Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)

Director:

Lee Daniels

Writers (WGA):

Geoffrey Fletcher (screenplay)
Sapphire (novel)

Release Date:

3 December 2009 (Netherlands)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Life is hard. Life is short. Life is painful. Life is rich. Life is....Precious.

Plot:

In Harlem, an overweight, illiterate teen who is pregnant with her second child is invited to enroll in an alternative school in hopes that her life can head in a new direction.

Plot Keywords:

School | Alternative School | Overweight | Misery | Sociology

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Golden Globes. Another 19 wins & 26 nominations

Cast

Gabourey 'Gabby' Sidibe	...	Precious (as Gabourey Sidibe)
Mo'Nique	...	Mary
Paula Patton	...	Ms. Rain
Mariah Carey	...	Mrs. Weiss
Sherri Shepherd	...	Cornrows
Lenny Kravitz	...	Nurse John
Stephanie Andujar	...	Rita
Chyna Layne	...	Rhonda
Amina Robinson	...	Jermaine
Xosha Roquemore	...	Joann
Angelic Zambrana	...	Consuelo
Aunt Dot	...	Tootsie
Nealla Gordon	...	Mrs. Lichtenstein
Grace Hightower	...	Social Worker
Barret Helms	...	Tom Cruise (as Barret Isaiah Mindell)

Also Known As:

Precious (International: English title) (informal short title)
Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire (USA) (new title)
Push: Based on the Novel by Sapphire (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for child abuse including sexual assault, and pervasive language.

Runtime:

110 min | Canada:109 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | Dolby SR | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #45477) | UK:15 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Netherlands:12 | Ireland:15A

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Lee Daniels Entertainment

Trivia:

Gabourey 'Gabby' Sidibe read the novel Push years before when her mother, singer Alice Tan Ridley, was approached to play the role of Mary in an earlier production that never came to fruition.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: During the field trip, an image of the 1989 Tiananmen Square student protest is visible. This happened several years after the movie, which is set in 1987.

Quotes:

Joann: Hi, I'm Joann, my favorite color is fluorescent beige. I'm already in the music business, shoot, I'm just here to get my GED!

Movie Connections:

Features La ciociara (1960)

Soundtrack:

Humpin' Around

Not Paris Hilton's Dog At All

This is a truly moving, patiently directed American movie the likes of which we rarely get treated to anymore. The word 'Precious' certainly does take on it's original meaning after seeing this story unfold.

Just when I think 'the movies' have lost their last bit of integrity, a movie like this comes along as though to say 'don't worry, it's still an art form'.

As for Mo'Nique... well... I wonder what she'll say in her acceptance speeches? Brava, brava, brava.

And Mariah's performance is outstanding and deeply surprising as well.

I can't recommend this film highly enough.