Sydney Sweeney’s ‘Christy’ packs an emotional gut punch

You can’t discuss the history of women’s professional sports without mentioning Christy Martin. She wasn’t the first female boxer, but she helped popularize it, bringing women’s fighting sports into the mainstream of American culture with both her fists and her personality.

In 1996, Martin became the first female boxer to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated. That was a time when being featured on the front of a magazine meant everything. She is a Hall of Famer. She’s a queer icon. She is also a survivor of domestic abuse.

The story of Christy Martin has long been overdue for a Hollywood adaptation, and Christy doesn’t pull any punches. Sydney Sweeney stars as Martin and serves as a producer. Christy is not your typical sports biopic. It’s a powerful drama that focuses on Martin’s rise from obscurity while also exposing how she was groomed, emotionally manipulated, and nearly killed by her former husband/trainer, the late Jim Martin.

Christy Martin’s autobiography details her successful yet troubled life, and this movie, directed by David Michôd, undoubtedly drew inspiration from the 2022 book. It was perhaps a surprise to some when it was announced that Sweeney would play Martin.

However, Sweeney is quite adept at starring as real-life people. She was excellent as Reality Winner in the HBO film Reality. She gave a nuanced performance as Margret Wittmer in Eden. Becoming Christy Martin was likely her most demanding role yet, requiring her to mimic not only the boxer’s brash personality but also a physical transformation. It might not be a carbon copy, but her interpretation of Martin works well for this movie.

There’s a discernible growth in Sweeney’s Martin that is easy for the audience to see but not always easy for an actor to portray. She goes from a young woman unsure about herself and her sexuality to slowly gaining more self-confidence. It’s important to remember that during the 80s and 90s, homophobia was prevalent, and many people were not comfortable coming out to their friends and family, let alone the general public. The unwelcome environment likely played a role in marrying Jim Martin, who was 25 years her senior. (Christy Martin has been married to Lisa Holewyne, a former opponent, since 2017.)

While Christy is Sweeney’s show, her supporting cast provides a boost. Ben Foster, sporting a combover and a gut, is almost unrecognizable as Jim Martin. When his character first meets Christy, he is a dismissive jerk. But once he recognizes her ability, Foster’s Martin devolves into a controlling and menacing antagonist. Foster and Sweeney work well together in the climactic confrontation.

Two other supporting actors stand out. Katy O’Brian, who deserved an Oscar nomination for her bodybuilding role in Love Lies Bleeding, portrays Holewyne. In her limited screen time, O’Brian makes an impact in every scene she’s in. The other actor who brings great energy is Chad Coleman as legendary boxing promoter Don King. He’s a fascinating combination of charismatic, funny, and intimidating—just like the real King.

Christy is not a perfect movie. There are moments when the narrative jumps ahead several years, and those transitions are not always smooth. Furthermore, the film could have delved deeper into Martin’s role as an inspiration for the LGBTQ+ community.

However, what resonates is how strong Martin had to be to fight her way out of a dangerous situation. For that, Sweeney is easily a winner by decision.