Film Review: Girlfight

Karyn Kusama's Girlfight is a film that tackles several aspects of stereotypes concerning females and males. Diana Guzman (Michelle Rodriguez) is portrayed as an angry teen living in a lower class society. A dominant theme of this film is determination. Although Diana is trapped in a male dominated, somewhat educationally lacking society, she remains determined to overcome her oppressors. In fact, Diana's will power/determination is what allows her to defeat her male counterpart in the end of the film.

When Girlfight begins the audience is introduced to a rather angry and frustrated teen, Diana Guzman. As the film progresses, Diana learns to vent her rage, which is derived from her chauvinistic father, her mother's passing, and her dismal lifestyle, via boxing. Even after being told that female boxers do not exist, Diana proceeds on with her passion for the sport. Her ruthless will power is even more pronounced when her father and the boxing trainer tell her that she cannot box simple because she is female and females are lacking in the respect of physical prowess.

The spectator clearly sees Diana's intrepid mode of thinking and acting through the course of the film. A prime example is when she proceeds in punching the rival boxer who gave her younger brother a hard time. Her courage is seen again at the end of the film more than ever when she is forced to confront and in some ways destroy the man she loves. Diana's determination expresses no limits in her quest for solace and peace of mind.