OUR MOVIE REVIEW:

The traditional sports biopic follows a standard formula: a down-on-their-luck athlete beats the odds through hard work to win the gold, and then – the credits roll. The Fire Inside upends that cliché by showing what happens after some athletes get the glory. Especially if that athlete is a young woman who refuses to conform to overtly feminine and sexualized tropes that get other girls high-paying endorsements.

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The movie is a one-two punch for female empowerment, with Ryan Destiny nailing her breakout role as Claressa Shields and first-time director Rachel Morrison using her skills as a cinematographer to create something that truly sparkles. Shields’ story is one that begs to be brought to life. At just 16, her grit and determination helped get her from the working-class city of Flint, Michigan, to the 2012 London Olympics. There, she beat competitors many years her senior to take home the gold for the USA in women’s boxing.

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Shields’ victory was short-lived, and her gold-medal glory didn’t translate into dollar signs. It’s there where the meat-and-potatoes of her story begins. Shields' relationship with her coach/father figure Jason (Brian Tyree Henry) is tested as the teen struggles to find meaning in life post-Olympics. Henry, while known for some of his more boisterous characters, fits like a glove into this fatherly role. As fabulous as Destiny is, Henry brings a warmth and comfortability to the film I found so endearing.

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At a time when so many of us are feeling down about the economy and the state of the world, The Fire Inside is a real-life reminder that success isn’t always linear. Shields’ story is one of perseverance and staying true to herself, and what better message to send to young women trying to find their identity in a warped world? Morrison’s background in cinematography helps create a movie that is not only engaging but dazzling to watch. In the end, Shields’ story proves a very human point: it’s not always the climb to the top that matters. It’s what you do after you get knocked down that shows your true character.