Girlfight Movie Review 1999

Scrappy feminist coming-of-age drama is the feature debut from director Karyn Kusama. Diana (Rodriguez) is a high-school senior with a bad temper and a penchant for trouble. Her single dad, Sandro (Calderon), encourages her brother Tiny (Santiago) to work with a boxing trainer but refuses to allow his daughter to participate. Diana decides to train anyway, and her determination finds her becoming the gym's first female champ. She falls in love with fellow promising amateur Adrian (Douglas), setting the stage for an unlikely mixed gender bout between the two. The movie strains reality when it has Diana fight Adrian, but the feeling throughout is heartfelt without being overly sentimental. And at least she doesn't howl "Yo Adrian" afterwards.

Distribution

Sony Pictures Home Video, Sony Pictures Plz., 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232, Phone: (310)244-7306, Fax: (310)280-2485, URL: http://www.spe.sony.com, Remarks: Formerly Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 90 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Boxing, Coming of Age, Sports Dramas, Single Parents

Screenplay

Karyn Kusama

Cast

Jamie Tirelli, Michelle Rodriguez, Santiago Douglas, Ray Santiago, Elisa Bacanegra, Paul Calderon, John Sayles

Cinematography

Patrick Cady

Director

Karyn Kusama

Music

Theodore Shapiro

Awards

Ind. Spirit 2001: Debut Perf. (Rodriguez); Sundance 2000: Director (Kusama), Grand Jury Prize.