The Fire Inside (8.2/10)

I was in the mood for a sports movie and came across The Fire Inside, a 2024 sports drama that has largely flown under the radar despite holding an impressive 93% with both critics and audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. While I didn’t love it quite as much as those scores suggest, it’s still a solid and worthwhile watch. The performances are strong across the board—even if they don’t quite reach standout levels—and the story itself remains compelling thanks to the real-life journey behind it. The film does a good job capturing both the triumph of Olympic success and the often-overlooked struggles that can follow. "The film tells the true story of Claressa “T-Rex” Shields, who rises from poverty in Flint, Michigan, to become the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing. Along the way, she trains under coach Jason Crutchfield, pushing through difficult circumstances and the challenges of competing in a sport that hasn’t always offered equal recognition or opportunity for women."