Christy, 2025.
Directed by David Michôd.
Starring Sydney Sweeney, Ben Foster, Katy O’Brian, Merritt Wever, Ethan Embry, Chad L. Coleman, Tony Cavalero, Jess Gabor, Valyn Hall, Cole Pedigo, Bryan Hibbard and Marvin LaViolette.
SYNOPSIS
Born in West Virginia — her nickname, “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” derives from her father’s profession — Christy (Sweeney) excelled at sports and attended college on a basketball scholarship. In the late 1980s, she starts fighting in — and winning — “Toughwoman” contests before beginning training with boxing coach Jim Martin (Foster) and embarking on what will prove to be a hugely successful career in a still-nascent sport.
A biopic of female boxer Christy Salters could have been broken down to her accomplishments in the field of boxing, but director David Michôd explores much more than that in Christy which sees Sydney Sweeney in a transformative role as the groundbreaking boxer. Christy delves into both her boxing career and the toxic relationship she found herself in with her trainer turned husband Jim Martin that nearly ended her life. Michôd’s direction and Sweeney’s performance are stellar throughout this dramatic film that pulls the audience into her plight.
Christy follows the title boxer as she begins her career as an amateur fighter into the most successful female boxer of the 1990s, spurring the inclusion of women to be taken just as seriously as men’s boxing. However, Christy, who was a closeted lesbian at the time, became entrapped in a toxic relationship with her trainer and manager Jim Martin which was physically and psychologically abusive.
Sweeney delivers a powerhouse performance as Christy, showing all the nuances of her confidence, uncertainty, fear and strength of character. Not only did Sweeney manage with the emotional weight of Christy’s story, but this was a very physically demanding role which she captured very well. Between the training and boxing sequences, Sweeney’s physicality is clear as she dances around the ring and gives some sass to her opponents. It is quite a different role than we’ve seen Sweeney usually embody through Euphoria or Anyone But You, showcasing the scope of her caliber.
The chemistry she has with Ben Foster is well done too with Foster giving a very eerie performance as Christy’s trainer and husband Jim. The red flags were there to begin with, but only get worse as the film goes on and Foster conveys the levels of abusive manipulation to both Christy and her family, culminating in a very shocking climax that shows the coldness of his character.
The supporting cast is likewise stellar with Merritt Wever as Christy’s very devout mother and Katy O’Brian as Christy’s boxing rival Lisa Holewyne as standouts. The chemistry between Sweeney and O’Brian is well done in the subtleties of what they can and cannot say with O’Brian showing through her body language and eyes what she’s really feeling in moments with Sweeney. Jess Gabor plays an old love interest of Christy’s and the two also share an intimacy that is more implied than it is spoken. A real scene stealer, however, is Chad L. Coleman as legendary fight promoter Don King being both hilarious with King’s many eccentricities and authoritative with his commanding presence.
Michôd directs very competently in his pacing of the story and emphasis on Christy’s emotional vulnerability. The choreography of the boxing sequences are well shot and edited, showing both how tough Christy could be and the intensity of the ring. Michôd also leaves some of the more disturbing aspects of Christy and Jim’s relationship left to the imagination, letting the implication of certain scenes or sounds provide more tension than showing any of the violence would.
Christy delivers great performances from Sweeney, Foster and the rest of the cast while emphasizing the damage of Christy’s marriage as well as her accomplishments in boxing. Michôd’s direction conveys the strength of Christy’s character and the pain she went through well with well shot visuals and choreography.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Christy can be viewed at the Toronto International Film Festival and will be released in theatres on November 7th.
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