Sundance winner for "Grand Jury Prize" and "Best Director" as well as Cannes winner for "International Young Cinema Award," it's no surprise that Karyn Kusama's "Girlfight" turns out to be one of the best American films this year.
The biggest achievement of Kusama's directorial debut is the fact that the film is so genuine and affecting despite some really generic plot elements (for example, "Love & Basketball" meets "Rocky" and "Raging Bull"). The film also boasts an Oscar-worthy screen debut of Michelle Rodriguez.
GirlFight - R
Starring:
Michelle Rodriquez, Karyn Kusama, Santiago Douglas, Jaime Tirelli
Directed by:
Karyn Kusama
Now playing:
Showplace East 11
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Rodriguez's Diana is a loner. While her Brooklyn high school peers are preoccupied with hair, makeup and boys, Diana settles her problems with her fists. Soon after she gets a final warning from the principal, Diana stumbles upon the boxing gym, where her brother Tiny (Ray Santiago) unwillingly practices on a regular basis. With money stolen from her dismissive and sexist dad, Diana convinces ex-fighter Hector (Jaime Tirelli) to turn her into a boxer.
Diana meets a handsome fellow boxer (Santiago Douglas), who, with a tribute to "Rocky," is named Adrian. But don't let this romantic subplot fool you -- Diana never gets her way without a fight. As she battles against the world, she finally learns how to get her act together and pull through the various challenges in and out of the ring.
The film's boxing scenes are obviously in debt to Scorsese and Avildsen, but Kusama's direction offers a lot more. Even when Diana is out of the ring and the gym, Kusama's keen eyes are always at work to compose the gritty and lonesome images that make "Girlfight" such a haunting experience.
With no previous acting experience, Rodriguez gives a performance full of brooding fury and raw emotions. When she stares into the camera, it's as if the entire screen is on fire. Rodriguez is especially notable while there's no dialogue, and she is acting with her facial statements and physical language. Reminiscent of a young Brando and James Dean, Rodriguez's performance is unforgettable.
