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:

Helen Mirren was originally cast as Mrs. Weiss.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the scene where Mariah Carey's character attempts to bring together Precious and her mom Mary, you see the front of Mariah's pocketbook. A few minutes later, when the camera pans back and forth, you see the back of Mariah's pocketbook (the purse changes positions).

Quotes:

Mrs. Weiss: Let's talk about the abuse in your household. You know what I'm talking about.
Mary: [Tearfully] You sit there and you judge me, and you write them notes on your notepad, because you think you know who I am!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "De wereld draait door: (#5.69)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

227 theme

Once every so often...

Once every so often a film comes along that will change your perception of things. In one way or another it will give you elements to better yourself. "Precious" is such a film. Lee Daniels, the director, takes things to extremes, so much so that this could easily be an opera. When you think that things couldn't be worse, you discover that they have been worse already for a long time. Precious is played by a sort of miracle. Her name is Gubarey Sidibe and I don't even know how to pronounce it but I will certainly take her in my mind from now on, always. When she stands listening to the rantings of her mother, I surprised myself by feeling tears running down my face. The mother, a standout, once in a lifetime performance by Mo'Nique, is also a character we've never seen before. Brutal, unsentimental and truthful to the core. I saw the film over three weeks ago and I can't shake it out of my system, if that in itself is not a sign of greatness I don't know what is.