A rousing and empowering movie that reminds us there’s still a whole lot of fighting left to do even after the final bell rings.

| Apr 17, 2025

This is a film that understands the models and keys to a successful boxing film, taking cues from what the "Creed" films had managed to turn into massive success...[Full review in Spanish]

| Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 31, 2025

While we've seen this sports drama template play out countless times before, Morrison crafts an intimate two-hander about mentorship, resiliency, and camaraderie through superior performances by Ryan Destiny and Bryan Tyree Henry.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 20, 2025

The Fire Inside has enough quality to please genre and sports enthusiasts even if it feels like an undercard fixture. For all the talent on both sides of the camera, the nuts-and-bolts script lacks innovation and the pacing neither bobs nor weaves.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Feb 28, 2025

What happens in the ring is ferocious enough, but it’s around the kitchen sink that the drama really hots up.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Feb 14, 2025

It's refreshing to see a woman lauded for her physical power, and Shields's story packs one hell of an emotional punch.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Feb 13, 2025

Even if it feels a little long, the film is beautifully shot and edited, directed with real skill by Rachel Morrison.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Feb 11, 2025

[The Fire Inside] understands that, with storytelling as with fighting, sometimes all you need to do is stand firm and land the punches.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Feb 10, 2025

Henry and Destiny have natural chemistry which is used to great effect.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Feb 7, 2025

The Fire Inside is a sports biopic with the nerve to ask, “What happens after the win?” It’s a simple shift in emphasis, but an unexpectedly transformative one.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Feb 6, 2025

A solid and well-told contribution to the boxing genre; a story which is equal parts inspiring and enraging.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Feb 6, 2025

Shields is a worthwhile subject and her accomplishments are incredible, but this film is perhaps one for underdog sports enthusiasts only.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Feb 5, 2025

An inspiring coming-of-age sports story and a reminder of the challenges faced by athletes from less privileged backgrounds.

| Feb 4, 2025

Once it hits that certain point, it transforms into something that few of the many other movies of this genre actually end up being: a film that works and has something to say beyond the conventional tropes.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Feb 4, 2025

If the movie sounds like a bummer, it’s really not. Atlanta’s Tyree Henry’s natural jovial warmth makes him a perfect foil for Shields’ cool reserve; their banter is a joy to watch.

| Jan 31, 2025

The rapport between Henry’s coach and Destiny’s battling ath­lete is depicted with such empathy and realism that it doesn’t matter if you’ve seen movies like this before.

| Jan 17, 2025

Hopefully Morrison and Jenkins got big paychecks to phone in this project.

| Original Score: C- | Jan 16, 2025

Barry Jenkins’ screenplay provides a strong foundation, weaving Shields’s personal and professional struggles into a cohesive and deeply affecting narrative.

| Jan 16, 2025

When you've got two strong leads and a team like that behind the camera, you can't miss.

| Original Score: B+ | Jan 15, 2025

A well-acted and expertly made tribute to those that struggle to make it and struggle to keep making it even after the spotlight has switched focus. This is definitely one to see in the theaters in a full house – it’s hard not to cheer along.

| Original Score: 9/10 | Jan 11, 2025