The Fire Inside
★ ★ ★ ★
“The Fire Inside” is a film about the first female American to win an Olympic gold medal for boxing. She was born and raised in Flint, Mich.and knew she wanted to box at an early age.
We first meet Claressa “T-Rex” Shields as a pre-teen girl (Jazmin Headley) at a boxing gym where gym owner and trainer Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry) tells her they don’t teach boxing to girls. He can see Claressa won’t back down, so he lets her spar with a boy her age named Corey (Maurice Wayne Anglin). Jason gives her some pointers during the sparring match and can tell there’s something more to her.
Ryan Destiny as Claressa Shields and Brian Tyree Henry as Jason Crutchfield
© 2024 Amazon MGM Studios
Jason becomes Claressa’s trainer and remains so through her early career. The film wastes no time advancing to Claressa as a teenager, portrayed by Ryan Destiny through the rest of the film.
At 17, she won her first amateur fight in an Olympic qualifier – the tournament that also dealt her first and only loss by Savannah Marshall (Nicole Drury).
Claressa “T-Rex” Shields Shadowboxing with the neighborhood kids
© 2024 Amazon MGM Studios
In most sports dramas, the story ends with a major victory or challenging defeat. We see her win her first Olympic gold medal at 17. In this film, that’s where her fight really begins.
Clarissa and Jason believed that her gold medal would bring sponsorships and endorsement deals. Such a boon would easily change the course of her family’s future.
When the endorsements don’t come, Claressa and Jason step into another ring and an entirely different fight.
Ryan Destiny as Claressa Shields and Brian Tyree Henry as Jason Crutchfield
© 2024 Amazon MGM Studios
This is a well paced, thoughtful sports drama and puts us right in Claressa’s corner. Destiny’s portrayal of Claressa is inspiring, making us root her on as she fights for every victory. Henry brings Jason to life and makes him immediately likeable and relatable.
The wonderful acting, combined with solid cinematography and a tight story make this an excellent movie. It’s inspiring and heartwarming, even when the characters are at their most desperate.
I don’t follow boxing too closely, so I wasn’t familiar with the story, but that allowed me to enjoy the film even more. It’s a very good movie, and I am glad to recommend it.
Rated: PG-13 for some strong language, thematic elements, and brief suggestive material.
Running Time: 1h 41m
Directed by: Rachel Morrison
Written by: Barry Jenkins
Starring: Ryan Destiny, Brian Tyree Henry, Olunike Adeliyi, De’Andre Aziza, Jazmin Headley, Chrystian Buddington, Lanette Ware, Teanna Weir
Biography, Drama, Sports
