Claressa Shields is hands down one of the greatest boxers of all time. Between being the first American woman to win a gold medal in boxing, the first American boxer to win consecutive medals, and holding the four major world titles across two weight classes in the four-belt era, her myriad accomplishments speak for themselves. The Fire Inside, the directorial debut of famed cinematographer Rachel Morrison, tells the story of Shields’ unusual rise to greatness from the underserved community of Flint, Michigan. It’s a great and engaging look at a real-life champion who overcame myriad hurdles, but certain narrative choices impede its dramatic potential.
What is ‘The Fire Inside’ About?

We first meet young Claressa Shields (Ryan Destiny) as she runs through the chilly streets of Flint, Michigan. Her destination is the local boxing gym of Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry). It’s not one of your well-funded world-champion stable gyms (Crutchfield operates it outside his day job), and they don’t train girls. At least they didn’t, until Shields’ dogged determination changed the rules. She’s shown to have a real aptitude for boxing at a young age, and it’s a great escape from her complicated home life. Her mother Jackie (Olunike Adeliyi) is more selfish than dependable, and her father is incarcerated. She wins her first Olympic gold, which leads to a much different outcome than she expected.
‘The Fire Inside’ Shines Most When Telling The Story After The Gold

Image via Amazon MGM Studios

The Fire Inside isn’t a boxing drama that merely hits the beats of the boxing outings that have gone before. There are personal hardships, struggles with poverty and familial issues, thrilling bouts, training montages, and ‘Bigger Fish’ contests and fighters, sure, all based on Shields’ real-life story. Barry Jenkins’ layered script prioritizes giving voice to Shields’ struggles with the sport itself, in an era where women’s boxing hadn’t produced the same level of recognition as their men’s boxing counterparts. The young Shields, unyielding in her drive to excel and unwilling to do it by anyone’s rules but her own, gets a strong voice here, the film’s back half dealing with her frustrations that Olympic Gold didn’t lift her family out of poverty, didn’t bring her national fame, thanks to the limitations of the industry at the time. It’s a unique set of pressures for the real-life champion and protagonist, and the focus highlights the uniqueness of her story set against the usual tale.
Ryan Destiny gives a strong performance as Shields, translating the famed fighter’s determination and ire well for the screen. Shields was tough as nails and rough around the edges, wanting to succeed and be accorded honor just like the men’s champions. She didn’t want to grin for the camera, and resisted the displays of stereotypical femininity that women’s athletics demanded for photo shoots and product endorsements, and she was angry. It’s not an easy role, but Destiny lands that complexity well with a strong screen presence. Bryan Tyree Henry excels as coach Jason Crutchfield, who trains and attempts to ground the young fighter almost as a surrogate father, bringing warmth and humanity to calm Shields’ intensity.

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It’s a smart and intimate portrayal of Shields, and Destiny gives a strong performance overall, though it doesn’t always stick the balance between its divergent plot threads. Shields’ narrative has to balance Shields’ athletic journey against her professional troubles (receiving the recognition she deserves) and personal struggles. At times, there’s a feeling that the more novel thread is being shortchanged for a less interesting one, and certain important and engaging threads (the process of training for the second gold, or fighting against media stereotyping) feel a bit shortchanged in the process. The Fire Inside still manages to hit the right note more often than not, respectfully telling the story of a champion.
A Strong Film, But Not Quite A Knockout

Image via Amazon MGM Studios

Altogether, The Fire Inside is a strong directorial debut for Rachel Morrison, boasting excellent performances from Ryan Destiny and Brian Tyree Henry. The action in the ring is well shot and choreographed and the script captures Shields’ voice well. It adeptly showcases Shields’ role in issues that persist throughout women’s sports as a whole, but against which Shields made a genuine difference. It’s hard to escape the feeling at times that some of the most interesting elements are being sidelined in favor of other slices of the narrative, but what it does highlight is skillfully translated to the screen, making a film that’s easily worth going a few rounds with.
The Fire Inside comes to theaters on December 25.

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Review

The Fire Inside is a strong directorial debut from Rachel Morrison, boasting strong performances from Ryan Destiny and Brian Tyree Henry and capturing the emotional life of a champion.

The Fire Inside chronicles the journey of boxer Claressa ‘T-Rex’ Shields from Flint, Michigan, as she trains and becomes the first American woman to achieve an Olympic gold medal in boxing, highlighting her determination and athletic achievements.

Release Date

December 25, 2024

Director

Rachel Morrison

Cast

Ryan Destiny
, Jazmin Headley
, Kylee D. Allen
, Brian Tyree Henry
, De’Adre Aziza
, Chrystian Buddington
, Maurice Wayne Anglin
, Teanna Weir

Pros

Ryan Destiny and Brian Tyree Henry both give layered performances that anchor the film, their interactions fueled with real pathos onscreen.
It’s a skillfully shot film, capturing Flint’s urban malaise as well as the action in the ring and the heightened reality of the Olympic games.
The narrative’s focus on Shields’ struggles after the gold medal are well scripted and give it a novel feeling.

Cons

The script doesn’t always balance the divergent narrative threads, and at times there’s a strong feeling that we aren’t seeing the more interesting part of the narrative.

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