Precious

11/6/20091h 50m

Theatrical (limited) Release (US)

Overview:

Set in Harlem in 1987, Claireece "Precious" Jones is a 16-year-old African American girl born into a life no one would want. She's pregnant for the second time by her absent father; at home, she must wait hand and foot on her mother, an angry woman who abuses her emotionally and physically. School is chaotic and Precious has reached the ninth grade with good marks and a secret; She can't read.

Director:

Lee Daniels

Status:

Released

Language:

English

Buget:

$10,000,000.00

Revenue:

$47,536,959.00

Key words:

rape
aids
illiteracy
unwillingly pregnant
balloon
school
crying
motorcycle
cynical
harlem, new york city
angry
aggressive
frantic
1980s
abusive mother
desperate
furious
apathetic
callous
derogatory
enraged
frightened
frustrated
harsh
horrified

Cast

Gabourey Sidibe

~ as ~

Claireece "Precious" Jones

Mo'Nique

~ as ~

Mary Lee Johnston

Paula Patton

~ as ~

Blu Rain

Mariah Carey

~ as ~

Mrs. Weiss

Lenny Kravitz

~ as ~

John McFadden

Sherri Shepherd

~ as ~

Lisa Cornrows

Stephanie Andujar

~ as ~

Rita Romero

Chyna Layne

~ as ~

Rhonda Patrice Johnson

Amina Robinson

~ as ~

Jermaine

Xosha Roquemore

~ as ~

Joann

View full cast & crew

Reviews (2)

V
ViciousSnowflake
Written 5 year(s) ago
7
This is kind of a rough movie to watch. A very victimized and bullied teen tries to get through life. It ends on a fairly positive note but damn. Incest babies is just a weird, skin crawling topic for me so that is always going to be rough to go through.
CinemaSerf
Written 5 month(s) ago
7
Towards the tail end of the 1980s, "Precious" (Gabourey Sidibe) is feeling anything but. Intimidated by her angry, petty criminal, mother "Mary" (Mo'Nique) whilst expecting her second child by her own father. She's 16, big, black and constantly bullied - with little chance of that cycle improving amidst a community that isn't looking for any new problems. Sometimes the only solace this girl can take is when she imagines herself living a more glamorous, escapist, lifestyle - but those are merely momentary escapes from her tough urban existence. There might be a blessing from her latest pregnancy, though, as the school principal sees it as an opportunity to transfer her to a school where she might actually get some attention, feel more included and make some new friends. It's that evolving characterisation that the young Sidibe delvers potently here as she gradually begins to feel a little more empowered, finds some inner strength and courage and maybe even starts to see a corner she can turn. There's also something to be said for the less frequent but still quote powerful contributions of Mo'Nique as a mother whom, as the narrative develops, might not be so drastically different from her daughter and who is quite possibly just as lost and out of her depth. It's a film about appreciating self-worth more than anything, and though this particular scenario also adds racial tensions and a great deal of frustration and hopelessness, it isn't without a degree of optimism if the spirit is there - and it gets a little timely help now and again. It's a solid indictment of one-size-fits-all educational politics and proves that teaching is most definitely a vocation that requires vision, patience and understanding. There's an all-star cast to spot if you want, but they aren't really needed, it's all about these two women at the top of their game.