Precious, the Oscars, thoughts

I have not see the film Precious. I have seen trailers, read reviews, listened to people talking about their reactions after seeing the film. The people whose opinions I have received and whose conversations I have been part of have not been unanimous in their responses, they have been black, white Asian. They have all agreed that it was a difficult movie to watch, largely for the child abuse that is a large part of the film. Last Friday, the NYT op-ed page contained a commentary by Ishmael Reed. A similar response was elicited (in the African American male population) after The Color Purple was made into a film. I get what Reed is saying. It is not a question of a right or wrong opinion to have in this regard and certainly, where you stand is where you sit. But how close a reflection of reality is Reed's view of reality?