It wouldn’t be the holiday season without a sports movie release. But this year, the story hits a lot closer to home with The Fire Inside. The movie follows the life and the career of Claressa “T-Rex” Shields, the two-time Olympic gold medalist in women’s boxing that is from Flint, Michigan, and is being portrayed by Ryan Destiny, an actor born locally in Detroit.
Claressa’s story isn’t the typical rise to fame and everything is perfect from there. In fact, The Fire Inside shows the struggles Claressa had, with a deck stacked against her, plus the battle that women athletes have in general. This, is probably one of the best ways that Teh Fire Inside excels, and will set itself apart from other sports movies.
The movie starts when Claressa is 11, and finally begins training to be a boxer. Previously refused training just because she’s a girl, Claressa quickly shows she’s just as talented as the boys training in the ring, if not better. And while things may not be good at home, it’s the drive to get her and her siblings to a better situation that pushes her to train harder. By the age of 17, Claressa finds herself on the world’s stage and competing in the London Olympics for her first gold medal against athletes much older and with a lot more experience than herself.
But winning the gold isn’t Claressa’s only battle. Even after winning her first gold, she fights to get proper sponsorship but is often rejected because she’s not a typical softer-presenting girl. She’s offered less of a stipend than her male counterparts and finds that even the prize money from the Olympic win doesn’t really last as long as her family needs to help get them into a better position. This part of the story, the second half of the film, is what sets the movie apart. It’s not just a Cinderella story – it’s reality. It shows the inequity in the athletics world, what Claressa has to do to survive, and why her fight is not over. It takes the shine off some of the Happily Ever After and is a reality check for the audience as much as it is for the Claressa. Yes, she can be the pride of her family and town, but if you can’t pay your bills what does that matter?
The Fire Inside is a great example of showcasing a real-life story and not glossing over the hard parts of life. The realities of trauma and poverty, but also how these can actually motivate someone to keep fighting for a better future, no matter the circumstances.
It’s pretty simple: Even if you’re not a sports person or a fan of sports movies, The Fire Inside stands on its own. It isn’t just a feel-good story that will end on a high note and give you warm fuzzies. Sure, that’s part of it, but it’s full of raw emotion and shows the highs and lows of Claressa Shields’s life and career.
It’s refreshing to see a non-polished look at life and a pushback at the uber-feminine presentation of athletes. Claressa’s story reminds us that you can start at the bottom and, with the right determination, fight your way to the top, but it might not be a quick and easy journey. It rejects the forced feminization and softening of women athletes and the ongoing battle for equality in recognition and pay for women in “nontraditional” sports and fields.
The Fire Inside will be in theaters everywhere on Christmas Day.
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About The Fire Inside
THE FIRE INSIDE is the inspirational true story of Claressa Shields, arguably the greatest female boxer of all time. Claressa, a high school Junior from Flint, Michigan, aided by her tough-love coach, Jason Crutchfield, 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.