"To change everything, she gave everything."
Claressa Shields, a high school junior from Flint, Michigan, aided by her tough-love coach, Jason Crutchfield, pushes past all limitations to become the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing. But even at the pinnacle of success, Claressa has to reckon with the fact that not all dreams are created equal, and the real fight has only just begun.
Ryan Destiny
Claressa 'T-Rex' Shields
Brian Tyree Henry
Jason Crutchfield
Oluniké Adeliyi
Jackie Shields
Kylee D. Allen
Young Claressa (Running)
Emmanuel Igboke
USA Team Officer
Lanette Ware
Coach Parker
Amanda Barker
Female Clerk
De'Adre Aziza
Mickey
Adam Clark
Clarence
Claressa Shields, a high school junior from Flint, Michigan, aided by her tough-love coach, Jason Crutchfield, pushes past all limitations to become the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing. But even at the pinnacle of success, Claressa has to reckon with the fact that not all dreams are created equal, and the real fight has only just begun.
Ryan Destiny and Brian Tyree Henry deliver quite strongly in this biopic of the USA’s first boxing Olympic gold medalist. It follows her own career path so we know just what happened where and when, but it’s the characterful efforts that resonate more as she portrays Claressa Shields. From a very young age this tenacious young girl (Kylee D. Allen/Jazmin Headley) is running for miles to reach his gym only to be told that she couldn’t train with the boys. Henry’s Jason Crutchfield does give her a chance eventually and that’s what convinces him that she has potential. Despite her growing up in a poverty-stricken home, with her father incarcerated, they determine that if she can dedicate herself to her chosen path then perhaps fame and fortune might follow - and that proves quite an incentive for a woman who wants, passionately, to get her family out of their squalor. It’s quite an interesting look at the efforts and politics required to attain selection, exacerbated by a general reticence amongst the sporting authorities about women boxing at all and it also illustrates just how fickle those few moments of fame can be when it comes to resonating with the marketing and sponsorship communities who are all too quick to say thanks but no thanks after the ticker-tape parades have ended. Although this is very specifically aimed at her particular achievements, I think it’s fair to apply the principle to a great many would-be Olympic (amateur) athletes who participate in less lucrative sport - regardless of their sex - and who live on meagre pickings whilst others - usually in offices somewhere - reap greater financial rewards. Moreover, even the little cash on offer to assist (in her case a mere $1,000 per month but even for the men with whom she rightfully demands parity, it’s only $3,000) doesn’t extent to their training and support personnel whose relationships, rapport and dynamic with the athlete would seem better placed to deliver results. It’s interspersed with plenty of faux-actuality to give us a sense of just how strenuous this activity is, and as sporting dramas go it delivers fact, fiction and inspiration in a tempered and authentic fashion. Worth a watch.
Christy Martin never imagined life beyond her small-town roots in West Virginia—until she discovered a knack for punching people. Fueled by grit, raw determination, and an unshakable desire to win, she charges into the world of boxing under the guidance of her trainer and manager-turned-husband, Jim. But while Christy flaunts a fiery persona in the ring, her toughest battles unfold outside it—confronting family, identity, and a relationship that just might become life-or-death.
Fueled by an impoverished childhood, George Foreman channeled his anger into becoming an Olympic Gold medalist and World Heavyweight Champion, followed by a near-death experience that took him from the boxing ring to the pulpit. But when he sees his community struggling spiritually and financially, Foreman returns to the ring and makes history by reclaiming his title, becoming the oldest and most improbable World Heavyweight Boxing Champion ever.
William Franklin is a teacher who was born in Ireland and moved to the United States only to repatriate in 1939 after his leftist political views cause him to lose his job. Franklin becomes the first non-cleric instructor at St. Jude's, a school for wayward boys run by Brother John, who is a firm believer in strong discipline.
The story of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, a boxer wrongly imprisoned for murder, and the people who aided in his fight to prove his innocence.
After dominating the boxing world, Adonis Creed has thrived in his career and family life. When a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy, Damian Anderson, resurfaces after serving a long sentence in prison, he is eager to prove that he deserves his shot in the ring. The face-off between former friends is more than just a fight. To settle the score, Adonis must put his future on the line to battle Damian — a fighter with nothing to lose.
While investigating the global phenomenon of caste and its dark influence on society, a journalist faces unfathomable personal loss and uncovers the beauty of human resilience.
Richard Jewell thinks quick, works fast, and saves hundreds, perhaps thousands, of lives after a domestic terrorist plants several pipe bombs and they explode during a concert, only to be falsely suspected of the crime by sloppy FBI work and sensational media coverage.
The story of a young writer's transformation when her past invades her present.
Renowned film star Joan Crawford's abuse towards Christina, her adopted daughter, intensifies as her professional and romantic relationships turn sour.
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