Deal With It: Girlfight (2000)

As cynical as I can be, I've never been a fan of those film critics who are always overly critical or just plain negative in general. I don't want this blog to keep a positive tone, but every once in a while, I'm just going to have to vent.

This is one of those occasions. I give you Girlfight (2000).

Now, believe it or not, my issue has nothing to do with this film itself. Quite the opposite, in fact.

My issue lies with Hollywood.

Girlfight tells the story of a young woman who wants to become a boxer. She has to persuade an aging trainer to take her under his wing and eventually shows that she can be a success, renewing his lost hope in life.

Sound familiar? It should.

You're most likely thinking of 2004's Million Dollar Baby. That film won Oscars, was headlined by three “stars” (Hilary Swank, Clint Eastwood, and Morgan Freeman), and had a 30 million dollar budget.

It seems in all the hype of this supposedly landmark film, everyone seemed to forget about a little film that was released 4 years earlier.

I've seen both films and I have to say that while watching Million Dollar Baby, I was honestly getting angry. I kept thinking, 'They're ripping off Girlfight. They're ripping of Girlfight. What is going on?'

And yet, with a budget nearly 30 times the size and A-list stars, I genuinely feel Baby falls short.

As trite as it sounds, Girlfight is a film with much more “heart.” The characters come off as real people, ones we've all met before at sometime in our lives. The lack of “stars” even helps in this regard, as I never saw “Michelle Rodriguez playing Diana Guzman.” It was just Diana Guzman.

Photo credit: Ilsmutant

Speaking of, let's talk about Michelle Rodriguez.

This was her first film. Her very first (before she rose to fame as “Letty” in The Fast and the Furious franchise), and she knocked it out of the park.

Her character, Diana, is a “trouble-making” high school student who takes up boxing as a way to release her frustrations, and I believe every second of it.

All of the characters share that quality, from Diana's trainer, to her love interest, to her father and brother. Diana's brother, portrayed by Ray Santiago, is particularly one of my favorite cinematic characters. The child the father is pushing to become a boxer but who secretly wants to go down a different path in life. The viewer can see throughout the film how his character struggles with his desire to make everyone happy, ultimately supporting his sister, who he loves dearly.

In the end, it is these performances, supported by a strong story and script, that give Girlfight its power.

So...if you want my advice, next time you're interested in renting a movie for the night, pass on Million Dollar Baby and go for Girlfight.

Up next in our Girl Power series, Summer's Moon (2009).

To return to the beginning of the series, click here.