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

Director:

Lee Daniels

Writers:

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:

Overweight | Alternative School | School | Domestic Abuse | Child Molestation

Awards:

8 wins & 2 nominations

US Showtimes:

The Bridge: Cinema de lux

12:15pm | 2:50 | 5:25 | 8:00 | 10:35

(personalize)

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:

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

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Lee Daniels Entertainment

Trivia:

Shot in only five weeks.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Early in the movie when Precious is shown in her original high school, the teacher has written the word "REQUIRMENTS" in large print on the blackboard. The word is misspelled.

Quotes:

Clareece 'Precious' Jones: You don't even like me.
Mrs. Weiss: Have we not been in this room together for like, a year discussing your life?
Clareece 'Precious' Jones: Does that mean we like each other because we discussing my life?
Mrs. Weiss: [Smiling] Well, I can't speak for you. I can only speak for me, and I like you. I do.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Jay Leno Show: (#1.36)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

Humpin' Around

Precious Movie Review

I won't try to deny my slight bias while I was watching this movie. To be in a theater among many movie enthusiasts, and most importantly the director of the film (Lee Daniels) and the author of the novel (Sapphire) will most certainly have an effect on your movie going experience. But not enough of a bias to effect whether or not the film is any good.

Precious is the name of the protagonist, (played by Gabourey 'Gabby' Sidibe), a teenage girl who is one of the most harsh conditions upon our first meeting with her. She's pregnant for the second time to her own father's child, her mother (Monique) is an unstable and dangerously abusive woman, and she is unable to read and write. This is a terrible situation to be in, but Precious manages to live through it through her dreams, blocking out harsh memories with hopes of becoming a fashion model or a movie star. The story kicks off when Precious is invited to a special learning school, where the classroom is small and where she will be able to learn in a better environment.

From this description of the plot, the film sounds tried. I was concerned for a brief moment while watching that this would be another "Stand and Deliver" or "Freedom Writers". We've all heard and seen these "problem stories" of inter-city kids who go to the top. For one, although the film briefly uses these classroom dynamic scenes, enough of the film is so unrelated we realize that comparing this film to those isn't fair. Precious is about a girl, not about a student or a classroom.

Let me tell you up front: Precious isn't a problem movie (the kind of movie where things just get worse and worse, and then finally some solution is made). Despite how many obstacles are thrown at Precious, and believe me a whole lot are, the film is still entirely about who Precious is, and mostly, how she can raise her head high and keep going in all these loathsome situations. Director Lee Daniels (here I go with my bias of seeing it with the director) actually encouraged the audience to laugh, because there are a lot of humorous scenes, intertwined with some incredibly jarring ones. Unlike "Requiem for a Dream", which is such a depressing movie you are left with a bad taste in your mouth, Precious is actually a very positive film about how to stand through these trials of life. You will see scenes in this film that will irk you, but enough of the film is good-spirited and, dare I say, light, that leaving the film you will feel good about yourself, and with a positive outlook on your own life. It also makes one grateful for the fortunate situations we're all in, because I don't think anyone has it rougher than Precious in this film.

This isn't a Slumdog Millionaire rags-to-riches story. Because the film only deals with about a year of her life, we don't see Precious win the million dollars or get into college. Any of that would just be cheesy. Instead, we see her trying to learn to write, being a single parent, and getting out of potentially dangerous situations. It adds for a fuller and richer film that feels more heartfelt.

The directing is not some of the best ever, but it is of a high enough caliber that Lee Daniels deserves some praise this awards season. I think he will not have too much trouble getting a nomination. As for a win, I am not so sure (especially with my personal pick Kathryn Bigelow). My only complaint is some jerky hand-held for one or two scenes, but that's not enough to defer from the great things he does. The acting and the screenplay of this film are exactly the type of Oscar-winning pieces you can name. Monique as an abusive mother is downright scary for a long time, but soon she actually makes us empathetic toward such a monster. I have no doubt in her chances of getting a nomination, and as of now she is my pick for the win. As for Gabby Sidibe: she's very good, but it all depends on who the competition is.

The screenplay is brilliant, never feeling slow or rushed. The pacing of this film is steady enough that we're engrossed the entire time. Watch out for smaller roles by Mariah Carey and Lenny Kravitz, both of whom appear briefly (without any make-up or nice clothing). So far, Precious is sweeping the festivals and is looking like it's on a road to Oscar glory, and well deserved. The film opens in NY and LA on November 6th, and will be in theaters everywhere by November 20th. Be sure to make a point of seeing this film.

My Rating: 10/10