mother busy.

All right. Well, how about if I come to your house?

If I were you, I wouldn't.

I... I'm going to have to suspend you.

That ain't fair! I didn't do nothin'. I do my work. My grades is good.

Is something going on at home?

If something's going on at home, I want you to tell me right now.

-(MOTHER) You get my cigarettes?

-Nah, they didn't have it.

I played the number, though. I couldn't box it.

(CAT MEOWS)

Ah, yes!

Yeah...

Yeah, right there.

Yeah. Daddy loves you!

(CROWD SCREAMS)

(GIRL) Oh, my God, Precious!

-What did you think of the film?

-It was fabulous.

What's next for you?

-How are you feeling?

-I feel great!

-Just one more, just one more!

-I love you, too!

You know I love you! Hey, boo.

(RUMBLING)

I ain't going to say it no more.

(VOICES ON TV)

(DOOR BUZZER)

(INSISTENT BUZZING)

Tell them assholes stop ringin' my bell.

'I hate crackheads.

'No-one ever ring this bell 'cept for crackheads.

'Why they fuckin' with us?'

(BUZZER)

Stop ringin' the goddamn buzzer, motherfuckers!

'Get the ghetto a bad name.'

(BUZZER)

Stop ringin' the goddamn buzzer!

(BUZZER)

Stop it!

-(BUZZER)

-Stop it!

Press "listen", stupid.

It's Sandra Lichtenstein for Claireece and Ms Mary Johnston.

Who is that, Precious?

White bitch from school.

What d'you want?

Claireece,

I want to talk to you about your education.

(WHISPERS) 86 that bitch.

'My mother don't want to get cut off welfare.

'That's what this visit going to result in.'

Ms Lichenstein, get outta here before I kick your ass.

'Mr Wicher told me that you're one of his best math students.'

If your fat ass don't get that bitch away from here...

'..like a potential for math. So I called Mrs McKnight

'from Higher Education Alternative, Each One Teach One.

'It's an alternative school. Claireece?'

-Are you listening to me?

-Yeah.

'OK. Mrs McKnight. Each One Teach One.'

It's located at the 11th floor,

Hotel Theresa, 125th Street.

Get rid of that bitch.

'..11th floor.'

I heard you the first time.

OK.

'I don't know what an alternative school is,

'but I feel I want to know.

'My heart is all warm inside. Mr Wicher think I'm a good student.

-'I knew'd he liked me.

-(GIGGLES)'

(PAN CLATTERS)

School ain't going to help none!

Take your ass down to the welfare. Who the fuck she think she is?

So I guess you think you cute now, right?

Uppity bitch. You shoulda kept your fuckin' mouth shut.

Just cos he going to give you more children than he gave me,

you think you're something fuckin' special? Fuck you and fuck him!

Precious!

Precious! Precious!

Get down here, bitch!

You brought that white bitch up in my house?

-Why'd you bring that bitch up here?

-I didn't.

Well, why the fuck did she ring my buzzer?

I can't hear you, since you got so much motherfuckin' mouth

and you bring that bitch in my house.

Why'd that bitch ring my goddamn buzzer?

I didn't tell her to come here!

See, I think right now, you feelin' like you're becomin' a grown woman.

Cos that shit you pulled in the kitchen,

I should've fucked you up, but I let you walk away,

and I let you come get yourself together.

But, bitch, if you ever pull that shit on me again,

that will be your last motherfuckin' day standin', I promise you.

Send a white bitch to my motherfucking buzzer?

Talkin' about some higher education? You're a dummy, bitch.

You will never know shit.

Don't nobody want you. Don't nobody need you.

You done fucked my motherfuckin' man and had two motherfuckin' children,

and one's a goddamn animal runnin' around,

looking crazy as a motherfucker.

Bitch, you know what? See, I think you... I think you tryin' me.

I think you're tryin' to fuck with me. You're fuckin' with my money.

Standin' up there lookin' down at me like you're a motherfuckin' woman.

I'll show you what real women do, bitch.

You don't know what real motherfuckin' women do!

Real motherfuckin' women sacrifice.

I shoulda aborted your motherfuckin' ass, cos you ain't shit!

I knew the day they put you in my goddamn hand

you wasn't a goddamn thing!

You have that smirk on your face, bitch? Get it off your fuckin' face!

Now smile about that! Smile about that, you fat bi...!

Bitch!

I'm going to kill you, bitch!

(CAT SCREECHES)

(CLATTERING) Bitch!

(DISCO MUSIC)

-(TV) BLANK and eggs.

-Bacon.

-Right. What's up, Doc eats these.

-Carrots.

-Right. Ice that comes in a tray.

-Ice cubes.

Right. And the best part of the steak.

-T-bone.

-No.

-Filet mignon.

-Right.

-An English... Thomas's English...

-Muffin.

-Right.

(COMPERE) That's it! (APPLAUSE)

You really need to get some rest.

You have such a big day ahead of you tomorrow.

And remember, Mommy loves you.

(DISCO MUSIC)

Precious, you know I love you.

I'm going to kick that white lady outta my house,

move you in with me. You want to live in Westchester?

-Commit a...

-Crime.

-This is you get back together again.

-Reunion.

-This is when you're like this...

-Pregnant.

-Yeah. This is you make a fast...

-Escape.

(COMPERE) That's it.

(MUSIC POUNDS)

Where you goin'?

Where you goin'?

Make sure you play my 852 and tell 'em to box it.

And get some kitty litter.

(TURNS TV ON)

Ethel, where you at? (MAKES COAXING SOUND)

-Precious, what we going to play?

-Get the fuck outta here.

-Why ain't you at school?

-You said we was going to play.

That's exactly why we ain't playing. I never said nothin' like that.

# (BIG-BAND MUSIC)

(SUNNY GALE) # Did you ever hear a dream talking?

# Well, I did

# Did you ever have a dream thrill you with "Will you be mine?"

# Oh, it's so grand

# And it's too, too divine

# Did you ever see a dream dancing?

# Well, I did

# Did you ever find heaven right in your arms

# Saying, "I love you, I do"?

# Well, the dream that was walking and the dream that was talking

# And the heaven in my arms was you! #

You would say some shit like that to me and you don't even mean it?

No, I'm not playin' with you. (BEEP)

No, and she come... Hold on. Each One Teach One. Hold, please.

Yes, she called my house. I know it wasn't your sister, Trey.

Because it wasn't her.

-What this is here?

-Each One Teach One.

-I'm looking for an alternative school.

-This is an alternative.

What alternative is?

What exactly are you asking me?

Lady at my other school told me to come here, Hotel Theresa.

-Said it's an alternative school.

-An alternative school.

It's like a choice. A different way of doing things.

So I need your discharge papers sayin' that they discharged you.

I got kicked out of school cos I was pregnant.

I still need your discharge papers or we can't let you in.

-Ms Lichtenstein didn't say all that.

-You the one she called about.

Claireece P Jones?

They already sent your discharge papers and stuff.

-I could start today?

-Yeah.

Are you currently receiving AFDC?

My mother get AFDC for me and my daughter.

Your mother has custody of you and your daughter

and you're on her budget?

I need a copy of your mother's budget, a copy of your phone bill

and your utility bill.

We gotta test your reading and your math level, see where to place you.

(PHONE RINGS) Hold on, baby.

Each One Teach One. Hold.

To enter into the GED classes,

you gotta get an 8.0 or better on the TABE.

'There's always somethin' wrong with these tests.

'These tests paint a picture of me with no brain.

'These tests paint a picture of me and my mother,

'my whole family, as less than dumb.

'Just ugly black grease to be wiped away, finded a job for.

'Sometimes I wish I was dead.

'I'll be OK I guess, cos I'm lookin' up.

'I'm lookin' up for a piano to fall. (CHUCKLES)

'A desk, couch, TV... Momma, maybe.

-'Always somethin' in my way.'

-(MUSIC ON GHETTO BLASTER)

-Yeah, man.

-Make sure you get that for me, man.

'Alternative.'

Stop smokin' them shits, man.

That ain't the only thing going to kill you.

Hustling in the streets going to kill you.

It is what it is.

'Then my mind come back down to earth.'

Let me get some of that sweet ass, orca.

-What up, momma?

-'Why boys always grab on themselves?'

You heard what the fuck I said? I said gimme some fuckin' ass!

I'm serious. When you going to let me hit that?

-That bitch is laughing!

-'I wish they'd leave me alone.'

She's stupider.

(LAUGHS)

Oh!

That's what she'd get anyway.

-(CROWD SCREAMS) (GIRL)

-Precious!

(RAP MUSIC)

(GIRL SQUEALS)

(GIRL) Precious!

(GIRL) Precious!

(WATER RUNS)

(SIGHS)

Ma, I need some money.

Ma, I'm hungry!

Come take care of Mommy, Precious.

'I wish she'd stop this shit.'

(SLOWLY CLIMBS STAIRS)

'The other day I cried.

'I felt stupid.

'But you know what? Fuck that day.

'That's why God, or whoever, makes new days.

'Still hungry, though.'

(WOMAN) Nigger want me to leave my kids. They're my kids.

-What you want, baby?

-Give me a basket, please.

-Sides?

-I don't know yet.

I'm still thinkin' about it. Tryin' to watch my figure.

Butchie, you got a ten-piece ready?

Potato salad.

Thank you.

Hell, no, she didn't!

Get her ass! Get that big bitch!

MUSIC: "My Good Lovin'" by Da Brat and Lil Mo

No, I am not the one.

Uh-uh.

(NO SOUND)

(GROANS)

You in ABE?

Yeah.

Time's a-wasting.

What's your name?

Claireece.

Are you comin' in?

That door closes in 20 seconds.

How you guys doin' today?

Would you like to join us, Consuelo?

Consuelo, class is beginning.

You guys know that you are in the ABE class.

This is not GED. This is to get you ready for your GED.

These journals are very important, so do not forget them.

You will need to use them every day you are here.

They are the key to this class.

-It's 9:07, Joann. You're late.

-You said breakfast is important.

Tomorrow, that door will be locked at nine o'clock.

I want you to state your name,

where you were born, your favourite colour,

something you do well and why you're here.

I'll go first.

When are you due?

-My name...

-What you mean, you don't know?

-..is Blu Rain.

-That's your real name?

-Yes, it is.

-What, your first name Blu?

My favourite colour is purple.

I sing well.

And I'm here...

..because I love to teach.

-'She like to sing.'

-Rhonda?

'I wish I could sing. Go to church and sing in a choir.'

-Show 'em how it's done. (JAMAICAN ACCENT)

-All right.

My name is Rhonda Patrice Johnson.

(SNORTS)

Problem?

-(QUIETLY)

-I should smack her.

-(GIRL)

-What?

I was born in Kingston, Jamaica,

and my favourite colour is blue, and I cook good.

My mother used to have a restaurant on 7th Avenue.

Before she get sick, she teach me everything.

So I'm here to get my reading up so I can get my GED.

My name is Rita Romero. I was born here in Harlem.

I'm here cos I was an addict and I dropped out of school.

So I never got my reading and writing together.

My favourite colour's black.

-What do you do good?

-(RAIN) "Well", Joann.

-"What do you do well?"

-What do I do well?

No. Rita?

I'm a good mother. A very good mother.

My name's Jermaine. My favourite colour is red.

Tell us where you were born first.

I was born in the Bronx. Still live there.

My favourite colour is red. Used to be blue.

I can dance real good.

Homie of mine told me about Each One Teach One,

so I came here to stay out oftrouble.

You came to Harlem to stay out of trouble, right?

Yeah.

-Consuelo?

-This is bullshit.

You think so?

Claireece?

Can I skip, too?

(RAIN) Joann?

OK. I'm Joann. Hey! (LAUGHS)

(LAUGHS)

Erm... My favourite colour is fluorescent beige

and my ambition is to have my own record layer.

A record layer? Tell us where you come from

and why you come to this school.

I was born in Kings County Hospital,

but my mother moved us to Harlem when I was nine.

I'm here to get my GED, and then... I'm already into the music industry.

I'm just doing this little education thing so I can move up.

(RAIN) Let's begin.

This is ABE.

Can I go?

'I wish I could sit in the back of the class again.'

My name... Claireece Precious Jones.

I go by Precious.

I live in Harlem.

I like yellow. And...

..I had problems at my other school, so I come here.

Something you do well?

Nothing.

Everybody's good at something.

-Uh-uh.

-Come on.

Well, I can cook, and...

I never really talked in class before.

How does that make you feel?

Here.

It make me feel here.

Everybody open their journal.

Write the date at the top of the page... and write.

I don't care if you spell everything wrong

or if it's grammatically incorrect. Just write anything you're feeling.

This class will be a revolving door.

Some of you will make it and some of you won't.

15 minutes. Go.

'Before, I got a A-minus at English, and I didn't have to say nothin'.

'Ms Rain said we going to read and write in our notebooks every day.

'How we supposed to do that?

'But then she see the worry on my face and she say,

'The longest journey begin with a single step.

'Whatever the fuck that's supposed to mean.'

(RAIN) Come on, come on, do the work.

You love it, love it, learn it.

-(RAIN)

-Consuelo?

-(JOANN)

-# C for Consuelo!

-C for kick your ass.

-It's K for kick your ass, stupid.

-(JERMAINE)

-I got the D, Ms Rain.

D for dick.

-(JERMAINE)

-Tell this little-ass bitch that she don't know me.

Bet you wish you had!

(RAIN) Help her. (PUPILS) E.

-(PUPIL)

-E! (TITTERS)

F for fat.

-What?

-Good.

(ALL YELL)

Hey! Hey! Hey! Quit it!

People!

-Hey, stop it right now! Quit it!

-She just hit me!

-(CACKLES)

-(CONSUELO)

-Shut the fuck up!

-She just slapped me!

-Get out.

(JOANN CACKLES) We don't fight in my class.

Sit down.

(CACKLES)

-(RHONDA)

-C for cold!

-(ALL LAUGH)

Do you live with anybody?

My mother.

What does she do?

She don't do nothin'.

I want you to read a page from this book.

Try.

All I need you to do is sound out these words for me.

You don't have to know every word, just...

It doesn't matter if you stumble.

Try for me. Or trip up on it.

You just need to say what you know.

Come on, you can do this. Try. Take it word by word.

-Are you listening?

-(MARY) Precious!

(RAIN) I just want to know where you are in your reading skills.

(MARY) Some higher fuckin' learnin'! You a dumb bitch.

(RAIN) Try to read, OK?

(BUBBLING)

-(PANTS)

-"Working together against crime."

-(FATHER)

-You better than your mother!

-I'm going to call the nurse.

-No!

It all look the same to me.

What's this?

I can't do that, Ms Rain.

Push yourself.

A?

What's this word?

Do you know the letters? Come on.

D.

A.

Y.

Do you know that word?

Day.

What word is that?

-Ate. Ate.

-Good. Almost.

The word is "at".

At.

The.

-Sound it out.

-Beach.

The word is "shore". It's almost like "beach".

Very good. Now, read the whole thing for me.

"A...

"..day...

"..at the...

"..shore."

(VOICES ON TV) Get your big ass in here.

Where was you at this morning? Hmm?

You hear me talking? Where was you at this mornin'?

-School. I was at school.

-You a lyin' whore.

-I'm not lyin'.

-You is.

The welfare going to remove you from my budget

-cos you ain't attendin' school.

-I told you I got kicked out.

I been home nearly every day for two weeks.

You ain't told me nothin' about no damn school today.

I told you I was goin' to school this mornin'.

You plan on puttin' some food in that fryin' pan?

(SLAMS PAN DOWN) Precious, you got somethin' to say?

-No.

-Then don't slam shit down in here. You understand?

-Yes, ma'am.

-Hm-hmm.

Forget about that school shit. Take your ass down to the welfare.

-I'm getting a stipend from school.

-What the fuck is a stipend?

What is that? Fuck a stipend! I said take your ass down to the welfare.

-Right now?

-Why the fuck would you go right now?

It's night-time. Shit is closed.

You got to be there by 7am if you want to talk to somebody.

Fuckin' stupid. (CAT MEOWS)

You think you're too good now?

Is that what it is?

You think you is too good for the welfare?

There's more white folk getting assistance than niggers, Ms Onassis.

I think I said therapy.

Hurry your ass up. I am in here fuckin' starvin'.

Now what you going to do if I die of starvation? Where you going to go?

Oh, I forgot. School.

Each... What that bitch say? Each One do what?

Each One Teach One?

They don't know who the fuck they teachin', cos you can't learn shit.

Keep on listenin' to them white people.

That's what's going to get you fucked up.

Precious, I'm hungry.

(WOMAN SPEAKS ITALIAN ON TV)

You ain't cooked no collard greens with the fuckin' pigs' feet?

How am I supposed to eat pigs' feet with no collard greens?

And why in the fuck does that pigs' feet have so much hair in it?

You eat it. You come eat this shit.

-I'm not hungry, though.

-Yes, you is!

Precious, if you don't get this goddamn plate...

You just fix mine when you get done.

Since you fucked it up, you eat it up.

Hurry up and eat, Precious. I'm fuckin' hungry, too.

Don't let it get cold, cos cold-ass pigs' feet is nasty as shit.

(CHURCH BELL TOLLS)

(ITALIAN VOICES ON TV)

(CHATTER)

(WOMAN) So tell me about... tell me about your home life.

Ain't nothin' to really talk about.

You're in a safe place. Just talk.

What's going on?

What's the first thing that comes to your mind when you think about home?

I just wish I had my own TV, so I could watch it in my own room.

If I had my own TV, I wouldn't have to watch it with my mother.

And what's it like watching TV with your mother?

You enjoy watching TV with YOUR mother?

I need to know about your home life, what it's like where you live.

My mother's like a whale on the couch.

She say I eat all the time, but she always makin' me eat.

Then she call me a fat mess.

She say the apartment is little cos of me.

Only time she ever leaves is to play her numbers.

I feel like I could sit in the house with her every day, the shades drawn,

watch TV, eat, watch TV, eat again.

Can you help out with that?

Can we talk about somethin' else now?

How about your firstborn?

Mongo?

Mongo is her...? Is that...?

Mongo. That's short for "mongoloid".

Is that what you call her? Or... What is that, a nickname?

She got Down's Syndrome.

(MONGO BURBLES)

How you doing, Precious?

'My grandmother Toosie bring Mongo over to our house...

(BUZZER)

'..on days when the social worker come so it look like she live with us.'

(INSISTENT BUZZING) Answer the fuckin' door!

You see what you did? Goddamn it!

'Then my mother get the moneys and food stamps for me and Mongo.'

Who is it?

'It's Ms Turner.'

The social worker here.

You didn't tell me that bitch was comin' so fuckin' early!

-My fuckin' wig! Come get my wig!

-Come up.

Where's my lipstick?

Thank you! Thank you!

(KNOCKING AT DOOR)

(TURNS TV OFF)

-Get off of me!

-Leave that child alone, please!

Mind your goddamn business.

-Hi, Precious.

-Hey.

-Hello, Ms Turner. How you doin'?

-Hi, Mary.

Excuse that. My sweet grandbaby knocked it over.

Please, have a seat. Excuse the mess.

Thank you. How are you, Mary?

I'm doing really good, Ms Turner. Thank you.

Erm, when was the last time you've taken her to the doctor?

Erm... Precious, when did we take her, the baby?

Last month.

Yeah, on the 16th. On the 16th. Yes, yes, ma'am.

OK, and what did the doctor say?

Er...

They said that she's progressing really good.

She's doing really good.

-That's good.

-Yes, ma'am.

And have you been looking for a job?

I have, Ms Turner. I... I am.

But they've all been saying the same thing.

They'll call me back, they'll get back to me. Uh-oh!

-When did you go looking for the job?

-Erm... I went last week.

And I filled out several applications

and they all said the same thing, that they would call me.

Mommy!

No!

No!

Is that a new microwave oven?

-A... A microwave?

-Hm-hmm.

No, ma'am, we warm our things up in the oven.

-It's a toaster oven.

-Yes, ma'am.

OK, erm...

I will be seeing and speaking with you in a week or so.

In a week or so? Do you know what time you'll be coming?

-I'll let you know.

-Thank you so much.

Precious, any questions for me?

Uh-uh.

-How are you, Precious?

-I'm doin' good.

How you doin'?

I'm good, thank you.

-Ladies, thank you for your time.

-Thank you, Ms Turner.

-Have a great day.

-And you. Bye, Sheila.

-(MONGO)

-Bye.

Come get this motherfuckin'...! Get her!

Movin' and shit while I'm trying to talk to this bitch.

Makes me fuckin' itch.

She done threw her fuckin' candy on the floor. Goddamn animal.

You going to give it to her? Put the fuckin' candy back on the floor!

You going to let her have it? You're so fuckin' stupid.

Just like her dumb ass.

That bitch going to come up in here and I gotta fuckin' make pretend?

I'm sick of it! What the fuck you shakin' your head for?

You didn't do no goddamn better.

Let's talk about your father. Tell me about your relationship with him.

I don't know much more than you do, Ms White.

It's Ms Weiss. Tell me the little you DO know about your father.

It is important, whether you know it or not.

He give me this baby and my one before it, but...

-What did you say he gave you?

-Nothin'.

-You said your father gave you...

-Nothin'.

-I heard you say...

-You didn't hear shit.

-I heard you say...

-I ain't say shit like it!

I don't care, honey. I need to know this.

-Move on!

-I need to know this to help you.

-Bitch, change the subject!

-OK.

Well, I'll see you next time, then. Or maybe you'll see someone else.

But you have to talk to somebody if you want your cheque, sweetie.

I see vampires, too.

They come at night. They tell me I'm one of them.

They say, "Precious, you belong with us."

And then they go downstairs through the floor.

The people that live under us, they is vampires,

so that's where they should go.

They be so nasty, though,

leaving dirty tampons and shit in the garbage.

Don't even offer to take it out. They got no fuckin' home trainin'.

I've been going to the doctor, too. It's nice.

Ms Rain will fall out when she finds out

I ain't never been to no doctor before.

(CHUCKLES)

Don't know I had my first baby on the kitchen floor

with my momma kicking me upside my head.

Them the kinda things you talking about

when you say say whatever come into my mind?

'That's the end of them welfare cheques.

'I just couldn't lie no more. I shouldn't have said none of that.

'Momma going to kill me.'

(FUNK MUSIC)

(LAUGHTER)

Motherfuckers!

-What're we doin'?

-I'm not doing this with you today.

'One night we went out on a field trip.'

One second.

-Boo!

-(LAUGHTER)

'These girls is crazy.

'Ain't nobody ever grabbed my hand like that before.'

(LAUGHTER)

(SHIRLEY CHISHOLM) 'I stand before you today...

'..as a candidate for the Democratic nomination

'for the presidency of the United States of America."

-(MALCOLM X)

-'By having destroyed it,

'now we don't know of any achievement...'

-(MAN)

-'..and the testimony you're about to give

'will be the truth, the whole truth...'

-(MARTIN LUTHER KING)

-'I still have a dream.'

'It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

'I have a dream that one day...

'..this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of...'

'I'm going to teach my baby all this.'

-(MARTIN LUTHER KING)

-'We hold these truths to be self-evident,

'that all men are created equal.'

-That's bullshit.

-You mean, write a whole new one?

No. Girl, if I need to explain myself to you...

-(Joann)

-You think I'm stupid?

-Oh, my God!

That I believe in you?

That I think you're incredible?

-(Joann)

-Yes, but I don't know what to do.

Pull it together.

-OK, who's next?

-'I'm happy to be writing.'

-Go ahead, Rhonda.

-'I'm happy to be in school too.

'Ms Rain say we going to write every day in our notebook.

'She going to write back to us every day too.'

"Yesterday I went to church

"for the first time since I come to this country.

"I got to Brooklyn. The church was up de block and around de corner.

"The preacher preached two and a 'alf hour..."

Rhonda!

"..and how Lord Jesus, Son o' God, Messiah, Jehovah deliver."

Is that a fairy tale?

(LAUGHS) Sit down.

-Did anybody do this assignment?

-'Momma say this school ain't shit.

'She say you can't learn nothin' writin' in no book.'

This is a fairy tale called "Enchanted".

'She wrong about that. I is learnin'.'

"Once upon a time, in a faraway land,

"there lived a beautiful princess named Joann-a."

"She was very, very fly

"and extra, extra tall,

"and every single boy loved her, big and small.

"Except for one idiot boy who was so stupid and dumb.

"Out of all the cute boys who loved her, see, he was the cutest one."

-That's all I got so far.

-(RAIN) That's a good beginning.

'Thinkin' about little Mongo, too. I miss her.'

-That's how you start a fairy tale.

-'I'm happy my baby comin'.

'I'm going to read to this baby, too, and hang colours on its wall.

'Listen, baby, Mother not dumb. Mother love you. Listen.'

"Once upon a time, there was a magical princess

"who lived in a magical bubble under the sea.

"And she was from land."

(SCREAMS)

(SUDDEN SILENCE)

Stop screaming.

(SCREAMS)

(SOBS)

(THUNDER)

(BABY CRIES)

'His name Abdul Jamal Lewis Jones.

'He healthy. His mother love him.'

(MARY J BLIGE) # The first sign of spring

# The rosebuds are blooming

# I got a new song, new song to sing, yeah... #

'The food in this hospital's nasty.'

-It's not from here.

-Where it from?

A little shop by my house where I get my organic food,

so I don't have to eat that nasty mystery-meat stuff downstairs.

Can you bring me something? Not fruit. McDonald's.

First of all, I don't eat McDonald's.

Second of all, you don't need to eat McDonald's either. It's not healthy.

But I like McDonald's. We all do, right?

-We like McDonald's, too, over here.

-I don't like no damn McDonald's.

I want some of that organic shit like you got.

(LAUGHTER)

Well, when you get outta here,

go with your little friends to McDonald's,

and get as much McDonald's as you want.

But right now, you take care of your health.

-Are you a doctor? Are you a doctor?

-Am I a doctor?

-Yeah.

-I am a nurse's aide.

-Nurse John-John.

-Oh, that's funny?

-(CONSUELO)

-Well, you're a man.

-You...

-You've never seen a male nurse?

-No.

-(CONSUELO)

-Not looking like you do!

-(LAUGHTER)

I am a male nurse. I am Nurse John McFadden.

So was you up in the room when she popped the baby out?

-You was in between...?

-Joann, don't be nasty!

-How was it? Was you screaming?

-It hurt.

-Tough gal like you?

-Not so tough with a baby comin' out!

It hurts! And it burns.

Are you married? You got a girlfriend?

-He don't want you!

-How would you know?

-Stop being a ho for ten minutes!

-What's wrong with them?

You don't want her, right?

I wish I was a cantaloupe in that cup.

-So he could eat you?

-OK, no. I gotta go.

I gotta go. (ALL PROTEST)

No, that's all right.

-(CONSUELO)

-Hey, can I get a kiss, too, Nurse John?

Good afternoon, ladies. Bye, Nurse John.

-(ALL SAY GOODBYE)

-Good night, Nurse John-John.

(ALL EXCLAIM)

(RHONDA) # Precious and John-John

(ALL) # Sittin' in a tree

-# F-U-C-K-I-N-G! #

-Shut up! You nasty!

Look at her leg cock up like so!

(JOANN) You think he's spendin' the night up in here?

(LAUGHS)

Now she going to write about Nurse John in her book!

'Dear Ms Rain,

'all the years I sit in class, I never learned.

'But now I got a baby again by my father.

'I wish I had a boyfriend like other girls,

'then I'll feel right that I have to quit school.

'I love my baby, but I want school, too.

'Social worker asked me

'if I want to give little Mongo and Abdul up for adoption.

'I could kill her.

'She never helped before. Now she want to take my kids away?

'If she take Abdul, I won't have nothing no more.'

(RAIN) 'Dear Precious,

'I think your first responsibility has to be to yourself.

'If you keep Abdul, you might have nothing.

'Your learning to read and write, that's everything.

'Come back to school when you get out of hospital. You're only 17.'

-This is like a big-ass condom!

-(LAUGHS)

-I can use that for Nurse John!

-Not lookin' like that.

-Your hair looks a mess.

-I'm giving you banjee.

Shut up. I got your journal.

Thank you.

-What's wrong?

-Nothin'.

-You sure?

-Yeah, I'm sure.

All right. I'm bored. I'm about to leave.

Bye!

Bye, Miss Toosie.

-You got a nasty-ass mouth.

-You got a nasty-ass hat!

That's what's wrong. You hang out with bitches like that.

Here's your baby. It's probably the last time you going to see him.

'Grandmother visit and say only a dog would drop a baby and walk off.'

-Not even a dog!

-'Say later, 'Not even a dog.'

I'm proud of you. Ain't nothing like your mother.

(RAIN) 'Where was your grandmother when your father was abusing you?

'Where is little Mongo now?

'What is the best thing for you in this situation?'

'You ask too many questions.

'Sometimes I wish I could stop breathing.

'I just want to be a good mother.'

'Being a good mother might mean letting Abdul be raised

'by someone who's better able than you to meet his needs.'

'Ms Rain, I is best to meet my child's needs.'

'Who's going to help you? How will you support yourself?

'How will you keep learning to read and write?

'The welfare helped Momma.'

'You look and see how much welfare has helped your mom.

'If you get your GED and go to college,

'you can do anything, Precious.'

You're back?

What's his name? Can I hold it?

(PANTS)

(VOICES ON TV)

Hey, Precious.

Hey.

You had the baby?

A boy.

Where you been all this time?

Let me see him.

Can I hold him?

He look like his daddy.

He named Abdul.

Put all this shit down and go get me something to drink.

(BABY CRIES) You bitch!

-You fuckin' bitch!

-You crazy, Momma?

Am I crazy? Bitch...

You ruined my fuckin' life.

You done took my man, had those fuckin' babies

and got me put off welfare

for runnin' your goddamned stupid-ass mouth!

I ain't stupid and I didn't take your man! Your husband raped me!

No-fuckin'-body rape you! Don't you put your hands on me!

-(BABY CRIES)

-Ow!

-(SOUNDS OF BLACKNESS)

-# Time to celebrate

# Let's all come together

# To share our hearts of love

-(WOMAN NEXT DOOR)

-Mary! Leave that girl alone!

# Holiday love we spread

(CRIES OUT)

# We like to share it on special days

# Christmas

# The day that Jesus Christ was born

# Soul holiday

# Soul holiday

Can I see the baby now?

# Soul holiday

# In celebration filled

# With holiday cheer

# Let's not forget why we're here

# For there is a reason

# For every season

# We give our thanks to who we believe in

(FAINT SOUND OF GOSPEL SINGING)

# Soul holiday

# Soul holiday

# Soul holiday

# Soul holiday

# Soul holiday

# In celebration filled

# With holiday cheer

# Let's not forget why we're here

# For there is a reason for every season

# We give our thanks to... #

B, C, D,

E, F, G, H,

I, J, K,

L, M, N...

I'm tired of shopping.

Yes, cos they all tryin' to take your money. They don't...

I'm callin' the cops.

Tell me what you see back there.

'I could tell by Ms Rain's face I ain't going to be homeless no more.

'I just don't know where I'm going to end up.

(RAIN) I'll hold.

'I feel bad for her.

'She just a ABC teacher. She ain't no social worker.'

-What's goin' on?

-'But she all I could think of.'

When the others get here, tell them to start writing.

Whoever is older is in charge.

-Consuelo, I know that's not you.

-Ms Rain, I can't stay.

You're not leaving class and I'm not dealing with this right now.

Take this money. Go get something for Precious to wear. Quick!

And bring back my change. ..16 years old.

A three-day-old infant.

The baby not bleedin'. Must be Precious's blood.

Why didn't you tell me that before?

We'll find you a place to live.

-Joann, you're late.

-Rhonda, you ain't the teacher.

Joann, Ms Rain is busy with Precious today, so I am the teacher today.

-OK! Why? Where's Precious?

-Just sit. Pull out your notebook.

You want to say one of your raps to the baby?

-What's the baby doing here?

-Joann going to rap for you.

-Let me see.

-She all right. She doing good.

(LAUGHS) Why is the baby wrapped up in a blood-covered blanket?

-Joann, what's so funny?

-What happened?

-You don't want to know.

-You know your problem, Joann?

You can't take anything serious. Jermaine, me expect better from you.

Joann, stop laughing at this baby!

(BOTH LAUGH)

Queens.

Let me call you back.

-Just tell me what happened.

-No, it's not funny.

There's nothing funny about a baby with blood on it.

I got a West Indian friend who's a council member. Hold on.

-(RHONDA)

-I found a lesson plan in our notebooks.

(LAUGHTER)

(RAIN) Claireece Jones.

Hey, Ms Lisa. How you been?

I don't know. I went to see that movie, Barfly, last night.

Piece of shit.

-I'm sorry.

-It's on my desk. Can you hold?

Something's wrong with you, Precious.

(JERMAINE) This baby stink.

We don't have a Pamper, so sit with the baby.

-I am sittin'!

-In your seat, please.

"The first thing is shut the bumba ros clot up."

Ms Rain, why did you let Rhonda teach?

She can't even speak English!

Shh! Let Rhonda take over.

-"Shut the bumba ros clot up."

-What the fuck is a "ros clot"?

(RAIN) Brenda, you there?

The last four of the Social are 2-4-2-1.

-Rita?

-Anybody know how to spell "Aquarius"?

-It's A-Q-U-A-R-I-U-S.

-Can you spell "boy" then?

-Can you spell "slut" then?

-Let's explore that.

You want to spell "slut", Consuelo? Here's the first letter.

Can you spell "illegal immigrant"?

Great, thank you.

-"Consuelo is a slut." (CONSUELO)

-You the ho!

-"Joann is not a slut."

-Perfect. You get a gold star.

(JOANN LAUGHS)

-(PRECIOUS) But she's like that.

-(RAIN) Well, she's just insecure.

-Do you think?

-Yeah.

-That chicken was good.

-Really good. You had enough?

Hm-hmm. There ain't more, is there?

-Hmm?

-Is there more?

-Yeah!

-Maybe later.

Not now. I don't want you to think I'm greedy.

You're not greedy. Have some more.

I guess I kind of eat too much sometime, though.

No, you don't.

-Blu, is that you?

-Not always.

-What are you doing here?

-I live here!

-Why didn't you tell me?

-Hey, sweetie!

Is this...?

This is Katherine, Precious.

-Are you OK?

-It's so nice to meet you finally!

-'Oh, my God! Straight-up lesbians!'

-This is Abdul.

He's gorgeous. He looks just like you.

-Precious, can I hold him?

-You know how to?

'They still nice enough to let us stay in their home

-'until I get situated, though.'

-He's heavy!

Oh, my God, he's...

'I guess this is how peoples on TV feel at Christmas time.'

-Don't drop him.

-(RAIN) I work with children!

You know how you are. When we put up the tree, you dropped it.

'They're so nice to me and Abdul.'

Hold him with both hands.

Oh, Abdul!

Merry Christmas, Precious.

Thank you.

'Why peoples that barely know me

'should be nicer to me than my mother and my father?

'I felt warm.'

I'm just concerned about the baby and the cats upstairs.

-They're fine.

-'Grandmother's scared of Momma.

'I know that's why she ain't lettin' me stay with her.'

If Ronald McDonald ran things...

'Ms Rain say don't be afraid of nothin'.'

-..the price of hamburgers...

-'I bet she ain't scared of Momma.'

-Wouldn't you be a bit suspicious?

-Just write the book.

-Who's going to read it?

-Nobody, if you don't write it.

You know, Precious writes every day. You should try it.

Is that right?

-What do you write about, Precious?

-Stuff.

My life. Abdul.

How come y'all don't like McDonald's?

Katherine was drawing a comparison

so that her point could be more easily understood.

'They talk like TV channels I don't watch.'

My Uncle Clayton.

'I'm glad Abdul here to listen in on them, though, cos they smart.'

Before he got saved,

he used to smoke like a chimney and drink like a fish.

'I don't understand a word they sayin'.'

You understand?

-Y'all be watching "Oprah"?

-No. I don't, actually.

-You know what time I get home.

-I watch it.

-'Momma say homos is bad peoples.'

-..when she should be writing.

'But, Momma, homos not ones who raped me. And what do that make you?'

'Homos not the ones

'who let me sit in class all them years and never learn nothin'.

'Homos not ones who sell crack to peoples in Harlem.'

..that I have ever seen. Tell her!

'I wonder what Oprah got to say about that.

'Ms Rain the one who put the chalk in my hand, made me queen of the ABCs.

'After I settled at the halfway house,

'I worked my hardest to memorise letter sounds,

'writing the journal, reading smaller and fatter books.

'Then I found out the mayor's office give me a literacy award

'and a cheque for progress!'

(DISCO MUSIC) One, two, three.

'The party is on!'

Go, Joann!

Lemme see what you got!

'Everybody come.

'Nurse John, Cornrows, all the staff was out there.

'Even Ms Katherine showed up.'

Precious!

Whassup?

What's that?

-What does it look like?

-Plastic stupid apple.

A little somethin' for you.

-Is there more money in it?

-You're so greedy!

Yo, erm...

Who that?

What?

-What?

-Come on.

Precious, where are you taking me?

What am I supposed to do, diva? Yeah? Wait a minute. Hold on, girl.

Yeah, Pre...?

My mom called last night.

And, er... we don't really have a relationship.

We don't talk, because she has a problem with...

'Some folks got a light around them that shine for other peoples.

'I think maybe some of them was in tunnels,

'and in that tunnel,

'maybe the only light they had was inside of them.'

Then I thought about how strong you've had to be.

'And then, even long after they escaped that tunnel...'

-I'll help you clean up.

-OK.

'..they still be shinin' for everybody else.

'That's Ms Rain to me.'

"Award for Outstanding Achievement."

'In a book I read, this lady escaped to a halfway house,

'and when she was there,

'she asked the people there what a halfway house was.

'They told her it was halfway between her old life and where she want to be.

'That's kinda nice.

'That also mean I can't stay here forever.

'There's still a way to go.

'It'd be somethin' to get my own apartment.

'Abdul nine months and almost walkin'. He smart, too.

'I've been readin' to him since the day he was born.

'He barely talkin', but he already countin'.

'Momma and Daddy,

'IS 111, 444 Lenox all seem like some old bad dream.

'I wish I coulda just started out here, but still wi' Abdul.

'I'm going to get Mongo, too.

'I got to get Mongo back.'

Hey, Miss Cassidy.

Precious, somebody downstairs for you.

-Who is it?

-I didn't ask. Shall I watch the baby?

Nah, I got to go down and get him anyway.

Your daddy dead.

That's all?

He had that AIDS virus.

(CAMERAS CLICK)

MUSIC: "Humpin' Around by Bobby Brown

(Mary) There you go, dreamin' again. Do you hear me talkin'?

You hear what I said?

You got it?

-Got what?

-The AIDS virus.

-No.

-How do you know?

We never did it up in the ass, so I know.

You better get to a doctor, Ma.

You comin' home?

-(MAN)

-Yo, Precious!

Rita, what do I mean when I say the author describes

her protagonist's circumstances as unrelenting?

I don't know. I don't know.

It's like, say, if... if Rita, she try to do somethin',

and she go on and she go on and me, I try to stop her

and she no stop, she keep on going on.

Relentless. On.

MUSIC: "System" by Patti Labelle

I'll see you tonight. Bye.

Come with me.

Precious?

Excuse me?

Nurse say I'm HIV positive.

I ain't got nothin' to write today.

Is your baby OK?

He all right.

I just gotta stop breastfeeding him.

Remember you once told me

you never really got to tell your story?

-Write.

-Fuck you!

You don't know nothin' what I been through!

I ain't never had no boyfriend!

My daddy said he going to marry me.

How he going to do that? It would fuckin' be illegal!

(SOBS)

Write.

I'm tired, Ms Rain.

If not for yourself, then for the people who love you.

-Nobody loves me.

-People do love you, Precious.

Please don't lie to me, Ms Rain.

Love ain't done nothin' for me.

Love beat me, raped me...

..called me a animal,

make me feel worthless,

make me sick.

That wasn't love, Precious.

Your baby loves you.

I love you.

Write!

What are you thinking?

You never told me about... your relationship with your mother.

I didn't, did I?

Really, I'm here to help YOU.

You can talk to me. This is a safe environment.

You're right.

We could talk about your daddy instead.

We could talk about my mother, my father, my aunts

or my sister or my brother, but none of it's going to help you.

You don't even like me.

Have we not been in this room together for, like, a year,

discussing your life?

Does that mean we like each other cos we discuss my life?

I can't speak for you.

I can only speak for me. And I do like you. I do.

So, are you Italian or...? What colour are you, anyway?

Are you some type of black or Spanish?

What colour do you think I am?

I'd like to know. What colour do you think I am?

My throat is dry.

-Your throat is dry?

-It's really hot in here.

It is kinda hot in here. I'm going to go get a soda.

-What do you want?

-Soda sounds fine.

All right.

Thank you.

No problem.

So, I have to talk to you about your mother.

I don't know how you're going to feel about this,

but she says she wants to see you

and she wants to be reunited with you and her grandchildren

and she wants to come and have a session here with you.

What d'you tell her?

I said I had to speak to you about it.

It's up to you.

I don't know. I never thought about it before.

'Ms Weiss said in that file I got HIV.

'She said I was supposed to die from it.

'I ain't worried about dyin'.

'Shit, I gotta worry 'bout how I'm supposed to raise these kids.'

I was just writing, like, about... I want to open up this clinic

about, like, mothers and their children.

You know, just, if they sick or somethin' like that.

I always wanted to do that, give back to the community,

cos I know my mom would be proud of me if I did that,

and my children, too.

I want my children to be proud of their mother, you know?

-That's always what I wanted to do.

-That's good.

-That's really nice.

I don't really want to read the whole thing.

I kind of just want to say what it's about.

OK, well...

The counsellors at Advancement House,...

..they were quizzin' me about my mother and father.

But it's not really about them.

They're trying to get me to do workfare.

-They want me to be a home attendant.

-How do you know?

Cos I stole my file and read it. All they want me to do is work.

Now, I do want to work, but not for no welfare cheque.

What sense does that make,

for Precious to quit school before she got her GED

and go work for some old white people somewhere?

She ain't never going to be nothin' if she gets stuck in that shit.

-Rhonda used to home attend.

-She had to go out to Brighton Beach.

Yeah, OK. Rhonda would be working there all day and night.

She'd be on call, right?

She made 6.37 a hour, but for only eight hours.

That equal out to 50.96.

But that's not a whole lotta money,

especially cos she there for 24 hours.

So... 50.96 divided by 24

is 2.12 an hour. That's not a lotta money.

She said that old bitch would ring a bell, a real-life, actual bell,

when she wanted somethin' in the night.

-You don't want to do that shit.

-(JERMAINE) Is that true?

Them home attendants be workin' like, six days a week.

I'd only see Abdul on Sunday. Plus, I'd have to leave class.

(RAIN) Well, that's not an option. You're not leaving class.

I'm going to go to insect survivor meetings.

It's "incest".

-That ain't what I say?

-No, you said "insect".

What's the difference?

One's where your family molests you, the other's like a roach or bugs.

-So, you a scientist now?

-I'm just saying!

-(LAUGHTER)

-No, that's cool. Thank you.

'It was hard telling them strangers there what my father did.

'Sometimes it felt good.

'Last week, Ms Rain asked us to write down what we want to be like.

'I wrote that... I'd be real skinny, with light skin and long hair.'

Loretha Holloway?

-Go on back there.

-'She said I'm beautiful like I am.'

But there's no kids back there for me to play with.

(BABIES CRY)

Just sit there then.

Going to talk to this lady before my shit gets cut off.

'But somehow,

'right now, and I don't know why, but...

'..I think she right.'