In the Shadows Review (2026 BFI London Film Festival)
Unlike a typical boxing drama, In the Shadows centres around the divide between a traditional Muslim family haunted by their son’s death and the hidden passions of their daughter, Ramla Ali, who wants nothing more than to continue to win in the ring. The film details Ali’s origins before she became the first to win an international gold medal for boxing. Jasmine Jobson, known for her previous work in Top Boy and MobLand, fully embodies the then-amateur boxer, allowing the emotional reflections within the film to hit even harder than Ali’s punches.
In the Shadows marks Anthony Wonke‘s debut narrative feature. While the director previously worked on documentaries centred around subjects like former Argentine president Mauricio Macri, champion jockey Frankie Dettori, and even fellow director Rian Johnson, the skills seamlessly translated into crafting the boxing biopic. When Ali first decides to step into the ring, she learns the ropes from failed-boxer-turned-coach Clinton (played by Gershwyn Eustache Jnr). However, the film takes a darker turn as Clinton’s feelings for Ramla increase, setting up a tough love triangle as Ramla falls in love with another boxer at the gym, Richard (played by Finn Cole).
Eustache Jnr’s performance as Clinton brilliantly taps into the character’s menacing nature, as well as addressing an underlying potential theme of predatory coaches within sports as a whole. His presence adds another layer of tension in Ramla’s rise within the sport, outside of just keeping the secret from her family. Even with their complicated dynamic, Ramla still learns a lot from Clinton that she carries with her.
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As for Cole’s portrayal of Ramla’s real-life husband Richard, the budding romance between the two characters provides lighter moments within the boxing drama. Sure, the two are from very different worlds, as Richard lives alone after a tough divorce, and Ramla is facing an impending arranged marriage. They rely on one another for not only emotional comfort, but also boxing tips, as Richard introduces Ramla to people who can propel her career further than Clinton could.
The film’s tension between Ramla and her family comes to a head when they discover she’s a boxer after one of the fights is televised. Yet, the latter half of the film finds the family navigating how they can accept their daughter for who she is, including her relationship with Richard. Similar to the true story, things work out for the couple, and Ramla continues her successful boxing career. Some of the film’s most beautiful moments also happen towards the film’s conclusion, including a powerful scene of acceptance between Ramla and her mother that ties the biopic together.
★★★★
In UK cinemas on October 30th / Jasmine Jobson, Finn Cole, Gershwyn Eustache Jnr / Dir: Anthony Wonke / True Brit Entertainment / 15
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