I was in the mood for something uplifting, not too arty or intense, and under two hours. The Fire Inside fit the bill. Plus, I had no clue about the backstory of Claressa “T-Rex” Shields, the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing. So I learned something new!
The first two-thirds of The Fire Inside stays true to the formula for a sports biopic: a kid overcomes myriad odds and obstacles to claw their way to the top of their game, whatever that game may be. And there’s the usual coach/father figure to provide the tough love. But the film doesn’t end with a cheering victory. It continues on— to what could be considered a second ending. An interesting turn of events.
The film begins with a young Claressa showing up at the gym where a volunteer coach is training boys how to punch, jab, and block. She wants in. She desperately needs an escape from her messy home life and genuinely likes to beat people up. At first, the coach, Jason Crutchfield (Bryan Tyree Henry) balks at training her— “girls don’t box”— but relents when he gets a glimpse of her raw talent, determination, and grit. Fast forward five years and 16-year-old Claressa (Ryan Destiny) has a shot at qualifying for the 2012 Olympic Games. Then she has a shot at winning.
It’s not a spoiler to reveal that Claressa does indeed take home Olympic gold. What I won’t spoil is what happens next, when she returns to her hometown of Flint, Michigan. There’s some heartache to wade through as Claressa struggles with family obligations, endorsement woes, strained relations with her coach, and a fight for equal pay for women on the US Olympic team. Not quite the victory lap she was expecting.
The film is the first feature directed by Rachel Morrison, whose cinematography credits include Black Panther and Mudbound, with a screenplay written by Barry Jenkins (Moonlight). It’s a decent flick, though not the type of sports drama that needs to be seen on a big screen. I suspect it will stream sooner rather than later since Amazon helped bankroll it. So definitely look for it on Prime Video if you miss it in the theaters this holiday season.
(Note: Claressa Shields is still a force to be reckoned with in the ring and is only 29, so her story continues…)
The Fire Inside opens in theaters Christmas Day.