Poster © Amazon MGM Studios. Shown at reduced size for review and commentary.
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GenreFeature film
RatedPG-13
Runtime1 hr 49 mins
ReleasedDecember 25, 2024
StreamingSee Where to Watch
DirectorRachel Morrison
StarringRyan Destiny, Brian Tyree Henry, Adam Clark
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The Fire Inside (2024)
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| The Fire Inside's Details | |
| Genre | Feature film |
| Rated | PG-13 |
| Released | 09/07/2024 (TIFF); 12/25/2024 (United States) |
| Streaming | See Where to Watch on this page. |
| Running Time | 1 hr 49 mins |
| Budget | $12M (reported) |
| Box Office | Updated daily from Box Office Mojo. See the numbers below. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| The Fire Inside's Interests | |
| General | Flint, Michigan, boys-only boxing gyms, hand wraps, early-morning runs, Olympic rings. |
| Music | Tamar-kali. |
| Movies | Million Dollar Baby (2004). Another fighter who had to talk her way into the gym. |
| Television | Atlanta. Brian Tyree Henry, before he traded the mic for the corner. |
| Heroes | Claressa Shields. They call her T-Rex for a reason. |
| The Fire Inside's Crew | |
| Director | Rachel Morrison |
| Writers | Barry Jenkins |
| Producers | Elishia Holmes, Barry Jenkins |
| Cinematography | Rina Yang |
| Music | Tamar-kali |
| Edited By | Harry Yoon |
| Production | Pastel Productions |
| Distributed By | Amazon MGM Studios |
Every box on the boxing movie checklist gets ticked early in The Fire Inside: tough kid, rough town, gruff coach who says no and then says yes. That familiarity is the knock. Claressa Shields, known as T-Rex, is a teenager in Flint, Michigan, with a chaotic home and hardly any money, and she talks her way into a boys-only gym run by former pro Jason Crutchfield. Ryan Destiny plays her as all nerve and no apology, and never begs you to like her. Brian Tyree Henry is the warm center, a coach who sees exactly how much she’s carrying. Rachel Morrison, directing her first feature from a Barry Jenkins script, keeps it grounded and lets it get angry where it counts, and the best stretch comes after the usual sports formula runs out. It made $8.1 million worldwide on a reported $12M. An 8.0 because it starts familiar and finishes furious. $67.66 says you tap a pair of imaginary gloves together before your next hard day at work.
What works: Ryan Destiny is fierce and unsentimental as Claressa, and Brian Tyree Henry gives the coach real warmth and real worry.
What doesn’t: The first half runs on sports movie beats you can call a scene ahead, from the reluctant coach to the training grind.
Who it’s for: Boxing fans, anyone who loved Creed, and people who like their sports stories with a chip on their shoulder.
Spoilers
Claressa wins Olympic gold in London while still a teenager, the first American woman ever to do that in boxing. She comes home to no endorsements and no money while male teammates cash in, and at one low point she even considers pawning the medal to support her family.
Claressa Shields (Ryan Destiny), better known as T-Rex, is a teenager in Flint, Michigan. Home is chaotic and money is scarce, but she has plans. She walks into a boys-only boxing gym and demands a shot. Jason Crutchfield (Brian Tyree Henry), the former pro who runs the place, isn't sold at first. She wins him over, and his coaching starts turning raw nerve into real skill, with the 2012 London Olympics out there on the horizon. Rachel Morrison directs her first feature from a Barry Jenkins script. One hundred nine minutes, gloves up, chin down.
Anyone who's ever been told this gym isn't for you. Show up anyway.
| Ryan Destiny | Claressa "T-Rex" Shields |
| Brian Tyree Henry | Jason Crutchfield |
| Oluniké Adeliyi | Jackie Shields |
| De'Adre Aziza | Mickey |
| Adam Clark | Clarence |
- (cur | prev) 14:30, 19 October 2026 DataBot +560 Numbers refreshed: Worldwide box office $8.1M; Domestic box office $8.1M; Opening weekend $2M; Profit / loss (est.) -$13.9M; Rotten Tomatoes 93%; CinemaScore A; box office chart updated; Rotten Tomatoes critics 93% (103 reviews); Metacritic 79 / 100; Rotten Tomatoes audience 93% (500+ verified ratings); PostTrak audience 86% positive; CinemaScore A; IMDb users 6.6 / 10 (3,748 votes); movie.guru score 8.1.
- (cur | prev) 12:00, 19 October 2026 DataBot +2,000 Profile created from Wikipedia and Box Office Mojo: cast, crew, release dates, budget, official trailer.