Barry Jenkins‘ scripts sure do pack a punch.
Boxer biopic “The Fire Inside,” written and produced by Academy Award winner Jenkins, debuted to stellar reviews out of TIFF. The feature brings boxing legend Claressa “T-Rex” Shields’ life story to the big screen and marks “Mudbound” and “Black Panther” cinematographer Rachel Morrison‘s directorial debut. Morrison made cinematic history as the first-ever woman to be nominated for the Best Cinematography Oscar.
Newcomer Ryan Destiny portrays Shields, with Academy Award-nominated actor Brian Tyree Henry cast as her coach.
The film, per the official synopsis, tells the “inspirational true story of Claressa Shields (Destiny), arguably the greatest female boxer of all time. Claressa, a high school Junior from Flint, Michigan, aided by her tough-love coach, Jason Crutchfield (Henry), pushes past all limitations to become the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing. But even at the pinnacle of success, Claressa has to reckon with the fact that not all dreams are created equal, and the real fight has only just begun.”
The release of “The Fire Inside” is fittingly during an Olympics year, as Shields made history as the first woman to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Shields was only 17 years old at the time. She later won a second gold medal in women’s middleweight boxing at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio.
Shields’ life story was featured in 2015 boxing documentary “T-REX” directed by Zackary Canepari and Drea Cooper. “The Fire Inside” was originally set at Universal after the studio acquired Shields’ life rights and rights to the “T-REX” documentary in 2016. The project was first titled “Flint Strong” and drew comparisons to “Rocky.” Jenkins was first rumored to direct when the project was announced in 2016.
Screenwriter Jenkins produces “The Fire Inside” along with Elishia Holmes. Director Morrison, the real-life Shields, Lyn Lucibello Brancatella, Drea Cooper, Zackary Canepari, and Sue Jaye Johnson all executive produce.
The IndieWire review credited breakout star Destiny for embodying all facets of Shields.
“Becoming an Olympic athlete isn’t all sunshine and roses, and Jenkins’ script doesn’t scrimp on the challenges Shields faced: family concerns, an Olympic machine that doesn’t allow Jason to accompany her, and expectations around what it means to be a ‘female athlete’ in a world that tends to like them cute, plucky, and not exactly punching people,” the review reads. “Destiny’s performance, balancing Claressa’s grit and her heart, does plenty to make ‘The Fire Inside’ audience root for it, and her.”
“The Fire Inside” premieres in theaters December 25 from Amazon MGM Studios. Check out the trailer below.
