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One of the most violent and physical sports out there, boxing isn't for the faint of heart. For those who can dig deep within themselves to find the strength to stand up to their opponent round after round, however, it's a sport that can turn ordinary people into champions, and champions into legends. Whether it's Muhammad Ali, Manny Pacquiao or Mike Tyson, some of the most iconic male boxers to dominate the sport have overcome great adversity in order to rise to the top. And when it comes to female boxers, that road to glory is just as tough, if not even more challenging. The only boxer, male or female, to ever win back-to-back Olympic gold medals, Claressa Shields knows the hard work and perseverance it takes to be a champion. However, when a then-11-year-old Claressa (Jazmin Headley Young) showed up at boxing coach Jason Crutchfield's (Brian Tyree Henry) Berston gym in Flint, Michigan in 2006, she was far from the sports role model she would one day become. One of three children born to single mom Jackie (Olunike Adeliyi), Claressa and her siblings are no stranger to going without the bare necessities. But when Jason breaks his own coda not to train girls to fight, he quickly learns that he might have discovered a boxing prodigy in his new pupil. Fast forward to 2011, and 16-year-old Claressa (Ryan Destiny) is well on her way to qualifying for the 2012 Olympics in London, England. What she could never anticipate, though, is the uphill battle for gender equality that she would have to fight on behalf of all female athletes in the wake of her historic win. Both an inspirational character drama and an uplifting tale about the difference one person can make on the lives of the people around them, cinematographer Rachel Morrison's feature directorial debut is more than your average sports biopic. What truly sets The Fire Inside apart, however, is the star-making turn from Destiny, who easily establishes herself as a talent to watch. Suffice to say, audiences familiar with the genre will be very impressed with what Morrison and screenwriter Barry Jenkins have thrown into the ring. As for how the film stacks up overall, it's not mere hyperbole to call this crowd-pleasing true story an absolute knockout. |
The Fire Inside screens under the Special Presentations programme at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. Its runtime is 1 hr. 49 min.
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