MOVIE OF THE WEEK December 20, 2024: THE FIRE INSIDE
There’s nothing quite like a sports underdog movie to stir the emotions — even if you know where it’s ultimately headed, when it’s done right, there’s something about watching a “triumph against the odds” drama that makes you want to stand up and cheer, especially when it’s based on a true story. And while there are plenty of boxing films on that list, virtually none have told a story like Claressa Shields’. Rachel Morrison more than fills that gap with the stirring The Fire Inside.
Many of the facts of Shields’ early life were previously shared on film in the 2015 documentary T-Rex, but this dramatization of her unlikely rise to Olympic superstardom has the benefit of being a bit further out from her initial success, giving Morrison and screenwriter Barry Jenkins more material (and perspective) to work with. The Fire Inside follows Shields (played by Jazmin Headley as a girl and Ryan Destiny as a teen and adult) from her earliest days in the ring in Flint, Michigan, to her history-making Olympic competition in 2012 and beyond. We meet her coach, Jason Crutchfeld (Brian Tyree Henry), her troubled mother (Olunike Adeliyi), and her siblings and friends.
Claressa wants nothing more than to help all of them, so she trains and fights with laser focus — and it pays off. But even success on a global scale doesn’t translate to what she needs and wants more than anything to make a difference in the lives of her loved ones: money and endorsement deals. This facet of Claressa’s story helps The Fire Inside make important points about how society does (or, more accurately, doesn’t) value female athletes, particularly those who don’t compete in skimpy swimsuits or sequined costumes.
Morrison, an Oscar-nominated cinematographer making her feature directorial debut, is confident behind the camera, guiding her stars in delivering compelling performances and capturing both the triumph and the agony of Claressa’s intense boxing competitions. Brian Tyree Henry is earnest and caring as Claressa’s devoted coach, and Ryan Destiny is fierce and formidable both in the ring and out of it. The film doesn’t shy away from the harsher aspects of Claressa’s life in Flint, which is far from an easy place to grow up, but it doesn’t sensationalize them, either. Claressa is, like so many other people from towns like Flint, just someone who’s trying to get by the best way she knows how. In her case, that way happens to lead to Olympic gold — Betsy Bozdech
Team #MOTW’s comments:
Nell Minow: One of the most magnetic onscreen duos this year is not a romantic couple or a pair of enemy to friend buddies but a coach and mentor to a young athlete. Brian Tyree Henry continues to show his versatility and endless charisma as Jason, who shifts quickly from “we don’t coach girls to box” to the dedicated support system and guide for Ryan Destiny as Claressa “T-Rex” Shields, two time Olympic gold medalist.
Sherin Nicole Rachel Morrison’s The Fire Inside follows boxer Claressa “T-Rex” Shields from Flint, Michigan to the Olympics and the disappointment that shadowed her greatness. Penned by Barry Jenkins, the film skillfully navigates the triumphs and trials of Shields’ life. While Ryan Destiny’s performance embodies the boxer’s determination and aplomb, her coach, Brian Tyree Henry, provides the shoulders she stands on to reach higher. With its uncovering of the systemic issues and barriers for women in boxing and sports, The Fire Inside takes steps beyond where most athletes’ biopics end, offering a keen commentary on the aftermath of winning the gold.
Leslie Combemale While Ryan Destiny is completely on point as Claressa Shields, MVP of The Fire Inside is Brian Tyree Henry, who plays coach Jason Crutchfield as a beleaguered and complex man who is not always the consummate hero, but doing his best. He’s never less than great. First time feature director Rachel Morrison’s expertise as an Oscar nominated cinematographer can be seen in films that span a wide variety of genres and subjects, from Mudbound and Fruitvale Station to Black Panther. She leverages her experience for The Fire Inside to make both the fight matches and the locations, including a bleak early 2000s Flint Michigan, sharp and evocative.
Jennifer Merin The Fire Inside is the directorial debut of acclaimed cinematographer Rachel Morrison. Scripted by Barry Jenkins, it is a truth-based narrative that chronicles the hard knocks childhood and awe inspiring career of Claressa Shields, Olympic gold medalist and GWOAT boxer. From the start, Claressa, who is determined to survive and thrive despite the difficult circumstances of poverty and an abusive single mom, shows astonishing gut and grit. With the exception of her dedicated coach. Jason Crutchfield, who treated her like a member of his family, everyone told Claressa that she could not, would not succeed. They were wrong! Ryan Destiny has all the right moves as teenage and adult Claressa. She’s fierce. And Brian Tyree Henry is spot on as Crutchfield, her caring coach and father figure who keeps her focused. The beautifully crafted film packs quite a punch. It is sometimes a bit hard to watch because the boxing sequences are authentic and brutal. But there is inspiration to be gleaned from Claressa’s gripping story.
Loren King Bryan Tyree Henry makes everything he is in better. He is the expansive soul of The Fire Inside, the feature directorial debut of notable cinematographer Rachel Morrison, who shot Mudbound and Black Panther. Her film, written by Barry Jenkins, is the true story of American boxing champion Claressa “T-Rex” Shields (played by Ryan Destiny) that will be a revelation for anyone who doesn’t follow the sport. Morrison captures the decay and poverty in Flint, Michigan, home to Henry’s boxer-turned-coach Jason Crutchfield and the surly, determined kid who shows up at his grungy gym. Read full review.
Liz Whittemore Aside from brilliant performances by Brian Tyree Henry and Ryan Destiny and fantastic directing by Rachel Morrison, The Fire Inside is an example of vital storytelling and representation of women in male-dominated sports. If we’ve learned anything from this year, every Olympic athlete who has became a household name was female. Every sold-out championship game that smashed ticket sales was a girl’s or women’s team competition. The Fire Inside is the definition of authenticity and uncompromising passion in women’s sports. It deserves to have full theaters. Show your daughters and your sons this film. And pay women athletes what they are worth.
FILM DETAILS:
Title: The Fire Inside
Director: Rachel Morrison
Release Date: December 25, 2024
Running Time: 109 minutes
Language: English
Screenwriter: Barry Jenkins
Lead Performers: Ryan Destiny, Brian Tyree Henry
Distribution Company: Amazon MGM
AWFJ Movie of the Week Panel Members: Sandie Angulo Chen, Betsy Bozdech, Leslie Combemale, Pam Grady, Loren King, Cate Marquis, Jennifer Merin, Nell Minow, Sherin Nicole, Liz Whittemore
Other Movies Opening This Week
Edited by Jennifer Merin
