For Christy Martin, the biggest fight for her life was outside of the ring.
Christy tells the story of Christy Martin (Sydney Sweeney), a West Virginia woman who never believed her life would take her beyond the borders of her small-town world. But all of that changes when she discovers her abilities in the boxing ring. Training with her manager (and, eventually, husband), Jim Martin (Ben Foster), Christy’s fists of fury take her to new heights in the world of professional fighting. However, outside of the ring, her relationships with her husband and family bleed with a cruelty more powerful than any uppercut, forcing her to fight to reclaim her life for herself.
Directed by David Michod, Christy is a biopic that really packs a punch. As Martin, Sweeney shows an intensity within her soul, fully committing to the physicality of the role. In interviews, she has spoken openly about their commitment to authenticity within the ring, working to recreate Martin’s fights as accurately as possible.
But, most importantly, Sweeney demonstrates her range as a performer. While she thrives in moments when she’s allowed to show the charisma that made her a star, she also demonstrates an incredible ability to tap into Martin’s inner pain. In Christy, the fighting icon is portrayed as a woman who’s charming, vicious, courageous and terrified (and, sometimes, all at once). Although she beats one opponent after another to the ground, Sweeney offers a growing insecurity behind her eyes. (“They say I fight like I have a demon in me. Maybe I do,” she moans.)
When she’s facing down another woman in the ring, she seems to know exactly who she is and, of course, what she’s supposed to do. The bullies in her life fade into the background and she carries a sense of completeness into battle that eludes her in the real world. Every victory means affirmation but… there’s something missing inside of her.
Or, worse, been stolen from her.
Because Michod focuses more on Martin’s life outside of the ring than between the ropes, Christy becomes something special. Yes, the in-ring competition is fast and furious. But the true soul of the film lies in Martin’s battle for personal freedom. When the lights go down, everything changes for her.
Behind the superstar persona, Martin is shown here to be a woman held down by the expectations of her manager-turned-husband, Jim. When she speaks about being powerful in the ring, he reassures the press that she’s a ‘great wife at home’. He even judges her weight while training, calling her a ‘fat fighter’. Every glance or conversation with other men (or women, for that matter) Jim views as a potential threat to his own masculinity. Her heart yearns to own her sexuality, yet he demands that she adhere to traditional gender roles.
He needs her to be someone else in order to preserve his ego.
It’s worth noting here that, held up against Sweeney’s incredible performance, Foster more than holds his own as the tragically toxic, Jim. As he gaslights and bullies his wife, he is simultaneously both brutal and pathetic. There’s a sickness in his heart that breathes evil, even when he’s allowed to be somewhat charismatic. (Though, those times are few and far between.)
Even so, under Jim’s venomous thumb, Christy is still shown with resilience. Here, Martin’s real battle is to find the strength within her to be herself. In these moments, Christy becomes a cry for self-expression and, most importantly, self-actualization. She lives in a world that demands she fits their mould. Yet, even in moments of weakness, she continues to look for ways to step into her power. Though they work hard to destroy her soul, there’s a fire within her belly that cannot be extinguished. And that’s the real power that Sweeney puts on display.
Christy is available in theatres on Friday, November 7th, 2025.
