A screening of the powerful film Push received a standing ovation and has already garnered rave reviews and talk of a possible Oscar nomination for one of it's stars, Mo'Nique. Also starring newcomer Gabourney Sidibe, it is perceived as being the first bonafide hit of the 2009 Sundance Festival. This is undoubtedly good news for director Lee Daniels, who previously cast Mo'Nique in the cult hit Shadowboxer, opposite Academy Award winning actors Helen Mirren and Cuba Gooding Jr.
Daniels, who is no stranger to controversy, is known for tackling taboo subject matter head-on. As the sole producer of the Oscar-winning Monster's Ball, he's shown a deft hand at dealing with racism and interracial love. His next stint as a producer was for The Woodsman, starring Kevin Bacon, which was focused on the portrayal of a pedophile and his re-adjustment to society after being released from prison, followed by the aforementioned Shadowboxer, a hard-boiled noirish thriller that explores May-December romance, incest, interracial relationships, and features unapologetically graphic sexual situations, another recurring theme in his work.
Following in the same tradition, Push, which is based on the 1996 novel written by Ramona Lofton under the pseudonym Saffire, tells the story of Clareece "Precious" Jones (Sidibe), a young, illiterate Harlem teen with HIV, who's pregnant for the second time with her father's child, and is also bullied by her horribly wretched mother played by Mo'Nique. The movie, like the book, is said to pull no punches, but the combined performances of Mariah Carey as a social worker, Lenny Kravitz (in his movie debut) as a nurse and Paula Patton (Idlewild) as a teacher all take an interest in her plight and will hopefully lend a much-needed balance to the horrific proceedings. Subject matter aside, Mr. Daniels' work is also known for its complex layers, character development and dialogue, so this is definitely a treat for those who yearn for the return of grittier and more topical fare, which is sorely missed and much-needed in black cinema. There is no set release date, but I'll most definitely keep an eye out for this one.
UPDATE: Push has also won the Grand Jury Prize.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Pictured: l. to r., Mariah Carey, Gabouney Sidibe, Lee Daniels, Mo'Nique, Paula Patton
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