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Girlfight (2000)

tomatometer

88

Average Rating: 7.3/10
Reviews Counted: 92
Fresh: 81 | Rotten: 11

Michelle Rodriguez gives a compelling performance, despite lack of a boxing background; Karyn Kusama packs a punch with this directorial debut.

90

Average Rating: 7.4/10
Critic Reviews: 30
Fresh: 27 | Rotten: 3

Michelle Rodriguez gives a compelling performance, despite lack of a boxing background; Karyn Kusama packs a punch with this directorial debut.

audience

72

liked it
Average Rating: 3.5/5
User Ratings: 10,697

My Rating

Movie Info

Karyn Kusama makes her debut with this sensitive, subtly told coming-of-age story about boxing and love. Diana (Michelle Rodriguez) is a tough though painfully honest girl living in Brooklyn. Surly, frustrated, and directionless, Diana seems to have a ticket on the express train to expulsion; she repeatedly finds herself in detention and schoolyard fights. At home, her weak though abusive single father Sandro (Paul Calderon) clearly favorites her bookish brother Tiny (Ray Santiago) over her.

R, 1 hr. 50 min.

Sports & Fitness, Drama

Karyn Kusama

Mar 27, 2001

$0.8M

Screen Gems

Cast

All Critics (94) | Top Critics (30) | Fresh (81) | Rotten (11) | DVD (10)

It gives its fine actors room to breathe and behave -- and in Michelle Rodriguez's case, glow.

August 1, 2008 Full Review Source: TIME Magazine | Comment
TIME Magazine
Top Critic IconTop Critic

For once, the advance buzz has been amply justified, thanks to an extraordinarily charismatic film debut by a non-professional named Michelle Rodriguez.

April 27, 2007 Full Review Source: New York Observer | Comment
New York Observer
Top Critic IconTop Critic

For all the violence on view, Kusama's script insists on a real, wholly unsentimental tenderness.

March 26, 2007 Full Review Source: Associated Press | Comment
Associated Press
Top Critic IconTop Critic

It's obvious Kusama knew what she wanted and was in control, because all the key roles and scenes are played with a uniform tone and conviction.

July 21, 2005 Full Review Source: Houston Chronicle | Comment
Houston Chronicle
Top Critic IconTop Critic

While it wonderfully confounds our narrative expectations as a coming-of-age story and a romantic drama, it works on another level as a great sporting experience.

June 18, 2002 Full Review Source: Toronto Star | Comment
Toronto Star
Top Critic IconTop Critic

The script is pure Rocky but the style is Girlz n' the Hood, and the two don't ever mesh.

March 19, 2002 Full Review Source: Globe and Mail | Comment
Globe and Mail
Top Critic IconTop Critic

A bit of a lightweight.

August 1, 2008 Full Review Source: Film4 | Comment

It's a refreshingly straightforward and honest attempt, flying in the face of the rest of the product out there, which is either manipulating and dumb or tricky and arty.

May 26, 2006 Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | Comment
Combustible Celluloid

Kusama's direction is imaginative, her attention to detail makes for credibility and clarity with regard to the dilemmas faced by her determined young heroine, and Rodriguez is quite astonishing in the lead role.

February 9, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out | Comment

It's sensitive, it avoids sentimentalism, and it wins our cheers by giving us believable characters that we care about.

December 6, 2004 Comment
Looking Closer

A moving performance by newcomer Michelle Rodriguez showcases this moody Sundance showstopper about a Brooklyn teen who battles an age-old gender barrier.

May 14, 2003 Comment
Palo Alto Weekly

The strength of this Romeo and gym-rat story is Rodriguez's performance. She is a vivid powder keg of repressed and resurrected dreams and desires.

October 10, 2002 Full Review Source: Sacramento News & Review | Comment
Sacramento News & Review

Like a smart boxer, Girlfight knows when to be light on its feet and when to hit hard.

August 15, 2002 Full Review | Comment
Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)

A low-key, naturalistic coming-of-age drama.

December 10, 2001 Full Review Source: Shadows on the Wall | Comment
Shadows on the Wall

First-time writer-director Karyn Kusama makes it seem believable (the big question is, how come someone with this much talent isn't getting more opportunities in Hollywood?).

October 19, 2001 Full Review Source: Laramie Movie Scope | Comment
Laramie Movie Scope

One of the best films of the year.

July 16, 2001 Comment

An impressive debut, an enthralling story about an urban teen finding her place in life. And that place happens to be a boxing ring.

June 14, 2001 Full Review Source: EricDSnider.com | Comment
EricDSnider.com
More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Girlfight

Michelle Rodriguez first film. Good to see a girl throw a punch every now and again.

August 31, 2009
lesleyanorton
Lesley N

Super Reviewer

Michelle Rodriguez gives a star-making performance in her very first film, where characters and believable situations lead to real human drama. Tight script and direction from Kusama add up to a gripping film that sucks you in. Indie film at its best.

June 1, 2007
threefolddado

Super Reviewer

    1. Adrian: No, you're sweet.
    – Submitted by Amanda M (4 months ago)
    1. Diana: Sweet? That's funny. I've always thought of myself as salty.
    – Submitted by Amanda M (4 months ago)
    1. Adrian: I'm gonna turn pro and I'm gonna move far away from here. Someplace where I'm not gonna get killed doing my laundry.
    – Submitted by Lea L (8 months ago)
    1. Diana: All these years, you just looked right through me.
    – Submitted by Lea L (8 months ago)
    1. Adrian: (to Diana) My life with you is war.
    – Submitted by Lea L (8 months ago)

Latest News for Girlfight

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June 7, 2005:
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