Movie Review: The Fire Inside
The Fire Inside is a great sports movie because it hits all the familiar beats a good sports movie should hit. It tells an inspiring story, features exciting sports action, and is exhilarating. The central athlete and coach are the heart of the film. But it is where The Fire Inside takes the story that elevates it into a great sports drama.
The Fire Inside is the true story of Claressa ‘T-Rex’ Sheilds (Ryan Destiny) an amateur boxer from Flint, Michigan who makes it to the Olympics and wins a gold medal, the first by any American, male or female, in United States Olympic history.
Normally, this would be the entire movie if this were a standard, by-the-numbers sports film. We would see Claressa learning how to box, watch her get better, go through some hardships that she eventually overcomes, and eventually win the gold, and we do get that for the first half of the film. The film’s second half shows us the aftermath of Claressa winning the gold medal, which isn’t as glamorous as you might think. Unlike other Olympians who get endorsement deals and benefit from winning the gold medal, Claressa struggles to get any deals or benefits despite the best efforts from her coach Jason (Brian Tyree Henry). This makes Claressa question whether it was all worth it and whether boxing is her future, despite being the best in the world.
Written by Oscar-winner Barry Jenkins, the decision to take the film in the direction it went is something you rarely see in sports films. Though the film’s first half is sports movie 101, Jenkins sprinkles in elements that come into play in the second half. He establishes the troubles in Claressa’s family, with her hard-partying mother, imprisoned father, and neglected siblings, shows Jason’s life and establishes his love for boxing, though everything he does for boxing and Claressa he is doing for free, and establishes how important Flint is to Claressa and Jason despite it being a struggling city. These elements are touched on in the first half, but become a focus in the second half, as Claressa tries to continue boxing while also trying to take care of her family. The second half of the film is where The Fire Inside shines and becomes a powerful drama. The family drama is compelling and Jenkins ties that in with an important message about gender and race equality and image in sports as Claressa and Jason are trying to keep the boxing dream alive but struggle when there aren’t any offers or endorsements, and the Olympic committee is asking Claressa to change her persona in the public eye. Jenkins brilliantly blends classic sports tropes with a new vision of the genre.
The Fire Inside is the directorial debut of Rachel Morrison, who made history in 2017 by being the first female cinematographer to be nominated for Best Cinematography at the Oscars for her work on Dee Rees’s Mudbound, and it is one of the most impressive debut films of 2024. Unsurprisingly, the film looks great, and the boxing scenes are well-shot and rousing. Morrison also gets two spectacular performances from Destiny and Henry. Both bring depth to their characters, and they have beautiful chemistry. Their conversations flow with the authenticity of two people who have known each other for years and you feel the heart and deep emotion of their arguments and triumphs.
Anchored by Jenkins’ screenplay, Morrison’s impressive direction, and two outstanding performances by Destiny and Henry, The Fire Inside is a thrilling sports film with a twist.
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