Precious (2009)
Drama |
Precious is a American drama film, directed and co-produced by Lee Daniels. The script was written by Geoffrey S. Fletcher, adapted from the 1996 novel Push by Sapphire. The film stars Gabourey Sidibe, Mo’Nique, Paula Patton, and Mariah Carey. This film marked the acting debut of Sidibe, who portrays a young woman struggling against poverty and abuse.
The film, then without a distributor, premiered to acclaim at both the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, under its original title of Push: Based on the Novel by Sapphire. At Sundance, it won the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize for best drama, as well as a Special Jury Prize for supporting actress Mo’Nique.
In 1987, 16-year-old Precious lives in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City with her unemployed mother Mary, who has long subjected her to physical, verbal, and sexual abuse. Precious has also been raped by her now-absent father, Carl, resulting in two pregnancies. The family resides in a Section 8 tenement and survives on welfare. Her first child, daughter Mongo, has Down syndrome and is being cared for by Precious’ grandmother, though Mary forces the family to pretend that Mongo lives with her and Precious so she can receive extra money from the government. When Precious’ second pregnancy is discovered, her high-school principal arranges for her to attend an alternative school, where she hopes Precious can change her life’s direction. Precious finds a way out of her traumatic daily life by escaping into daydreams in which she is loved and appreciated.
Director: Lee Daniels
Writers: Geoffrey Fletcher (screenplay), Sapphire (novel)
Stars: Gabourey Sidibe, Mo’Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Rodney Jackson, Sherri Shepherd, Lenny Kravitz
►Cast:
| Gabourey Sidibe | … | Precious |
| Mo’Nique | … | Mary |
| Paula Patton | … | Ms. Rain |
| Mariah Carey | … | Ms. 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 | … | Toosie |
| Nealla Gordon | … | Mrs. Lichtenstein |
| Grace Hightower | … | Socialworker |
| Barret Helms | … | Tom Cruise |
| Kimberly Russell | … | Katherine |
| Bill Sage | … | Mr. Wicher |
| Susan Taylor | … | Fairy Godmother |
| Kendall Toombs | … | Abdul, New Born |
| Alexander Toombs | … | Abdul, New Born |
| Cory Davis | … | Abdul, 9 Months |
| Rochelle McNaughton | … | AIDS Clerk |
| Roy Anthony Tarell Harvey | … | Boy #1 |
| Abigail Savage | … | Bunny |
| Rodney ‘Bear’ Jackson | … | Carl (as Rodney Bear Jackson) |
| Sapphire | … | Day Care Woman |
| Linda Watson | … | Female Clerk |
| Emani Reid | … | Girl #1 |
| Dashawn Robinson | … | Girl #2 |
| AzMarie Livingston | … | Girl with Jermaine |
| Maurizio Arseni | … | Italian Language Instructor |
| Mugga | … | KFC Cashier |
| Chazz Menendez | … | Man #1 Exits Elevator (St) |
| Roy T. Anderson | … | Man #2 Exits Elevator (St) |
| Quisha Powell | … | Mongo |
| Vivien Eng | … | Nurse |
| Silje Vallevik | … | Pretty Blonde Girl |
| Matthew Bralow | … | Reggie (as Matt Bralow) |
| Shayla Stewart | … | Ruby |
| Erica Watson | … | Sheila (as Erica Faye Watson) |
| Ephraim Benton | … | Skinny Boy #1 |
| Shortee Red | … | Skinny Boy #2 (as Shortee Redd) |
| Timothy Allen | … | Skinny Boy #3 |
| Nigel Joaquin | … | Unruly Boy #1 |
| Esley Tate | … | Unruly Boy #2 |
| January Adams | … | Student |
| Dick Clark | … | Self (archive footage) |
| David Collihan | … | Doorman |
| Ryan Curtis | … | Paparazzi |
| Patty Duke | … | Self (archive footage) |
| Michael Jeremiah | … | Vagrant |
| Martin Luther King | … | Self (archive footage) |
| Deborah Lohse | … | Lady #1 |
| Malcolm X | … | Self (archive footage) |
| Kola Ogundiran | … | Skinny Man |
| Tristan Laurence Perez | … | David |
| Catherine Pierce | … | Social Worker |
| Lorna Pruce | … | HIV Social Worker |
| John Reese | … | Chior Boy |
| Rose Sias | … | Ferocious Woman |
| Kisa Willis | … | Incest Survivor |
| Dolores Winn | … | Homeless Woman |
| DeWanda Wise | … | Miriam |
Sources: imdb & wikipedia