Cinephiles have previously experienced various underdog stories about boxers. Still, it isn’t often that we witness one about a female boxer and the struggles involved in making this career choice viable. Writer Barry Jenkins and director Rachel Morrison, who makes her directorial debut, tell the story of Olympic boxer, Claressa “T-Rex” Shields and how she emerged from humble beginnings and fought for a more equal success as a professional boxer.
Ryan Destiny stars as Claressa Shields, and Brian Tyree Henry stars as her trainer/coach, Jason Crutchfield. Shields comes from a very humble background in Detroit, Michigan, and desires to use her anger and passion to apply them to the sport of boxing. Though initially reluctant, Crutchfield takes Claressa under his wing and offers his skills and heart as a trainer and surrogate father. The two face challenges ahead as T-Rex proves her worth as a boxer and successfully enters the Olympics. However, there are more challenges ahead as she discovers the discrepancies between both women and men involved in the sport.
Though this movie deals with similar themes, as most sports underdog films have, this particular story is unique in that what seems to be the ultimate goal–the Olympics–is not what it cracks up to be, at least for women athletes. Barry Jenkins does a solid job writing and developing the characters for this movie. Still, I wish the director had put more excitement into presenting this story and the fight sequences that often fall short.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed that Morrison and Jenkins focussed mostly on the human factor. That is where this movie excels. Like Rocky, the filmmakers recognize the humanity within its protagonist and her coach and develop that relationship so well. I very much enjoyed the performances of Ryan Destiny and Brian Tyree Henry, who bring much heart and passion to their roles. The film also has a great supporting cast, which helps bring this movie to life.
Though this film has weaknesses, it is still a very inspirational story, and the filmmakers do a fine job telling it. The acting is so good that it makes the movie all the more compelling and impactful. I recommend this film to sports fans who love a good underdog story. The Fire Inside opens in theaters on Christmas Day.