Sports movies share a common theme: a person overcomes all odds to become the greatest athlete in their sport, changing their life forever. Rachel Morrison’s directorial debut, “The Fire Inside,” has the same start, but what happens after the initial win makes this film something special.
Claressa Shields (Ryan Destiny) started boxing at a young age primarily to escape a difficult home life. When her mom, Jackie (Olunike Adeliyi), kicked her out, she moved in with her coach, Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry). Under his tutelage, she was on her way to the 2012 Olympics when she was just 17 years old. Despite being the first American woman to ever win a gold medal in boxing, she struggled to find endorsement deals or even a fair stipend to continue her training for the 2016 Olympics.
“The Fire Inside” was written by Barry Jenkins, and you can definitely see his fingerprints throughout the film. Morrison’s work as a cinematographer for numerous beautiful films is also seen in her directing style. Both work in slow, emotional stories, and that is certainly a part of this film. Unfortunately, that more methodical storytelling doesn’t serve the first half of the movie as well, as it seems to struggle to decide if it wants to talk about Claressa’s trip to the Olympics or her family life.
The film shines in the second half when the focus is on how Claressa is perceived as a Black woman and a boxer. Her image is discussed even during the Olympic trials and the actual events to show that she needs to be seen in a very particular way to capitalize on her success in her sport. When she is offered one-third of the stipend that men in her sport are offered for training, she scoffs and pushes to create equality in the pay for women athletes.
The performances in “The Fire Inside” are all solid. Destiny has a steely countenance throughout the bulk of the movie, so when we see her in more tender moments, it is really impressive. Destiny underwent intense boxing training, and it shows with the boxing scenes providing a much-needed infusion of action. Henry continues to bring his impressive blend of heart and grit to the role of Jason Crutchfield. He beautifully portrays a man who must balance being a coach and a father figure to Claressa while also caring for his family.
Overall, “The Fire Inside” is a solid movie. It struggles a bit to find a consistent tone in the first half, but once it does, it works well. Shields’ story is not merely that of a woman excelling in her sport but also of a woman who took it upon herself to improve conditions for the women coming behind her. The fire she has is certainly for boxing, but it doesn’t stop there. Claressa’s fight is for all women athletes, and that is a story worth telling.
Alise Chaffins is a Morgantown film critic and author. She is a member of several critics organizations, including GALECA, OFTA, and IFSCA. You can connect with her on social media at @AliseChaffins and on her Substack at MacGuffin or Meaning.
