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Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2008)

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Average Rating: 7.8/10
Reviews Counted: 215
Fresh: 196 | Rotten: 19

Precious is a grim yet ultimately triumphant film about abuse and inner-city life, largely bolstered by exceptional performances from its cast.

Average Rating: 8.1/10
Critic Reviews: 37
Fresh: 34 | Rotten: 3

Precious is a grim yet ultimately triumphant film about abuse and inner-city life, largely bolstered by exceptional performances from its cast.

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Average Rating: 3.6/5
User Ratings: 132,965

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Movie Info

Monster's Ball producer Lee Daniels follows up his 2005 directorial debut, Shadowboxer, with this adaptation of author Sapphire's best-selling novel about an overweight, illiterate African-American teen from Harlem who discovers an alternate path in life after she begins attending a new school. Clareece "Precious" Jones is only a teenager, yet she's about to give birth to her second child. Unable to read or write, Clareece shows little prospect for the future until discovering that she has been

R, 1 hr. 49 min.

Drama

Directed By: Lee Daniels

Written By: Damien Paul

In Theaters: Nov 6, 2009 Wide

On DVD: Mar 9, 2010

Box Office:$47.5M

Lionsgate Films

Avoiding the conventional tricks of lifting an audience up, the movie looks into this girl's wide, brown face and her bleak little life and sees, despite everything, a reason to live.

November 24, 2009 Full Review Source: Boston Globe

| Comments (2)

Wesley Morris

Boston Globe

Top Critic

If you do watch -- and you certainly should -- you will see one of the most remarkable performances ever set to film, given by Gabourey "Gabby" Sidibe.

November 20, 2009 Full Review Source: Detroit News

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Tom Long

Detroit News

Top Critic

It melodramatizes everything and yet its overall effect is something more than melodrama.

November 20, 2009 Full Review Source: Christian Science Monitor

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Peter Rainer

Christian Science Monitor

Top Critic

Mo'Nique plunges headfirst into a moral abyss that makes her frightening.

November 20, 2009 Full Review Source: Denver Post

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Lisa Kennedy

Denver Post

Top Critic

The picture painted by director Lee Daniels is almost unbearably bleak, but it feels completely honest. It's indeed relentless, but also transfixing and ultimately transformative.

November 20, 2009 Full Review Source: Toronto Star

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Peter Howell

Toronto Star

Top Critic

Despite the film's clear social conscience and sympathy for the community it portrays, Precious never panders for compassion.

November 19, 2009 Full Review Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune

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Colin Covert

Minneapolis Star Tribune

Top Critic

Mo'Nique isn't just a box-office draw here, she is a snarling, disaffected she-demon...

February 3, 2011 Full Review Source: What Culture

| Comment

Mike Edwards

What Culture Source: What Culture

Precious ... [achieves] moments of haunting, devastating power, yet too often [lapses] into laughably ridiculous melodrama ... Precious is no easy ride. As far as harrowing films go, it makes The Road seem like The Wiz.

October 21, 2010 Full Review Source: Quickflix

| Comment

Simon Miraudo

Quickflix

This isn't The Biggest Loser, where self-esteem is measures in kilos, but this is in fact a film about a teacher nurturing a young woman's mind and soul, carrying the torch of films like To Sir With Love, Stand and Deliver, and Dangerous Minds.

July 4, 2010 Comment

Cris Kennedy

Screenwize

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

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Good film! Powerful and touching at times. Mo'Nique received a lot of praise for her performance here and it's for a good reason; she gives a really great performance. I also loved Paula Patton and Mariah Carey's performances. Overall a solid film about the hardships in life. Maybe a little overrated, but still good. I loved the classroom scenes.

August 31, 2010

Jameson Worley

Super Reviewer

Not as good as I'd expected based on what I'd heard, but it's stuck with me since I saw it. I envy Precious in that she was able to find out why her mom had hated and abused her for years, cause I know I'll never find out why mine did the same to me. The actress who plays Precious's mom deserved the awards she got, cause she did an excellent job!

October 22, 2011

Jason Owens

Super Reviewer

Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire Quotes

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1. Consuelo: F for fat. [Precious smacks her in the face twice and everyone screams in excitement]
2. Ms. Rain: Hey! Hey! Quit!
3. Rhonda: Fuck her up!
4. Consuelo: What the fuck!?
5. Clareece "Precious" Jones: What? What?
6. Ms. Rain: Quit it!
7. Consuelo: [at Joann] Shut the fuck up! [at Ms. Rain] She just slapped me!
8. Ms. Rain: [at Consuelo] Get out! [at Precious] We don't fight in my class.
– Submitted by Nhia T (18 days ago)
1. KFC Cashier: What you want, baby?
2. Clareece "Precious" Jones: Give me a basket, please.
3. KFC Cashier: Sides?
4. Clareece "Precious" Jones: I don know yet, still thinking about it. Gotta watch my figur.
5. KFC Cashier: Bouchell, you got a ten piece ready?
6. Clareece "Precious" Jones: [Precious looks around for a bit at the people and the time. Cashier comes back with basket of chicken] Potato Salad. Thank you. [Precious runs off without paying]
7. KFC Cashier: Oh hell no she didn't! Uh-uh! Get her ass! Get that big bitch!
– Submitted by Nhia T (18 days ago)
1. Joann: Consuelo is a slut, Joann is not a slut.
2. Consuelo: You da one who's da hoe up in here! I don't know who you call---
3. Rhonda: Perfect, you get a gold star! [everyone laughs]
– Submitted by Nhia T (18 days ago)
1. Rita: I just wanna know how to spell Aquarius.
2. Jermaine: A-Q-U-A-R-I-U-S.
3. Consuelo: Can you spell 'boy,' then?
4. Jermaine: Can you spell 'slut,' then?
5. Rhonda: Let's explore dat. You wanna spell 'slut' Consuelo, I'll give you the first letter. [writes the letter S on the board]
6. Consuelo: Can you spell 'illegal Immigrant,' then?
– Submitted by Nhia T (18 days ago)
1. Rhonda: Shut the bumba ras clot up. [everyone laughing]
2. Consuelo: What the fuck is a 'ras clot'?
– Submitted by Nhia T (18 days ago)

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