Celebrated cinematographer turned first-time director Rachel Morrison (Black Panther, Dope, and an Oscar nomination for her work on Mudbound) brings us the inspirational true story of female boxer Claressa Shields (nicknamed T-Rex because of her short arm reach) in The Fire Inside. Played by singer/model Ryan Destiny, Shields remains arguably the greatest female boxer of all time .She came from humble beginnings growing up in Flint, Michigan, assisted by her focused coach, Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry), and eventually making her way to being the first American female boxer to win a gold medal in the Olympics—twice.
With a beautifully realized screenplay from Barry Jenkins, The Fire Inside covers familiar sports drama ground, with Shields having to overcome a neglectful mother (Oluniké Adeliyi) and a crumbling community around her. But whereas most sports movies would have her run for the gold medal in the 2012 London Olympics be the endgame, this event takes place at about the halfway point of the film, leaving Jenkins and Morrison the opportunity to tell an unfamiliar story about a female athlete who refused to glam herself up just to appeal to potential sponsors. As a result, even with a gold medal, she got no endorsement in the aftermath of the Olympics. Crutchfield pushed hard for her, but in the end, she blamed him for this failure in her career. It also didn’t help that when reporters asked her what motivated her as a boxer, she replied simply that she liked to beat people up.
And so the back half of the film is about Shields’ run for another gold medal four years later at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro games. If she wins, her dominance is undeniable, and so the real fight begins for her.
Both Destiny and Henry are extraordinary in The Fire Inside, pushing each other and those on the outside that would deny them what they were clearly deserving of. But the real star of the production is Jenkins’ script, which turns the sports film on its head by making the crowning achievement moment actually just the launching-off point for Shields’ true struggle.
Director Morrison handles the boxing matches beautifully, making them seem authentic and quite brutal at times. Since her reach was reduced somewhat, Shields relied on sheer power and aggression, making her bouts all the more violent. The Fire Inside is one of the better sports dramas in recent memory, and I hope any body voting for various awards in the coming months finds room to include its filmmakers and actors in its nominees. It’s such a special work.
The film is now playing in theaters.
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