Sydney Sweeney in Christy
Over the last few years, Sydney Sweeney has been in the process of trying to prove that she’s more than just Cassie from Euphoria, and she’s been doing a pretty decent job at it. Just this year, she was a standout in Ron Howard’s Eden and with a starring role in Americana.
But as Margot Robbie in I, Tonya, Charlie Theron in Monster, and Nicole Kidman in The Hours have proven, if you want to be taken as a serious actress, the key is to take on an unexpected biopic of a real person. Sweeney finally has that role with Christy, the true story of superstar female boxer Christy Martin. From director David Michôd of Animal Kingdom, The Rover, and The King, Christy allows Sweeney to show what she’s got, and it’s a fantastic role for the actress, one that will likely silence the doubters. The only problem is that it’s a performance in a fairly rote boxing film that hits the beats you’d expect around every corner. Even though this is Martin’s story, it’s still hard for Christy to shake the clichés that we’ve seen in countless similar films. What Is 'Christy' About? Christy begins in 1989, West Virginia, when our title character is a high school student who keeps getting in trouble for fighting. For fun, she decides to participate in a paid fight, and it turns out, she’s really good at it. While her mother is supportive of her daughter trying out this endeavor, she’s far less excited about what people are saying about Christy, particularly that she’s been dating Rosie . Yet once Christy goes all-in on boxing, this relationship falls apart, and she starts training with James V. Martin , who promises he can take her to the big time. It doesn’t take long before Christy and James are dating, then married, as Christy starts making her way to the top of the female boxing world. As one would expect from this type of biopic, Christy hits pretty much all the expected notes. There’s the impressive rise in popularity and the realization that Christy really “has it,” the parents who aren’t entirely supportive, the coach who takes advantage of the up-and-coming star, and the eventual downfall and revival. At some points, Christy can’t help but be silly in the way it goes down the path that these types of movies always go down. Especially when the film uses slow-motion when it's trying to be darker or songs are presented in a haunting way, it’s a bit hard to take Christy seriously. Sydney Sweeney Commands the Ring in 'Christy' But at its most basic, Christy is a film that seemingly exists to give Sweeney the spotlight, and it totally succeeds. Sweeney is quite good as Christy Martin, and excels at presenting the arc of Martin’s rise and fall. In her first fights, you can see the joy and shock in her eyes, and her excitement is palpable. She’s a kid finding what she’s good at for the first time, and that’s just as grand to her as knocking out girls quickly. Yet it’s in the second half of Christy where Sweeney really is fantastic, presenting the deep loneliness and hopelessness that Martin must have felt as she’s trapped in a marriage that she knows is wrong for her. Particularly near the end, when things get even worse for Martin, Sweeney nails these moments and the pain of this betrayal. It’s also a bit of a shock how charming this performance is, considering how Martin is presented as a sort of bully who you almost want to get knocked out. That’s a testament to what Sweeney is doing here, and how capable she is of taking on more complex, challenging characters. 'Christy's Screenplay Can't Avoid Sport Biopic Clichés The biggest issue here is the screenplay by Michôd and Mirrah Foulkes, based on a story by Katherine Fugate. Christy eventually finds the darkness in Martin’s story, but it takes too long to get there, and the formulaic nature of this script only hurts what is a heartbreaking, horrifying true story. Yes, this is based on Martin’s true story, but this screenplay can’t find a new angle to approach this without hitting the hackneyed concepts throughout. This is particularly true with the supporting characters in Christy’s life. For example, Merritt Wever is always great, but as Christy’s mother, she’s given nothing but the same old stereotype mother character in this type of story, taking several pages from Margo Martindale’s awful mom in Million Dollar Baby. Much better in a quieter, more subdued performance is Ethan Embry as Christy’s father, who follows his wife’s lead, for better or for worse. There’s nuance to this character, whereas there’s simply no room for that in Wever’s role. Similar to Wever, Ben Foster is never a disappointment, and he’s doing good work here as Christy’s coach-turned-husband, but he’s doing so under a goofy combover and makeup. Foster still makes it work, though, and like Sweeney, dials up his role in the final act. Katy O’Brian, who plays Christy’s rival Lisa Holewyne, is also strong and subtle in a smaller role that’s still impactful. Everyone is doing the best they can, even when the film itself doesn’t entirely work for them. With that final third, we can see where Michôd’s interests lie, as he’s able to make it hit like a punch in the gut, and it’s effective in a way the rest of the film hasn’t been. It’s not surprising, considering Michôd has thrived in films like Animal Kingdom and The Rover, which turn brutal, that he’s also at his best here when things are at their worst. However, as the film gets to these moments, it’s by-the-numbers, without much of an idea of how to make these moments compelling. As a platform for Sweeney to show her broad talents as an actress, Christy is undoubtedly successful, as she finds the heart and sadness within Christy Martin. But Michôd's film doesn't make that life story quite as riveting as it should be, which is what Martin deserves. Christy had its world premiere at the 2025 Toronto Film Festival. It comes to theaters on November 7. Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Your comment has not been saved Like Christy Sydney Sweeney gives one of her best performances to date in a film that can't escape biopic cliches. Drama History 6 10 Release Date September 5, 2025 Runtime 135 minutes Director David Michôd Writers Mirrah Foulkes Cast See All Producers Brent Stiefel, Kerry Kohansky-Roberts, Sydney Sweeney, Teddy Schwarzman, John Friedberg, Michael Heimler, Justin Lothrop, Brad Zimmerman, David Levine Expand Collapse Pros & Cons
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Sydney Sweeney Details Weight Gain for Christy Martin BiopicSydney Sweeney gained over 30 pounds and trained intensely to portray boxer Christy Martin in the upcoming biopic 'Christy'
Read more »
Sydney Sweeney's Boxing Biopic 'Christy' Set for November Release Amid Awards BuzzSydney Sweeney with her head titled to the side as she looks at someone in Americana
Read more »
Sydney Sweeney Serves Bombshell in Corset Dress at Christy PremiereSydney Sweeney embodied Old Hollywood glamour while rocking a corset dress on the red carpet at the premiere of her movie ‘Christy’
Read more »
Sydney Sweeney Details Her ‘Christy’ Physical Transformation: 3 Months of Training and Chick-fil-AThe boxing drama, which also stars Ben Foster, Merritt Wever, and Katy O’Brian, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival to a standing ovation.
Read more »
Sydney Sweeney is a knockout as she takes big swing in 'Christy' boxing biopic: reviewJohn Candy: I Like Me|Official Trailer|Prime
Read more »
Christy Review: Sydney Sweeney Does Her Best, But This Sports Biopic Is Way Too UnbalancedSydney Sweeney looking victorious in the boxing ring in Christy
Read more »