A passion project for first-time director Rachel Morrison and her producer/writer team of Barry Jenkins and Elishia Holmes, The Fire Inside is the story of the most successful US Olympic Boxer, Claressa Shields. As with most sports biopics, there are a lot of familiar beats that need to hit here, but The Fire Inside differs a little bit in that the story doesn’t end with the medal.
Claressa Shields (Ryan Destiny), fighting out of Flint, Michigan, a town that has its share of public struggles, has a burning fire to fight her way out. Running across the city to just be in Jason Crutchfield’s gym (Brian Tyree Henry) and learn from the shadows, Claressa finally convinces Jason to train her. Claressa’s mom (Olunike Adeliyi) is a barely functioning alcoholic who can’t keep consistent food on the table for Claressa and her siblings. Eventually, Claressa moves in with Jason and his family to train for the 2012 Olympics. There, she goes on to win the gold medal despite all the odds. But the promises of riches that a gold medal win usually brings, sadly are not there.
Sports biopics are ripe with opportunities for mediocrity and formula, which is why so many of them get made. But when you have one of the world’s premier cinematographers making her directorial debut and a script developed by an Oscar-winning writer, you’ve set yourself up for something better. And starting with a majestic drone shot in the opening frames, The Fire Inside does just that.
- Rated: PG-13
- Genre: Biopic, Sports
- Release Date: 9/7/2024
- Directed by: Rachel Morrison
- Starring: Brian Tyree Henry, Chrystian Buddington, De'Adra Aziza, Idrissa Sanogo, Jazmin Headley, Olunike Adeliyi), Ryan Destiny, Sarah Allen, Teanna Wier
- Produced by: Barry Jenkins, Elishia Holmes
- Written by: Barry Jenkins
- Studio: Amazon MGM Studios
