A gritty, life-affirming tale of an abused African-American teenager's struggle to change her life in 1980s Harlem. 16-year-old Clareece ' Precious' Jones (Gabourey Sidibe) has been abused from an early age by her now absent father, & is pregnant with his second child. With a venomous mother Mary (Mo' Nique) who treats her like a servant & her school life blighted by her illiteracy, Precious struggles to cope with her seemingly hopeless life. But the offer of a place in an alternative school & the nurturing of literacy teacher Ms. Rain (Paula Patton) soon begin to transform the teenager, offering her a path to a brighter future. Mo' Nique won the Best Supporting Actress awards at both the 2010 BAFTAs & the Academy Awards for her portrayal of Mary.