Jasmine Jobson delivers a powerful performance as the British-Somalian fighter grappling with her traumatic history and family opposition in this formulaic yet compelling sports drama.

The inspiring journey of boxer Ramla Ali is skillfully portrayed in this polished production by screenwriter Ursula Rani Sarma and director Anthony Wonke, marking his feature film debut. Ali, a British-Somali refugee who fled the Somali civil war with her family, made history in 2021 as the first boxer to represent Somalia at the Olympic Games. Interestingly, the film does not highlight the boxing significance of her surname—a detail I overlooked until it appeared on a fight card intertitle before her initial competitive match.

Jobson, known for her role in TV's Top Boy, delivers an intense performance as Ali. Her supportive white Muslim-convert husband Richard, played by Finn Cole, plays a crucial role in helping Ramla break free from her disapproving family and pursue her ambitions. Gershwyn Eustache Jr. portrays her abusive trainer Clinton. The film adeptly navigates classic boxing-movie tropes: the awkward first gym visit, the overbearing mentor figure, and the nerve-wracking debut fight. A highlight is the traditional close-up of bruised fists submerged in an ice bucket after a match. Overall, this film surpasses Giant, the recent biopic of British-Yemeni boxer Prince Naseem, who makes a brief appearance here.