The Fire Inside

"To change everything, she gave everything."

2024 1h 49m EN

👍

7.3

SOLID

★7.3TMDB · 82

DramaHistory

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Claressa Shields, 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.

“To change everything, she gave everything.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Ryan Destiny
Claressa 'T-Rex' Shields
Brian Tyree Henry
Jason Crutchfield
Oluniké Adeliyi
Jackie Shields
Kylee D. Allen
Young Claressa (Running)
Emmanuel Igboke
USA Team Officer
Lanette Ware
Coach Parker
Amanda Barker
Female Clerk
De'Adre Aziza
Mickey

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Rachel Morrison
Writers: Barry Jenkins
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 68% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 2 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Rachel Morrison, shot by Rina Yang. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Tamar-kali. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Harry Yoon shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Ryan Destiny and Brian Tyree Henry and Oluniké Adeliyi carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "To change everything, she gave everything.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt6133444 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Rachel Morrison directs. Rina Yang behind the camera. Tamar-kali scores. Harry Yoon cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 68% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
2Released 2 years ago.
3Directed by Rachel Morrison, shot by Rina Yang. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Tamar-kali. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Harry Yoon shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Ryan Destiny and Brian Tyree Henry and Oluniké Adeliyi carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "To change everything, she gave everything.".
8IMDB entry: tt6133444 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 82 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
10Classified under 10 themes, including "child abuse", "biography", "based on true story", "teenage girl".

The technical file

Cinematography: Rina Yang
Original score: Tamar-kali
Editing: Harry Yoon
Production design: Zosia Mackenzie
Stunt coordinator: Stephannie Hawkins
Runtime: 109 min · 1h 49m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $12,000,000
Box office: $8,104,331
Return: 68% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG-13
IMDB: The Fire Inside (2024)

Also by

Rachel Morrison

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Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2025-02-13
★ 7/10
Ryan Destiny and Brian Tyree Henry deliver quite strongly in this biopic of the USA’s first boxing Olympic gold medalist. It follows her own career path so we know just what happened where and when, but it’s the characterful efforts that resonate more as she portrays Claressa Shields. From a very young age this tenacious young girl (Kylee D. Allen/Jazmin Headley) is running for miles to reach his gym only to be told that she couldn’t train with the boys. Henry’s Jason Crutchfield does give her a chance eventually and that’s what convinces him that she has potential. Despite her growing up in a poverty-stricken home, with her father incarcerated, they determine that if she can dedicate herself to her chosen path then perhaps fame and fortune might follow - and that proves quite an incentive for a woman who wants, passionately, to get her family out of their squalor. It’s quite an interesting look at the efforts and politics required to attain selection, exacerbated by a general reticence amongst the sporting authorities about women boxing at all and it also illustrates just how fickle those few moments of fame can be when it comes to resonating with the marketing and sponsorship communities who are all too quick to say thanks but no thanks after the ticker-tape parades have ended. Although this is very specifically aimed at her particular achievements, I think it’s fair to apply the principle to a great many would-be Olympic (amateur) athletes who participate in less lucrative sport - regardless of their sex - and who live on meagre pickings whilst others - usually in offices somewhere - reap greater financial rewards. Moreover, even the little cash on offer to assist (in her case a mere $1,000 per month but even for the men with whom she rightfully demands parity, it’s only $3,000) doesn’t extent to their training and support personnel whose relationships, rapport and dynamic with the athlete would seem better placed to deliver results. It’s interspersed with plenty of faux-actuality to give us a sense of just how strenuous this activity is, and as sporting dramas go it delivers fact, fiction and inspiration in a tempered and authentic fashion. Worth a watch.

Production companies