As a film, this is a somewhat routine affair. A familiar kind of storyline done to the utmost extent. In lesser hands, this would have been a flat-out boring movie but it never is.
The third act is where it really gets great, showing the harsh realities of the perceptions of women’s sports no matter how excellent the athletes are in the sports that they play, and what awaits these Olympic athletes when they get home if they live in destitute conditions, and the endorsements aren’t exactly rolling in.
Everybody involved with this film is at the top of their game. Brian Tyree Henry has rarely been better, Rachel Morrison continues her brilliance behind the camera, and boy, oh boy, does newcomer Ryan Destiny hit a f****** Grand slam with her performance in this film. I cannot conceive of a situation in which the real Claressa Shields watched her performance and didn’t approve with aplomb.
THE FIRE INSIDE will be in theaters on December 25, 2024.
Editor’s Note: This review is part of a collection of reviews by Eli Brumfield after attending the 2024 AFI Fest in Los Angeles. Check out the rest of his reviews from the film festival here: AFI FEST 2024 (A RUNDOWN…)
