Her flowing dress could barely contain her exuberance.

This was not a bad thing.

In a movie like "Precious," filled with so much pain and anger, Patton's Miss Rain, the teacher who makes a connection with Precious (Gabourey Sidibe) is like a beautiful beacon of light, entering the movie almost with a halo around her.

"Miss Rain is a flawed person also," said Patton, "and Precious also teaches her.

"Seeing this movie you're buying a ticket to the roller-coaster of life," Patton said. "Lee did something I did not think was possible - only he could bring you a story that's so tragic but whose first priority is to entertain. And I believe the movie is fiercely entertaining."

Patton, who's married to R&B singer Robin Thicke and is expecting the couple's first child, said that "Precious" has been a life-changing experience and she's been amazed how well the film has played at Cannes and at the Sundance Film Festival.

"We won the Audience Award there," she said, surprised how well Utah's mostly white audience responded to the film. "We got the longest standing ovation. It touched me in a way I can't explain.

"I still have yet to see the film with a predominantly black audience."

Patton, who's as beautiful as Precious' world is ugly, said that one of the things she admires about Precious is there's only one moment when she asks "Why me?"

"That's what I think is really beautiful," she said, "at the end she's still standing - standing upright and walking on her own.

"I have had periods where I haven't worked," she said. "I went through depression and came out of it. . . . But that's what life does to you. Don't ask questions. Just ride the wave."

And "Precious" has been a one fantastic wave for Patton.

"Now I'm concerned I'm going to be punished for being ungrateful."