Set in Harlem in 1987, Claireece "Precious" Jones is a 16-year-old African American girl born into a life no one would want. She's pregnant for the second time by her absent father; at home, she must wait hand and foot on her mother, an angry woman who abuses her emotionally and physically. School is chaotic and Precious has reached the ninth grade with good marks and a secret; She can't read.

Mark Young is a mentally distraught HVAC technician, restricted by the demons of his past. After suffering through a divorce, the likes of which he still doesn't understand, Mark yearns for some semblance of balance and direction, yet lacks any true purpose. After accepting a repair job in an upscale suburban neighborhood, Mark is immediately greeted by the homeowner Bree, a seemingly fearless and financially successful woman, oozing with sarcasm and a surface-level perspective. Mark begins his work like any ordinary day until he hears a voice, one that is ringing and familiar. Following the voice, Mark encounters his ex-wife, Vanessa, now in a romantic relationship with Bree. Finally forced to confront his past, will Mark be able to move on, or will seeing the woman he once loved only push him further into repression?