How gory is Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire?

Light gore and brutal violence.

What is Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire rated, and is it OK for kids?

Strong sex and nudity, brutal violence, and frequent strong language. The R is earned, so not for kids.

Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire poster

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

Film · 1h 50m · Rated R

Drama

A young woman navigates relentless abuse in 1980s Harlem, searching for a path to literacy and dignity.

Bleak and intimate. A full-attention watch at a measured pace. Emotionally it is devastating.

Streaming on Kanopy (free), Hoopla (free) and Tubi (free).

Five more like this Get the app

Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire parents guide

The thing to know: strong sex and nudity, more than an R usually carries. Beyond that, brutal violence and frequent strong language.

Scare: Not scary
Jump scares: None noted
Gore: Light gore; Some blood or injury, briefly.
Violence: Brutal violence; Our top level for violence.
Sex and nudity: Strong; Strong means explicit or repeated sex, extended nudity, or sexual assault shown on screen, attempted or completed, even partly off screen. Any one of these is enough.
Language: Strong; Frequent strong profanity or slurs.

How we rate: an AI reads what is known about each title and tags it 0 to 3; we check the tags against a hand-rated set and correct them by hand when readers tell us. Estimates, not a scene-by-scene review. Spot a mistake? Tell us.

Three questions

How gory is Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire?: Light gore and brutal violence.
What is Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire rated, and is it OK for kids?: Strong sex and nudity, brutal violence, and frequent strong language. The R is earned, so not for kids.

What is Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire about?

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, and 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.