Girlfight has all of the strengths of Kusama's mentor and executive producer John Sayles, but none of his weaknesses. Like Sayles, Kusama has created complex, subtly shaded characters who seem to leap off the screen. Unlike Sayles, whose film style can seem stiff and plodding, Kusama's work is agile and sure-footed. The story unfolds naturally and effortlessly, and clearly the director has a feel for both the outer boroughs of New York and the intricacies of boxing. As Diana, Michelle Rodriguez gives one of the most electrifying performances in recent memory. Possessing both a rough beauty and a gaze that can melt steel, she is utterly believable as a teenager trying to come into her own and as a fighter who can swing a mean right hook. Both a gritty character study and a feel-good film with no cheap emotional payoffs, Girlfight is a richly entertaining work and an example of American independent filmmaking at its finest.