Movie Preview: Push: Based on the Novel by Sapphire

Push: Based on the Novel by Sapphire. Starring Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe, Mo’Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, and Lenny Kravitz. Written by Sapphire (novel), Geoffrey Fletcher, and Ramona Lofton. Directed by Lee Daniels.

I can’t wait to see this film. The Sundance Film Festival honored it with several awards, including the Grand Jury Prize, the Audience Award, and a Special Jury Prize for Acting for Mo’Nique’s performance. You can read an interview with Mo’Nique here, where she discusses her role as Precious’s mother, Mary.

Eric D. Snider summarizes the film as follows:

“The premise of Push: Based on a Novel by Sapphire is so unsettling and bleak that no one would blame you if you didn’t want to see it: It’s the story of an obese 16-year-old illiterate Harlem girl who’s pregnant (for the second time) by her own father, lives with her monstrously abusive mother, and has almost given up on life. But if you do see it, you’ll find that it’s compelling and artistic, punctuated with warm humor and masterful performances, and ultimately triumphant and hopeful.”

And Paul Moore writes the following: “During the Q&A after the screening I attended, a girl stood up and said, ‘I’m from Harlem and I know people like that, but I’ve never seen it on a screen before.’ She then thanked director Lee Daniels through her tears and sat down.”

Since it doesn’t release until November, I haven’t found too many reviews, but definitely check out Emanuel Levy’s review and Amber Wilkinson’s less enthusiastic review.

Now watch the trailer.

3 thoughts on “Movie Preview: Push: Based on the Novel by Sapphire”

  1. I’m VERY ambivalent about this film. The novel is deeply exploitative and manipulative, and has received lots of attention for being such in academic circles. Percival Everett wrote Erasure, an excellent book that contains a parody of Push within, in reaction to Sapphire’s novel.

    Yes, it’s written by a woman, and yes, it’s about an impoverished teenage mother, and, yes, it’s supposedly based on girls Sapphire came to know while teaching (though it’s a composite girl). I’m curious but also quite concerned…

  2. I’m not familiar with the novel at all, but I can definitely see how this story could be both exploitative and manipulative. I’m hoping the film takes extra care to avoid that, given the novel’s controversial history. We’ll see …

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