Girlfight

R

Released Sep 29, 2000

1h 53m

Drama

List

87%

130 Reviews

Tomatometer

75%

10,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Newcomer Michelle Rodriguez in an astounding performance alongside Jaime Tirelli, Paul Calderon and Santiago Douglas. Nothing comes easy for Diana Guzman, a troubled girl on the brink of womanhood. Her teachers don't understand her, her father underestimates her and her friends are few. Diana struggles to find respect and dignity every day. Diana is a quick tempered young woman who finds discipline, self-respect and love in the most unlikely place -- a boxing ring.

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Critics Consensus

Michelle Rodriguez gives a compelling performance, despite lack of a boxing background; Karyn Kusama packs a punch with this directorial debut.

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Kyle M

Typecasting may prevent an actor to be openly challenged in ranging their performative horizons, testing their capabilities if the screenplay draws them in and compel to be a part of the irresistible, likely relatable scenario between desirable or personal level – or likely both. Often criticized and would sunk the film with zero interest if creative reliance indicates a similarly told story with an indifferent center and just beneficially stretching the caliber thin, therefore likely painting the story as an uninspired product if it's just milking and reusing those skills. It could also paint the wrong picture if the actor only accepted the role for a paycheck and was willing to rehash the role that isn't fresh, negatively persuading against refining other capabilities. But what if their debut justifies under first impression as a given layer now added to the forthcoming roles in understanding not just the preference but also the differential amount of gravitas in the approach? Michelle Rodriguez debuted in "Girlfight", setting the empowering tone for strength and resilience that ranges through her career like her own contributive heft. While Clint Eastwood's "Million Dollar Baby" punches then horrifically declines at a fated costly price, writer-director Karyn Kusama apparently set the stage earlier by subverting the boxing formula glorified and defined by "Rocky". However, her debuting feat labels "Girlfight" more as an independent film, which sounds fitting for the main character involved striving to prove herself in the fighting ring against those who already built their names and recognized by boxing enthusiasts. Mostly unconventionally focused that dissect the fighter's relationships and reactions, rationally positioning the sport as a needed outlet that becomes a newfound hobby therapeutically dealing with the bottled frustration hindering social direction. Diana Guzman struggles to find respect and dignity in her troubled home life which affected her social life. Her widowed father underestimates her, her teachers refuse to understand her, and very few friends don't provide enough support. She's better bonded with her brother Tiny, who's been set up in boxing by their father but what he really wants to do is be an artist. Diana, a quick-tempered young woman, find her answers within the boxing ring as she trains and financially switch places with her brother, unbeknownst to their father. But as mentioned towards most underdogs climbing into the rings, she sets out to prove herself with discipline, self-respect and eventually worthy love when confronting cautious sexism. Most supposed empowerments today are genderbending injections with minimal considerations for true values individually expressed under utter distinguishments. Karyn Kusama genuinely packed a thoughtful punch when thinking what it means to be in the ring. While Rocky Balboa pursues the American dream and Martin Scorsese paints an unsympathetic hero prolifically in "Raging Bull", Kusama positions Diana to not just ignite a trailblazing path for female boxers but to find an outlet where she can be herself without much trouble. It does feed onto a social commentary on troubling youths not finding their right outlets to let out their struggling conflicts, and Diana's social life represents that nicely, as well capabilities to achieve in one physical education scene whereas she outranks her fellow student body during a presidential exam. Balboa glorified in cheers, and Scorsese was straight forward in translating Jake LaMotta, but Diana found herself in a complex situation that she wants acknowledged and settled with mutual understanding, including the romantic pursuit she could only find fitting. However, when it comes to individual scriptures, those interactions aren't exactly strong supports besides the overall idea expressed around them. Kusama took the ideal focus further by attempting to position the viewer at the receiving end of those punches during the exhibiting matches taken seriously. She had Rodriguez, who lacked training when she auditioned, and couple other actors throw their punches at her cinematographer Patrick Cady directly at the camera. It really puts you in that perspective, no matter which side you're on as long as you feel each of their fire under a decent attempt. This verifies Kusama's focus approach on the boxing genre with the perspective placement but more in grasping Diana's tough desires amid an outlet where her frustrations can be heard and probably felt. Michelle Rodriguez took center stage in her defining breakthrough that really set the tonal imagery for her forthcoming roles that now been layered as stemmed with a resilient caliber portraited here. Honest convictions and earnest though standardized gravitas with rare softness that indicates true happiness appropriately expressed as mutually deserved. Her roles afterwards, particularly how much she's grown through the "Fast & Furious" franchise, compelled her beginning here with constant charisma as she found comfort in embodying those certain characteristics whilst still ranging based on the challenges that would still uniquely test her throughout these films. This is a breakthrough she built herself from, and Kusama seems to have seen her as a fitting embodiment for what she achieved in an unconventional direction performatively layered. Santiago Douglas portrays her love interest/eventual competitor Adrian with a firm grasp that implicates the surrounding livelihood, until he grapples with sexism that could be mistaken gentlemanlike which goes against Diana's integrity. Ray Santiago considerately justifies Diana's supportive brother Tiny in following what he truly believes in. "Girlfight", as of this review, is currently inaccessible to rent. It's, for now, watchable on Facebook. Rodriguez's true beginning may be charismatically indifferent to her succeeding roles, with her role in "The Fast and the Furious" as her considerable mainstream breakthrough, but under Karyn Kusama's direction is something you need to witness. Debuts tend to compel others to discover how one began, and even how it could compare to recent feats signifying growth since then. Kusama thought after her directorial debut she could replicate the success here through "Aeon Flux" with Charlize Theron and "Jennifer's Body" with Amanda Seyfried, only to recapture her stamina 15 years later in "The Invitation" and "Destroyer", while Rodriguez proven herself in transitional phases as her stardom heightens. But her beginning here layered those as contributive hefts, a root that won't be forgotten but cherished when reminded how far she's gone. (B)

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/02/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Over 20 years old and this was a good starting vehicle for an upcoming actress. I remember watching it back at my second house a few years ago. Michelle Rodriguez pre-Fast and Furious makes her debut as Diana Guzman. Nothing is ever easy for her; her brother boxes, her teachers don’t understand, and her father doesn’t appreciate her. Her mother is gone and he has to be the head of the house. Diana then wants to box of course it’s met with opposition from everyone, even her own brother doesn’t want her to embarrass him. But she figures this is the only way to earn respect and dignity by showing she can throw a punch. A miraculous performance by Michelle Rodriguez as a boxer standing up for the underestimated and the unwanted. A big tribute to feminine rebelliousness while also pushing the gender biases. Shows the harshness of living in the projects. You could also call this a precursor to 'Million Dollar Baby'. This was Karyn Kasuma's directing debut and she actually had to fight for a Latina actress to get the role and not the traditional girly girl in a lead. This story does provide crucial representation to working class and Latina women. The movie actually won the Grand Jury prize at Sundance film festival. Still a really good feminist coming of age flick jabbing at the patriarchy and showing a woman can win their own victories.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

10/08/23

Full Review

Disscontinued 2

This movie is so hugely under rated now, but should be a cult classic. An incredible forward thinking, pro feminine power movie. Michelle Rodriguez's first movie and Sundance winner. If you have never seen this movie and you love strong confident leads, you need to watch it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/02/23

Full Review

Steve D

The script is nothing you haven't seen before but Michelle Rodriguez is really good.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

Full Review

ellen hohbach s

I saw this years ago and loved it. I saw it again tonight and loved it. It shows a path to gender equity, which I greatly appreciate. Diana's and Adrian's emotional honesty with each other was wonderful to see. Giving respect to a woman's physical abilities is something we need to see more of.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

laurie s

Much much better than Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby which had stupid unrealistic ending where a boxing opponant committed an illegal act in the ring and who should have been sent to prison. This has much more promise and depth and even on a much smaller budget vastly outshines 'Baby' by a million dollars.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Karyn Kusama

Director

Michelle Rodriguez

Diana

Jaime Tirelli

Hector

Paul Calderone

Sandro

Santiago Douglas

Adrian

Ray Santiago

Tiny

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89%

91%

Men With Guns

91%

81%

Our Song

90%

87%

Solas

44%

35%

Final

70%

91%

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Rene Rodriguez

Miami Herald

Girlfight gets everything right: Its gritty bleak setting of a largely Hispanic Brooklyn neighborhood; the peeling walls and grimy atmosphere of the boxing gym... her bond with her sweet-natured brother and her combative relationship with her [father].

Rated: 3/4

Mar 25, 2021

Full Review

Ellen Futterman

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Its richness comes from clear, straightforward storytelling and from a production that looks, feels and sounds amazingly natural.

Rated: 3.5/4

Mar 25, 2021

Full Review

Terry Lawson

Detroit Free Press

In the able and confident hands of director and writer Karyn Kusama, Girlfight becomes an unranked contender for most satisfying independent movie of the year.

Rated: 3/4

Mar 25, 2021

Full Review

Chris Garcia

Austin American-Statesman

Michelle Rodriguez, cutting a dazzling figure in her first acting role, plays Diana Guzman, a raw product of a broken family in the Brooklyn projects. Despair and anger find articulation in her sharpshooting fists.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 25, 2021

Full Review

Kaori Shoji

Japan Times

As they say about boxing, it's the subtle blows that get to you most.

Rated: 5/5

Mar 25, 2021

Full Review

George M. Thomas

Akron Beacon Journal

Kusama's talent as a filmmaker is obvious. Girlfight doesn't score a knockout, but it has moxy and some performances that guarantee that seeing it won't be a waste of time.

Rated: 3.5/4

Mar 25, 2021

Full Review

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Synopsis

Newcomer Michelle Rodriguez in an astounding performance alongside Jaime Tirelli, Paul Calderon and Santiago Douglas. Nothing comes easy for Diana Guzman, a troubled girl on the brink of womanhood. Her teachers don't understand her, her father underestimates her and her friends are few. Diana struggles to find respect and dignity every day. Diana is a quick tempered young woman who finds discipline, self-respect and love in the most unlikely place -- a boxing ring.

Director: Karyn Kusama
Producer: Caroline Kaplan, John Sayles, Jonathan Sehring
Screenwriter: Karyn Kusama
Distributor: Columbia TriStar Home Video, Screen Gems
Production Co: Independent Film Channel, Green/Renzi
Rating: R (Language)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 29, 2000, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 13, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.5M
Runtime: 1h 53m
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Surround
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)