Rachel Morrison’s “The Fire Inside” arrives at the same time as the smaller but also accomplished boxing sleeper, “Day of the Fight.”
Morrison’s film takes the opposite approach to that film in terms of presenting its big matches – whereas “Day of the Fight” is a long build up to a great boxing match, “The Fire Inside” front-loads all the training and fight scenes, which are fierce and well staged, but then goes in a surprising direction by portraying the aftermath of a big match.
In this true story, Ryan Destiny stars as Clarissa “T-Rex” Shields, a boxer from Flint, Michigan who shows promise as a young child, works her way up in the ranks and gives her all to training for the Olympics. Clarissa’s trainer, Jason (a movie-stealing Brian Tyree Henry) knows how powerful his athlete is and that her achievement in the ring contrasts the hardships she faces in her life, which only presents dead ends.
“The Fire Inside” is tough, quiet, character-driven and gritty. It reminded me not of “Rocky” (1976) or even “Girlfight” (2000) but Clint Eastwood’s “Million Dollar Baby” (2004).
“Moonlight” director Barry Jenkins wrote the screenplay and produced, presenting a story that could have felt like an inevitable, feel-good drama or simply an ESPN-ready bio. Instead, there’s a harsh gravity to this that extends to the Flint setting.
I first became aware of the town when it was featured in Michael Moore’s landmark documentary, “Roger & Me” (1989). The Flint on view here is full of poverty and little options for the citizens who live there. Rather than allow “The Fire Inside” to become heavy-handed, political and or allow social commentary, Jenkin and Morrison keep the focus on their protagonist.
A scene that truly floored me is when Clarissa is sharing an intimate moment with her boyfriend, then tells him something she has never told another soul. It’s a heartbreaking confession and one of the many ways the film goes right – “The Fire Inside” is about character and resists sports movie cliches.
Morrison’s film is unsentimental and does everything it can to counter expectations by telling the story in a gloss-free, straightforward manner.
Tyree Henry first caught my eye with his unsettling, intimidating villain turn in Steve McQueen’s terrific “Widows” and has been a scene-stealer in so many subsequent films and television roles. While Destiny’s star-making turn is newsworthy (she connects to the complex inner pain of the character) Tyree Henry anchors the film and gives one of the year’s best performances.
Despite how strong the first two acts are, Morrison’s film can’t sustain the energy of the first half and loses momentum in the third act. Yet there is dramatic power in the final confrontation between Clarissa and Jason, which could have been played in a very Hollywood manner.
Instead, it’s as straight forward, tough and understated as the rest of the film.
A tough question “The Fire Inside” addresses: What does it mean to compete in the world’s greatest international multi-sport event, win a gold medal, and then return to your hometown broke and with no career momentum?
How Ryan Destiny Managed to Keep ‘The Fire Inside’ https://t.co/s3OLRYL9NB
— IndieWire (@IndieWire) December 23, 2024
There are many other films about amateur boxers who go the distance, most of which are real “Cinderella” stories and have conclusions that feel inevitable. It’s nice to watch a sports drama that leaves you feeling good, like you just left a game where your home team won.
Movies are like that, too. I also appreciate a movie like this, where the result of the big match and the character’s journey are less assured, as is the definition of victory.
Three Stars
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