Greetings again from the darkness. Claressa Shields' story is inspirational, and yet it's so much more than that. She's an extraordinary person with a remarkable story. She doesn't just inspire young girls to pursue sports, she motivates us all to pursue our dreams with passion and tenacity. It's only fitting that the first feature film directed by renowned cinematographer Rachel Morrison centers on a barrier-breaking woman. Ms. Morrison was the first woman to receive a Best Cinematography Oscar nomination for her work on MUDBOUND (2017). The screenplay was written by Oscar winner Barry Jenkins (MOONLIGHT, 2016), and he's also a producer on the film.
We first see young Claressa as she's running through her downtrodden hometown of Flint, Michigan to reach the boxing gym ... the same gym where volunteer trainer Jason Crutchfield (a terrific Brian Tyree Henry, BULLET TRAIN, 2022) tells her he doesn't train girls, and later admits, he's "never thought about girls boxing." Of course, Jason not only ends up working with Claressa, he also becomes a full-bore role model as her trainer/coach/mentor. Young versions of Claressa are played by Jazmin Headley and Kylee D Allen, and it's Ryan Destiny (musician-actress-model) who we come to follow as Claressa "T-Rex" Shields, so nicknamed due to her short arms. Destiny is outstanding in the role.
Being a young girl wanting to learn boxing is not Claressa's only challenge. She grows up very poor, often scraping for food. Her mother doesn't seem particularly interested in being a mother, and ends up kicking the strong-willed girl out of the house. We learn Claressa even experienced sexual abuse as a child. The film doesn't glorify or skip over the hard parts of her life, focusing instead on how she remained committed to her dream as she overcame hurdles. This Claressa defines "grit", an often-overused description.
Jason and his wife invite Claressa into their home, and her training goes next level. We do get the mandatory training montage (thanks, Rocky!), and we see her advance through the stages of matches until, at age 16, she qualifies for the 2012 Olympics in London. By this time, her dad is out of prison and her little sister is pregnant, yet none of that, or even the odd Olympic coaching regulations, can stop her mission. As interesting and fascinating as this quest for a gold medal has been, it's what Morrison and Jenkins (and Claressa) do after London that is most impressive.
The all-too-familiar struggle of female athletes to secure endorsements becomes a nightmare for Claressa. The emphasis on aesthetics overrides excellence in athletics. She's told that sponsors are looking for marketability - what a woman looks like out of the ring is every bit as important. The frustration of not being able to cash in motivates Claressa to fight for women's Olympic equality, a worthy and successful cause. Oh, and yes, she continues training and the closing credits show clips of her at the 2016 Olympics, winning her second gold medal. As I stated, she's more than an inspiration.
Opens in theaters on December 25, 2024.
