# Girlfight (2000)

### reviewed by
Bob Bloom

GIRLFIGHT (2000) 3 1/2 stars out of 4. Starring Michelle Rodriguez, Paul Calderon, Santiago Douglas, Ray Santiago and Jaime Tirelli. Written and directed by Karyn Kusama. Rated R

     Her eyes burn. They pierce through you like a laser beam through
    butter.

Her name is Diana Guzman. She's a high-school senior with a chip on her shoulder.

Life has not been kind to Diana. Her mother is dead. She lives in the projects of Brooklyn with her father and brother.

Her father ignores her, lavishing money for boxing lessons on her brother, Tiny, who would rather be an artist.

But then, Diana decides that boxing is a way to express her anger, her frustration, and she convinces Hector, Tiny's coach, to secretly train her.

This is the simple plot for "Girlfight," an impressive feature film debut by writer-director Karyn Kusama as well as for its star, Michelle Rodriguez.

You may think, ah, a female "Rocky." But, sorry. "Girlfight" does not offer the same uplifting kind of ending as Sylvester Stallone's classic, even though it does end on a positive note.

What "Girlfight" does, is trace the growth - spiritual and physical - of Diana, as she learns to come to terms with herself and the world around her.

For Diana, boxing is a form of self-expression. It is her arena for gathering her self-respect.

Kusama's film is no feminist essay on the inequities of sports. Girlfight is about people, not politics.

As Diana, Rodriguez is lovely and volatile. She is not a classic beauty. Hers is a tough, urban loveliness. Rodriguez, for a newcomer, is able to mix smoldering danger with an appealing vulnerability.

She boxes, not to make a statement, but simply because she likes it. To her, it's a way to be noticed, which she isn't at home.

The most powerful scene in the film comes when Diana confronts her father, Sandro (Paul Calderon), who threatens to beat her. Unable to hold back, Diana vents years of frustration on her unsuspecting parent with near fatal results.

"Girlfight" also is a love story, as Diana is attracted to Adrian (Santiago Douglas), a fellow boxer. It is one of Kusama's in-jokes that she names this character after Rocky's love interest.

The bittersweet romance that grows between Diana and Adrian is threatened by events in the gym and ring, but the two youths are able to confront their differences.

Like most first-time independent films, "Girlfight" has some rough edges. It is a bit slow in a couple of spots. Yet Kusama's direction and Rodriguez's charisma overcome any flaws.

"Girlfight" is a tough, touching movie, introducing a filmmaker and actress who should have an impact on the industry for years to come.

Bloom is the film critic at the Journal and Courier in Lafayette, IN. He can be reached by e-mail at bloom@ journal-courier.com or at bobbloom@iquest.net Reviews by Bloom can be found on the Web at the Internet Movie Datatbase at: http://www.imdb.com/M/reviews_by?Bob+Bloom

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