The Fire Inside (#632)


I feel as though I've seen every movie about boxing that was ever filmed as far back as the 1940s, including Champion with Kirk Douglas, Bogart in The Harder They Fall, Newman's Somebody Up There Likes Me, Rocky 1 through 17 and beyond.  Most were exiting and bloody and well produced and written and acted. The movie I saw the other day was none of those things, and perhaps it was because it was a true story and depicted women boxing. I found THE FIRE INSIDE dull, boring, with mostly boring and dull performances. I napped often and soundly. This 17 year-old girl beat the odds and won an Olympic gold medal not only once but in successive Olympic games, but in my opinion she was a nasty, unappreciative teen who eventually got rich as a professional boxer. The fight scenes were mercifully brief and never bloody and I guess I will always be indifferent to or disinterested in women in the boxing ring. The only character I liked was the man who played her coach, voluntarily and never paid. She was an unhappy girl with a tough life but it shouldn't have made her quite that unpleasant. I seem to be all by myself in criticizing this film, because 95% of critics and 95% of audiences gave Fire a thumbs up. You can't win 'em all.  


Comments

  1. riktikaJanuary 6, 2025 at 7:26 AM


    Your honest take on The Fire Inside is refreshing and shows how personal preferences shape our movie experiences. While the film didn't resonate with you, your critique highlights key aspects like character portrayal and pacing that others might overlook. It's always interesting to hear a different perspective, especially when it challenges widely held opinions.
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