TIFF 2024 Review: The Fire Inside – “takes the typical formula of an underdog sports story and turns it on its head.”

Courtesy of TIFF

In 2016, boxer Claressa Shields became the first, and only, American boxer to win back-to-back gold medals at the Olympic Games.  She went from a young, silent girl growing up in Flint, Michigan, to a world champion.  But what she had to overcome to get to the Olympics, and then even after her first gold medal win, is the basis of The Fire Inside.

In 2006 Claressa ran from her faraway neighbourhood into a boxing gym.  Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry) had never trained a girl before, but she was defiant and wouldn’t take no for an answer. He admired her drive and her desire to step into the ring against the boys. He recognized that she had something special.  This little girl, who often went back home to find an empty fridge, her siblings hungry, had a hunger all her own to win.

So after years of hard training Claressa (Ryan Destiny), now a teenager, has the opportunity to go right to the top.  Women’s boxing has just become an Olympic sport.  She wins her way to the trials in China where she faces a tough first loss but manages to make it to the 2012 games in London.  And there, despite her shorter reach which earns her the nickname T-Rex, she wins gold.

Now this is when most sports movies would stop.  We see our champion basking in her success, her life about to change for the better, all her wildest dreams coming true.  But The Fire Inside wants to take us one step further.  It wants to examine what truly happens after success.  As Claressa heads home to Flint, she discovers that her dreams of million-dollar endorsement deals and a better life for her and her family are just that – dreams.

Crutchfield does his best to make things happen, but even sports agents who are fans admit it’s a hard sell.  People don’t want to see women fighting one another, they’d rather see women in bikinis play beach volleyball.  That’s who ends up on the Wheaties box.  “For women, it’s not just about how skilled you are,” the USA boxing representative says as Claressa watches a photo shoot of a female boxer sexily clad in a red dress, hair blowing, make-up perfect.  As the champion returns with disappointment back to her old life, she asks herself, “Does what I did even count?”  The fanfare dissipates, and Claressa doesn’t have much to show for her success, save for a medal in a box.

It’s this aspect of The Fire Inside that sets it apart from other stories of sports greatness.  But it’s a hard transition for the film that almost doesn’t stick.  To go from the excitement of the fighting scenes where Rachel Morrison, making her directorial debut, puts you right in the ring with her incredible point of view, handheld shots to this unexpected quiet, third act is a bit like slamming on the brakes.  But, this is the most important part of Claressa’s story, one that writer Barry Jenkins (Oscar winner for Moonlight) was clearly wanting to emphasize.  The U-turn won’t work for everyone, but there is enough of an uplifting trajectory that you will still leave on a high note.

The Fire Inside would not exist if not for the absolute star-making turn from Ryan Destiny. Her boxing training makes Destiny’s movement inside the ring look natural, and the fire inside her truly does come out to embody the spirit of the film.  The chemistry she has with Brian Tyree Henry, who brings so much humour and sincerity to his role as her coach, is perfect.  They become more than coach and athlete, but family.

This film takes the typical formula of an underdog sports story and turns it on its head.  The ability of The Fire Inside to examine the reality for an amateur athlete, let alone a champion, makes it stand out.  There are some instances where the supporting players and their relationships could be better developed, but overall this film is a winner.  Morrison, who certainly understands the drive for success in a male-dominated field, became the first woman to be nominated for an Oscar for cinematography in 2017.  She can certainly be proud of this debut, and no matter how she stands behind the camera in the future, this fan will certainly be there to support her work.

The Fire Inside had its world premiere September 7th, 2024 at the Toronto International Film Festival.  For more information head to tiff.net.