Sydney Sweeney has really been doing a commendable job of proving that, as an actress, she’s so much more than what we see on Euphoria. Whilst there have been the expected streaming filmic choices (a Netflix horror effort, an Amazon sex thriller) and a dip into the superhero subsect (farewell Madame Web, we hardly knew ye), her savvy as a producer and what that could mean for her career choices going forward has truly showcased her versatility as a performer.
Recent roles in Americana and Eden went largely unnoticed (unfortunately), but similar to what she expressed in the bold crime drama Reality and the unnerving Immaculate, Sweeney is an actress unafraid to throw her whole self into a role. And much like the moves made by Charlize Theron in Monster and Margot Robbie in I, Tonya, the beautiful-actress-shows-her-worth-as-a-performer-by-starring-in-an-unflattering-biopic is a route taken once more in Christy, an occasionally standard, sometimes disturbing look at the life of Christy Martin, a former professional female boxer who has been cited as the most successful and prominent in the sport in the United States and the person who “legitimized” women’s participation in the sport of boxing.
Helmed by Australian filmmaker David Michôd (Animal Kingdom, The Rover), Christy starts out in 1989, where, as a college student, we already sense she hones serious aggression, and taking it out on her basketball teammates isn’t the best port of call; even if some of them deserve it. Her love of fighting leads her to participate in amateur boxing matches, and though for her it’s a bit of fun, it’s clear that, despite her smaller frame, she really is quite good at throwing a hook. Her conservative parents (Ethan Embry and Merritt Wever) are supportive of her fighting aspirations, but less so around the suggestion of her sexuality; her mother, especially, not taking kindly to what people are saying about Christy’s relationship with “friend” Rosie (Jess Gabor).
Taking a meeting with reluctant boxing coach James Martin (Ben Foster), Christy instantly impresses him with her prowess in the ring, and their relationship quickly escalates from professional to personal; though the circumstances in which Christy agrees to be James’s wife act as something of a precursor to how damaging and controlling he is. Together they shatter the glass ceiling regarding female representation in boxing, and for the first half-or-so of the film’s extended 135 minute running time, Christy can’t help but very much adhere to certain beats we come to expect from biopics of such ilk. The disapproving mother, the coach who takes advantage, the high highs and low lows of the industry, it’s all there. It’s no less investing, but it’s not giving us anything we haven’t seen before.
All that being said, the film is absolutely designed to allow Sweeney to shine, and it succeeds on all accounts in that regard. There’s a surprising sweetness to her in the beginning moments of the film, where we see a joy and genuine sense of shock when she succeeds in her early fights. It’s quite endearing, and it only assists in us being on board Christy’s plight, especially when the film travels to far darker aspects of her life, which is when, as a whole, it proves a much stronger feature. The pain we see Sweeney convey of a woman now trapped in an abusive marriage is palpable, and the disturbing facets of what James was subjecting her sees the film – unpleasant as it is – break away from the expected beats of the biopic and fuse into something far more intriguing.
Whilst it makes sense that, for a biopic about a prominent female sports figure, the sport itself is given ample focus, it’s the personal aspect and just how much James damages her that breaks through. Sweeney and Foster deliver truly great work, and if neither were as committed to the cause it would be very easy for Christy, as a film, to buckle under as it can’t escape some of the pratfalls the genre can give way to. Given what Michôd has delivered previously as a filmmaker, it makes sense that the eventual brutality Christy adheres to is where it’s strongest (if you know of any of her hardships and what she suffered at the hands of her then-husband, a bedroom sequence at the back end of the film will undoubtedly disturb), but it may also prove too unnerving for those wanting something more by-the-numbers and “inspiring”, which Christy’s story ultimately is.
Whatever issues one has with the film and how it navigates the expected travel of the “sports biopic”, Sweeney’s heart and soul is laid out on screen, and her commitment can’t be dismissed. Her performance is stronger than the film itself, but she continually elevates proceedings that what we watch unfold on screen remains consistently captivating.
THREE AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Christy is screening as part of this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, running between September 4th and 14th, 2025. For more information on the festival, head to the official site here.
