Oscar Winner Matthew A. Cherry Leaves a Barrage of Praise for Rachel Morrison’s ‘The Fire Inside’

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As the year-end dash commences in Hollywood, audiences expect a festive film bonanza. But after a resurgent year that catapulted the box office back into the spotlight, Tinseltown is disrupting the status quo and pushing creative boundaries. From discovering new stars beyond the showbiz’s confined spectrum to unveiling a holiday slate that defies expectation, the entertainment capital is charting new territory and thriving. Case in point: Matthew A. Cherry’s glowing endorsement of Rachel Morrison’s The Fire Inside

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While filmmakers often go above and beyond to promote their films, what prompts an Oscar-winning director to lavish praise on a project unrelated to his own?

Matthew A. Cherry highly recommends Rachel Morrison’s The Fire Inside

Amidst the slew of Christmas releases that have fans on a binge session without intermission, Oscar winner Matthew A. Cherry wore his heart on his sleeve for a specific festive entry, The Fire Inside.

Cherry recently took to X to re-post a carousel of shots from Rachel Morrison’s directorial debut, showering compliments about what made it a class apart from any other sports movie. According to Cherry, the first half of the movie plays by the book

, “hits all the beats”

expected of an intense athletic thriller.

The second half brings a banger inspirational underdog story that “really separates itself from the pack.”

While all Cherry extolled about the film purely from the audiences’ point of view, he also laid bare his positive feedback for the performers who stole the show without missing a beat, Ryan Destiny and Brian Tyree Henry. To top it off, he tipped his hat for Barry Jenkins, for penning the raw sports drama, and Morrison for delivering it.

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With the worlds of sports and entertainment getting increasingly intertwined

, sports films are hitting a home run every now and then. And after Matthew A. Cherry’s seal of approval, here is a dive into the details to discover what makes it a winner.

Everything you need to know about Rachel Morrison’s The Fire Inside

The Fire Inside

is Rachel Morrison’s biographical sports film in her feature directorial debut with a story written by Barry Jenkins. The film follows the early boxing career of Claressa T-Rex Shields from Flint, Michigan.

It covers her competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics, starring Ryan Destiny in the lead alongside Brian Tyree Henry. The film was originally called Flint Strong during development.

The Fire Inside

premiered in the Special Presentations section of the Toronto International Film Festival on September 7. However, it was released theatrically in the United States as a Christmas Day treat on December 2025. The Fire Inside

was released alongside high-profile festive releases like Nosferatu, Babygirl,

and A Complete Unknown

. Given it has already got the thumbs up from an NFL player-turned-Oscar-winner, it will not be long until award season tries to be part of this firestorm.

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What do you think of Matthew A. Cherry’s praise for The Fire Inside

? Let us know in the comments below!

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