‘Precious’ - 4 out of 5 stars

She’s all of 16, obese and pregnant with her second child. The babies’ father is her father. She is illiterate, which certainly isn’t to say dumb, and attends class at an alternative school when not being abused by her lazy mother.

Clareece “Precious” Jones is a piece of work — unlike any movie character in modern history. As embodied by Gabby Sidibe, she carries her considerable self with a sense of nobility, striving to go about her business despite unspeakable obstacles.

In the face of hardships, our titular heroine’s unlikely aspirations can’t be denied — “I want to be on the cover of a magazine.” The biggest barrier of all is her crass and destructive mom (Mo’Nique, in a devastating turn), constantly coiled in a chair like a cobra about to strike. It isn’t beyond this bitter woman’s capacity to hurl an ashtray or frying pan at her diligent, well-intentioned daughter. The situation worsens — as if that were possible — when Precious’s schooling could mean an end to the family’s welfare. (Hell hath no fury, indeed.)

Realizing the girl’s potential, and simultaneous hopelessness, are two compelling individuals: her teacher (Paula Patton of “Swing Vote”) and a social worker (singer Mariah Carrey, trading in “Glitter” for an extreme dressed-down makeover). The latter won’t hesitate to pry into family matters, regardless of what it could mean to the volatile mother’s lifestyle.

Outsiders can’t help but favor the aptly named Precious, trying to raise two babies while escaping other aspects of her life. Based on the novel “Push,” by Sapphire, the movie takes on a life of its own in the hands of director Lee Daniels, whose only previous picture was the unheralded crime-drama “Shadowboxer.” Universal themes — such as rape, incest, neglect, pride, understanding, faith and love — get revealed and thoroughly analyzed.

The narrative moves steadily, rarely coming across as uneven or rudderless. It should be pointed out our filmmaker can’t resist using slow-motion imagery as a crutch, nor refrain from envisioning too many of Precious’s daydreams. It could also be argued, incorrectly, that “Precious” belongs on the Oxygen network.

Audiences may be hard-pressed to always empathize with the heroine, who doesn’t exactly watch her diet and will go to unlawful measures when hungry. Given her godforsaken upbringing, however, it stands to reason viewers can’t help but sympathize, especially when this young lady fantasizes about stardom or being the object of a handsome guy’s desire. Some, sad to say, might actually relate to similar circumstances; indeed, “Precious” may serve as a reality check. Time and again, the proverb about walking in another person’s shoes comes to mind. It goes to show, true notions remain timeless and never lose their emotional strength.

With a physical presence, Sidibe not only fills the title role, she owns it. You wonder how the actress could portray anybody else. Somehow, Sidibe manages to stay strong and exude traces of confidence and inner worth without overreaching. She does considerably more than hide behind a sad, puffy face. Not to be outdone — no way, no how — looms the extraordinary Mo’Nique. Earlier this year, I marveled at Yolande Moreau’s astonishing turn in the unsurpassed “Seraphine,” and didn’t foresee any actress approaching her performance, much less rivaling it. But here we have Mo’Nique, indirectly forcing me to reconsider the 2009 Best Actress prize. Her role of Mary could be labeled as a supporting one, but hardly in a marginal or secondary sense.

Rather, this performer and her unforgettable character prove so riveting and harrowing — so authentic and disturbing on many levels — that you can’t escape from taking it all in, eventually exhaling with pure satisfaction. Every once in a great while, a wholly unique performance emerges from the silver screen and is something special to behold. Throughout “Precious,” Mo’Nique has that rare ability to make us understand a hideous person; at times we want to embrace Mary while simultaneously condemning her.

Whether she’s planted four-square in the living room barking orders, trying to balance a mischievous baby in her lap, or sobbing with remorse, Mo’Nique is a frightening force of nature. Not precious, but miraculous. jluksic@syvjournal.com