---
title: "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire"
year: 2009
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire"
fi1m_id: "precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire"
imdb_id: "tt0929632"
tmdb_id: 25793
wikidata_id: "Q269331"
fi1m_score: 72
critics_score: 78
critics_reviews: 17
published: "2026-09-15"
review_updated: "2026-09-20"
updated: "2026-09-20T07:27:09.563041+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

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

Directed by Lee Daniels · 1h 50m · MPA R · Drama

## Identity

Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire
- **IMDb ID:** tt0929632
- **TMDB ID:** 25793
- **Wikidata ID:** Q269331
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0929632/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/25793, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q269331

**Fi1m score: 72** · Critics 78 from 17 reviews

*In a sentence:* The worst mother in Harlem, the kindest teacher in cinema, and a girl who deserves a subtler film than either

> Lee Daniels’s film about an abused Harlem teenager is carried by two remarkable performances, from Gabourey Sidibe and Mo’Nique, and undermined every twenty minutes by its own fantasy sequences. It is worth watching, and it is not as good as its admirers say.

## Synopsis

Harlem, 1987. Precious Jones (Gabourey Sidibe) is sixteen, cannot read, and is pregnant with her second child by her father. She lives with her mother, Mary (Mo’Nique), in a cramped flat where the television is always on and Mary is always in the armchair, throwing things and demanding that Precious go and collect the welfare. When the school finds out about the pregnancy, Precious is sent to Each One Teach One, an alternative programme where the teacher, Ms. Rain (Paula Patton), asks her class to write in a journal every day. Between beatings, Precious escapes into daydreams in which she is a star on a red carpet with a light-skinned boyfriend on her arm.

## Review

Lee Daniels’s film is about a sixteen-year-old girl in Harlem in 1987 who is beaten by her mother, raped by her father, pregnant for the second time and unable to read, and it wants to send you home hopeful. It manages that about two-thirds of the time. Two performances carry it, from Gabourey Sidibe in her first film and from Mo’Nique as the mother. The daydreams, the classroom and the famous faces in small parts are where it keeps tripping over its own good intentions. It is worth your evening. It is not the great film its admirers describe.

Sidibe plays Precious with her face nearly shut. She walks the school corridors with her head down and her coat on, and Geoffrey S. Fletcher’s screenplay gives her a voiceover that says everything the face will not. It could have been a cheat, and it is not, because Sidibe lets the two disagree. Early on, after a beating, she looks in a mirror and sees a thin blonde white girl looking back, and the voiceover carries on as if nothing had happened. We were more shaken by that than by anything Mary does with her hands.

Mo’Nique’s Mary spends most of the film in an armchair in front of the television, cigarette going, telling her daughter what she is worth. She hits Precious with whatever is in reach and asks her to fetch food in the same breath. We were horrified, and the reason is that Mo’Nique never plays her as a monster. Mary is bored, lonely and jealous of her own child, and she says so out loud, so that the abuse looks like a habit nobody has ever interrupted. She gets one long scene near the end that we will not describe, except to say that it is the only time the film lets her explain herself, and the explanation is worse than the violence.

Andrew Dunn shoots the flat in dim yellow lamplight with the curtains drawn, so that the school scenes, in grey daylight from tall windows, feel like coming up for air. Roshelle Berliner has furnished the flat with things Mary would never let go of: the armchair, the set, a kitchen last cleaned when somebody was last made to clean it. Marina Draghici keeps Precious in the same dark coat and headscarf for much of the film, so that when she is dressed differently we notice. Mario Grigorov’s score stays out of the flat altogether and leaves the sound of it to the television and to Mary.

The daydreams are the problem. Every so often Joe Klotz cuts, mid-blow, to Precious on a red carpet with flashbulbs going and a handsome boyfriend on her arm. The first time, it works: we understand where she goes while her body is being hurt. By the fourth time it is a pressure valve, and the film reaches for it just when it has earned the pressure. The classroom at Each One Teach One has the same trouble. Rita (Stephanie Andujar), Rhonda (Chyna Layne), Jermaine (Amina Robinson), Joann (Xosha Roquemore) and Consuelo (Angelic Zambrana) each get one trait and one joke, and Ms. Rain is written as a saint. Paula Patton plays her as one, which is the only option she was given.

The famous faces are a mixed bag. Mariah Carey, as the social worker Ms. Weiss, has had the glamour taken off her and plays a woman who asks questions and writes down the answers. She is patient and plain, and we forgot who she was, which is the compliment. Lenny Kravitz as Nurse John is a distraction in a hospital scene that did not need one. Sherri Shepherd, as the receptionist Cornrows, gets the film’s few honest laughs.

Daniels does not do restraint, and there are stretches here that wanted some. Fletcher’s script, from Sapphire’s novel *Push*, follows the old shape of the inspirational-teacher film more closely in the second half than the first. But Sidibe and Mo’Nique are not doing anything old. They play a mother and daughter who have never once been kind to each other, and we believed every minute of it.

It is a 15 certificate at 110 minutes, and it earns the certificate in the first ten. Watch it for those two, and have something gentler ready for afterwards.

*Fi1m score 72, published 15 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics are moved by it, and the praise gathers almost entirely around two performances. Gabourey Sidibe, in her first screen role, is credited with acting so unforced that several reviewers say they stop seeing a performance at all, and Mo’Nique’s mother is described repeatedly as monstrous in a way that stays with them. Lee Daniels is credited by many for holding the film’s extremes together, letting the bleakest material sit alongside humour and the fantasy sequences without the whole collapsing into misery.

The reservations cluster around tone and intent. Some find the lurches between nightmare and uplift awkward, and the dream sequences ill-fitting or condescending. The spread is wide: a small group, led by Slant Magazine and The Playlist, calls the film manipulative exploitation dressed for liberal audiences, and The Guardian argues it has been treated with more reverence than it earns. Tellingly, even the harshest dissenters exempt Sidibe and Mo’Nique from their complaints.

## Straight answers

**Is Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire worth watching?**

*Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire* is worth watching for the two performances at its centre, from Gabourey Sidibe and Mo'Nique, and we scored it 72. Lee Daniels's film is undermined every twenty minutes by its own red-carpet daydreams and a saintly classroom, so it is not the great film its admirers describe. Have something gentler ready for afterwards.

**How long is Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire, and what is it rated?**

*Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire* runs 1h 50m and is rated R by the MPA in the US. It is a drama film.

**Where can I watch Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire in the US?**

*Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire* is streaming on Tubi and Amazon Prime Video in the US, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV from $3.99. It leaves Tubi on 1 October. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire, and is it suitable for children?**

*Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire* is a 15 certificate in the UK and R in the US, and it earns that in the first ten minutes: a sixteen-year-old is beaten by her mother, raped by her father and pregnant for the second time. Not for children, and the squeamish should know the abuse is shown as an everyday habit rather than a single shock.

**How does Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire compare to Fish Tank?**

*Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire* and [*Fish Tank*](https://film.one/film/fish-tank) are both dramas about a teenage girl in a violent, neglectful home, but Andrea Arnold's Essex film is the tenser and less consoling of the two. Precious gives its heroine daydreams and a saintly teacher to escape into; Mia in *Fish Tank* has neither and is angrier for it. Watch Precious for Sidibe and Mo'Nique, Fish Tank for a film with fewer soft landings.

**Is Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire based on a true story or a book?**

*Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire* is adapted from Sapphire's novel *Push*, not from a true story, with a screenplay by Geoffrey S. Fletcher. We note that the script follows the familiar shape of the inspirational-teacher film more closely in its second half than its first. You do not need to have read the book to follow the film.

**What should I watch after Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire?**

After *Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire*, try [*Fish Tank*](https://film.one/film/fish-tank) (2009, Fi1m 85): Andrea Arnold’s Essex teenager, angrier and less rescued, with no daydreams to hide in. Then [*The Color Purple*](https://film.one/film/the-color-purple) (1985, Fi1m 64): Spielberg’s adaptation of Alice Walker; a woman written off by everyone finds her voice; and [*Rosetta*](https://film.one/film/rosetta) (1999, Fi1m 82): The Dardennes follow a Belgian girl fighting for a job and away from her mother.

### Reviews we read (19)

- **RogerEbert.com**, Roger Ebert (4/4): The film is a great American story that moves from despair to inspiration through the hope offered by two women in Precious's life. It highlights powerful performances, especially by the debut lead and supporting cast, in depicting a girl's pain and resilience. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire-2009)
- **Empire**, Angie Errigo (90/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a raw and powerful emotional journey of self-acceptance and hope that is dramatically a triumph despite some technical flaws. They single out the lead performance by Gabourey Sidibe as undetectable acting that fully draws the viewer into her life. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/precious-review/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Betsy Sharkey (90/100, inferred): The film is a raw, unforgettable blend of dark social commentary and entertainment that challenges but ultimately moves viewers through the horrific realities and escapist fantasies of its protagonist. Sharkey singles out the fearless performances, particularly Mo'Nique's as the monstrous mother, and the director's restraint in letting emotional peaks emerge naturally. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-nov-06-et-precious6-story.html)
- **The New York Times**, A.O. Scott (90/100, inferred): The adaptation avoids preachy realism and mixes styles to sing as well as howl about a life of horror and dysfunction. It is unabashedly populist in emotional appeal while challenging audience complacency as genuine art. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/06/movies/06precious.html)
- **Evening Standard** (85/100, inferred): The critic describes the film as a bracing new-style weepie that is more uplifting than depressing and praises its truthful depiction of real life. They single out Mo’Nique’s performance as the monstrous mother as one of the best screen performances ever seen. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/precious-is-the-mother-of-all-weepies-7418418.html)
- **The Hollywood Reporter** (85/100, inferred): The critic calls the film an overwhelming and masterful Sundance entry with a grim, disturbing story of merciless degradations, crystalline performances (especially from newcomers Gabourey Sidibe and Mo’Nique), and strong direction and technical work that elevates the material. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/precious-film-review-92783/)
- **Screen Daily** (80/100, inferred): The review calls the film compelling and inspirational despite its upsetting content, highlighting the electrifying debut performance of Gabourey Sidibe as the resilient teen. It singles out the unusual story and strong direction for making the portrait of hardship stand out at the festival. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/precious/4042793.article)
- **Time Out**, Dave Calhoun (4/5): The critic finds the film deeply affecting and full of compassion, with strong performances from the leads, though it leans more on emotion than artistic depth. The adaptation is praised for balancing bleak subject matter with moments of humour and resilience in the central character's story. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire-1)
- **Variety**, John Anderson (70/100, inferred): An urban nightmare with soul, the film is courageous and uncompromising, a mix of debasement and elation that elevates despite its danger and problems. Anderson praises Daniels' ability to juggle emotional extremes and the strong production values and performances. [Read](https://variety.com/2009/film/markets-festivals/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire-2-1200473264/)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (65/100, inferred): The film has been treated with excessive reverence but features a powerful lead performance by Gabourey Sidibe as an abused teenager. It has raucous energy and a brilliant performance from Mo'Nique but shifts awkwardly between nightmare and sitcom-ish uplift. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/jan/28/precious-review)
- **Slant Magazine**, Ed Gonzalez: The critic dismisses the film as an impeccably acted piece of trash and exploitation that strokes liberal audiences’ sense of righteous indignation with lurid misery and condescending fantasy sequences, while failing to meaningfully engage with its social themes. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire/)
- **The Telegraph** (***): The film provokes ennui and dyspepsia through its campy characters, lurid melodrama and celebrity cameos. It mixes class tourism, gothic sexploitation and embarrassing elements in its domestic scenes. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmreviews/7092274/Precious-review.html)
- **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (90/100, inferred): The film is one of the best of the year thanks to its honest portrayal of Precious's brutal life and hard-won hope. The critic singles out Gabourey Sidibe's breakthrough performance as the element that makes audiences cheer rather than pity the character. [Read](https://collider.com/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire-review/)
- **Den of Geek**, Simon Brew (4/5): The critic calls it a haunting, brutal yet affecting and three-dimensional tale that is very powerful and difficult to stomach. Standout praise goes to the performances of Gabourey Sidibe and especially Mo'Nique, along with solid direction from Lee Daniels. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire-review/)
- **Digital Spy**, Ben Rawson-Jones (75/100, inferred): The film is described as compelling and harrowing yet stylishly told and earnestly acted, transcending potential obstacles through moving performances from Sidibe, Mo'Nique and Carey. It is a far from pleasant but ultimately worthwhile experience. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a198547/precious/)
- **Paste**, Robert Davis (70/100, inferred): The film offers a visually textured but familiar and occasionally manipulative story of triumph over adversity. The critic singles out Gabourey Sidibe's intimate, expressive performance as the element that moves audiences despite the surrounding hype and marketing. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire)
- **The Skinny**, Keir Roper-Caldbeck (65/100, inferred): The review notes the film is skilfully made with relief from emotional extremes via fantasy sequences and strong, stoic performances from Sidibe and a demonic Mo'Nique. It questions the graphic abuse and redemption payoff but concludes it just about succeeds due to humanity and generosity of intent. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/film-events/misery-inc)
- **Eye for Film**, Amber Wilkinson (3/5): The critic praises the bravery in handling grim subject matter with effective humor and the fiercely compelling acting from Gabourey Sidibe and Mo'Nique. However, the film is faulted as an uneven mishmash of genres with ill-fitting dream sequences, stilted scripting, and pacing issues that make it feel bloated. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson)
- **The Playlist**, Rodrigo Perez (20/100, inferred): The critic dismisses the film as a manipulative con job that exploits liberal empathy with garish, hamfisted direction and contrived narrative despite strong lead performances from Gabourey Sidibe and Mo'Nique. The acclaim from festivals is called puzzling given the clumsy execution and emotional exploitation. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/con-job-of-year-precious-is-not-much-of-20091105/)

## Details

- **Director:** Lee Daniels
- **Director:** Lee Daniels
- **Screenplay:** Geoffrey S. Fletcher
- **Novel:** Sapphire
- **Cinematography:** Andrew Dunn
- **Editor:** Joe Klotz
- **Music:** Mario Grigorov
- **Production design:** Roshelle Berliner
- **Costume design:** Marina Draghici
- **Producer:** Sarah Siegel-Magness, Gary Magness, Lee Daniels
- **Cast:** Gabourey Sidibe as Precious; Mo'Nique as Mary; Paula Patton as Ms. Rain; Mariah Carey as Ms. Weiss; Sherri Shepherd as Cornrows; Lenny Kravitz as Nurse John; Stephanie Andujar as Rita; Chyna Layne as Rhonda
- **Runtime:** 1h 50m
- **Certificate (MPA):** R
- **Release (the US):** 20 November 2009
- **Genres:** Drama
- **Also in:** [Best Picture winners](https://film.one/collections/oscar-best-picture.md) (Nominee, 2009)
- **Budget:** $10 million
- **Box office:** $48 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urFY3jp759c

## Where to watch in the US

- Tubi: free, hd, leaving 2026-10-01
- Amazon Prime Video: add-on
- Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, hd
- Apple TV: rent $3.99, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy $12.99, hd
- Apple TV: buy $12.99, hd

*Checked 2026-09-20.*

Also available in: AR, AU, BR, CA, CL, CO, FR, GB, IE, IT, MX, NZ, PA, PL, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Academy Awards 2010: Best Actress (nominated); Best Director (nominated); Best Film Editing (nominated); Best Picture (nominated); Best Supporting Actress (won); Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (won)
- Producers Guild Stanley Kramer Award 2010: Producers Guild Stanley Kramer Award (won)

## If you liked this

- *Fish Tank* (2009), Fi1m 85: Andrea Arnold’s Essex teenager, angrier and less rescued, with no daydreams to hide in. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/fish-tank.md)
- *The Color Purple* (1985), Fi1m 64: Spielberg’s adaptation of Alice Walker; a woman written off by everyone finds her voice. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-color-purple.md)
- *Rosetta* (1999), Fi1m 82: The Dardennes follow a Belgian girl fighting for a job and away from her mother. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/rosetta.md)
- *Moonlight* (2016), Fi1m 89: Another child of a chaotic Miami home, told with the restraint Daniels lacks. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/moonlight.md)
- *Capernaum* (2018), Fi1m 80: A Beirut boy sues his parents for having him; harsh, unsentimental and hard to shake. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/capernaum.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire