REVIEW: "The Fire Inside" (2024)

WRITER'S NOTE: The following was originally posted on my Facebook page on January 10, 2025. 

In May of 2024, just before the Summer Olympics in Paris, Disney released a film called Young Woman and the Sea, based on the true story of Trudy Ederle, who became the first woman to successfully swim the English Channel. (I recommend it. It’s worth a look.) In the same category of stories about female athletes, the story of young boxer Clarissa Shields, who became the first American athlete (male or female) to win back-to-back gold medals at the Olympics, is told in The Fire Inside. 

Acclaimed cinematographer Rachel Morrison (known for her work with filmmakers like Dee Rees and Ryan Coogler) makes her directorial debut, working with a script by co-producer Barry Jenkins, about how the tenacious young Shields (nicknamed, “T-Rex,” played by a fierce and determined Ryan Destiny) overcame numerous barriers. More than that, it’s the story of the coach (the always-dynamic Brian Tyree Henry) who takes her under his wing, and about what happens after the 2012 Games in Shanghai. 

The setting is Flint, Michigan (2006-2012)—"tough as steel, strong as stone," as one character describes—with an opening (overhead) shot of a character jogging in winter. It’s no secret that Clarrisa’s home life is messy. With an apathetic mother and a history of sexual abuse, Clarrisa wants a better life not just for herself but also for her siblings. Things initially get complicated when she is kicked out of her own house and her coach and his family take her in. As her mentor, Jason Crutchfield, tells her, “You’ve seen more in your sixteen years than most people do in their lifetimes.” 

Granted, The Fire Inside does contain a few genre cliches, including sexism and beauty standards in the sports industry, suggestive content outside the ring (recalling Rocky, but with a genre-swap), and learning to let go of regrets and setbacks. The film also feels like a select dramatization of certain events and facts in Shields’ story, with some uneven editing. But that’s more of a technical observation. Even so, there is real authenticity in the sparing and match sequences that is impressive. Another thematic element that should be noted is the question of whether Clarrisa’s family is interested in her, or only in her athletic accomplishments and endorsements, especially when her estranged father shows up. 

The story takes an unconventional and intensely-dramatic turn in showing what happens after triumph (where the film really excels). Going from rags to riches and then rags again—or, more accurately, a harsh reality to triumph, and back to reality again—the narrative arc has Clarrisa barely able to help her family out. More importantly, she starts questioning if everything she worked for (including her identity) even mattered, and if it still matters now. 

The real Clarrisa Shields made a difference not only for women in sports, but also for equal pay and opportunities. She also exemplifies a young woman who learned that the hard work doesn’t end with accomplishments and accolades. Being reminded about all the people she has impacted proves a stepping stone as well. That and the fact that there’s much more to be done, to reconcile, and to grow in—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. “It’s more than just boxing,” she assures us, while her mentor encourages her to “go out there and show them you’re too d—n good to be ignored.” How’s that for a story that transcends the Summer Olympics? 

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