Claressa “T-Rex” Shields in T-Rex (ZCDC/Film Collaborative )
The opening scene represents well but does not portend what is to come. It’s simple enough: Claressa “T-Rex” Shields is interviewed by a swarm of reporters, and she manages to conduct an interview by saying almost nothing, grunting to demonstrate her disappointment of her most recent match, even though she won. The documentary, from its first scene, is doing something slightly different. It allows quiet and simple moments to speak for themselves.
The beginning isn’t particularly jarring or evocative, but it firmly establishes that the film will reveal Shields’s quest openly, elegantly, and cleanly. At 17, she’s a fierce competitor but also a mature, thoughtful person. As a role model, she speaks volumes as a young adult with the dream of heading to the 2012 London Olympics. Overall, the film is a deft and subtle look at the world of a boxer, a woman, an African American woman, and an athlete.
We soon see Shields at the gym with her trainer, Jason Crutchfield, who will stand by her side throughout her journey. There is a nuanced presentation of Jason, of his strengths and flaws and everything in between. We also spend time with her family and others who surround her in the nearly three years that the documentary follows the young boxing star. The family dynamics and the relationship between Shields and her coach, like all the other themes, are folded together into a bold and unique tale. However, this film pushes for more and constructs a full and dramatic world by addressing themes of family, money, and power as well as broader themes of work ethic, dating, and “business vs. pleasure.”
As Shields is drawn to the wider world of fame, we discover it with her. We are then, jarringly, taken to the high school halls of Flint, Michigan, enveloped in day-to-day questions. She’s from Flint, a town we have all heard of from Michael Moore to the recent water crisis. It, of course, becomes part of the story, but like all the other elements, it is gently tucked into the story of Shield’s development and experiences, both personal and professional.
This documentary builds in a swift and svelte way. Direction, music, sound, cinematography, and editing are all handled fluidly and solidly. Perhaps due to directors Zackary Canepari and Drea Cooper’s skill and deft handling of all components, the film, buoyed by great moments, may lack a defined message, but it creates a dynamic mood and energy that are sustained throughout in its place.
Crucially, the 17-year-old (at the time) boxer is given a chance to speak and command the screen. Shields speaks with depth and handles difficult situations ably, such as maintaining calm when her dating relationship is scrutinized by her coach or balancing the different personalities in her life without getting flustered. She also caters to others’ needs all while fiercely protecting her goal and her ambition. She’s a subject worthy of this marvelous treatment, which is dizzyingly good.
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