The latest installment in an unprecedented rise of sports biopics, Christy (2025) follows the career of Christy Martin, one of the first prominent female boxers who put the sport on the map throughout the ’90s. Shorthanded as the “lesbian Sydney Sweeney boxing movie,” Christy should instead be shorthanded as the grooming Sydney Sweeney boxing movie, as it primarily chronicles the abuse Martin suffered at the hands of her manager-turned-husband, James V. Martin (Ben Foster). Director David Michôd (The King, Animal Kingdom) and his co-writer Mirrah Foulkes (Judy & Punch) craft an admirable sports drama that packs a hefty punch. Still, one can’t help but wonder if the biopic bubble in Hollywood is close to popping.
Every year, a handful of biographical films are released in the fall and winter for optimal visibility during awards season. Each star is seemingly tasked with emphasizing the transformational and emotional labor of their role in hopes of earning an Oscar nomination. Biopics often feel less like their own contained stories, defined by a controlled narrative, and more like refined, repackaged nostalgia. “Based on a true story” tricks the audience into thinking that they are learning something — that somehow this movie is more worthwhile, even though it could have very little to say beyond depicting a flaccid string of hardships.
Battle of the Biopics
Christy certainly inhabits many conventional biopic tropes. Sydney Sweeney (Anyone But You, Euphoria) touts brown contacts and a shaggy wig to rearrange herself into the driven Christy Martin, rugged and strong yet still susceptible to her husband’s cycle of abuse. The script follows a proven structure, hitting every glum beat as Martin’s rise to fame coincides with her descent into exploitation. However, Christy sets itself apart from its predecessors by its layered focus on a centralized theme: the patriarchy.
Christy’s abusive husband, James Martin, serves as the film’s antagonist. Yet, he is only a physical manifestation of all the abuse the patriarchy has to offer. Christy’s sexuality is the silent cornerstone of the movie, as her internalized homophobia, thrust upon her by society, is the bedrock for the abuse she undergoes. The internal denial of her true sexuality makes her a prime candidate for grooming by an older man. It’s a desperate attempt to achieve comfort in a world determined to make her feel demonized and ostracized. Furthermore, her internalized misogyny causes her to project all her aggressions and frustrations with herself onto other women, isolating her from connecting with others who may be able to help.
The Patriarchy’s Influence Over Women’s Boxing
Christy’s insistence that she is a good housewife, that she is not a feminist, is what traps her in an abusive marriage. No matter how successful a woman might become, how strong she seems, if she does not do the work of deconstructing her patriarchal thinking and internalized misogyny, she will still be a victim. This is the core of Christy, and it layers upon itself impactfully. Martin is exploited both domestically and at the hands of the professional boxing industry, an intersection unique to her position as a woman.
These two issues layer onto one source: her husband Jim. It makes for an incredibly tense viewing experience, as the audience knows that Martin will not seek help until she is able to decouple herself from her flawed mindset, but cannot do so because she is deeply entrenched in her poor circumstances. Viewers are forced to watch as the situation deteriorates until, finally, she may experience some emotional catharsis.
Ben Foster (Sharp Corner, Hell or High Water) is the film’s standout as James Martin. In contrast to Christy, Jim is utterly deplorable. He has no skill or discipline of his own, but compensates by exercising authority over his wife, often pressuring and manipulating her. Foster perfectly balances a pathetic ego with intimidation, putting on an insincere and feeble performance to inspire pity while never sacrificing a menacing undercurrent. It’s a role that builds on itself, exploring the depths of his unrelenting cruelty as the plot progresses.
Sydney Sweeney is the Heart of Christy
Sydney Sweeney’s leading performance has inspired the most conversation regarding the film. Many have labelled Christy as a star vehicle to primarily define Sweeney as a serious actor, as if breaking out on a prestige, Emmy-winning HBO show is not serious enough. Crudely put, the conversation centers around whether she can sustain a presence on screen that doesn’t revolve around her sexuality. The answer is: yes, she can. Sweeney fully embodies Christy Martin, delivering a nuanced portrayal of a proud, hot-headed boxer who hides all their vulnerability behind closed doors. Her accent work has improved dramatically since Ron Howard’s Eden (2024), and she embodies the part rather than distracting from the story.
While Sweeney is the heart of Christy, she remains the elephant in the room when it comes to many discussions surrounding the project. Off-screen, she’s riddled with controversy, especially following an American Eagle Jeans ad that people criticized for its subtle eugenic implications. She has been swept up in a larger culture war, in which President Donald Trump even weighed in, claiming her as a Republican sex symbol. It might be difficult, then, to sit down and watch an entire film with Sweeney at its center without a bitter taste in one’s mouth.
Overshadowed by Controversy
Do not be mistaken, Sydney Sweeney is predisposed to criticism because she is a woman who expresses her sexuality. Even well-meaning criticism can, and often does, have misogynistic undertones. That being said, the solution to misogyny is not to ignore it, allowing bad-faith actors to define the conversation until it blows over. Instead, one must assert and define their own autonomy. Often, the lines become blurred over ownership of one’s sexuality and performing for the patriarchy. However, there is a line, and it’s up to the woman at the center of it all to determine if she acts in her own interests or for others.
The issue with Sweeney is not her sexuality, but her silence, her complacency. It is ironic, then, that she leads a film about the importance of deprogramming from patriarchal thinking, to free oneself by refusing to center men and cater to conservative ideals. This is what elevates Christy from other biopics. The script is so strongly anchored around a central theme that it lends itself to a tense and enthralling viewing experience. With the screenplay contributed to by a female writer, with heavy consultation by Martin herself, clear care was taken in depicting an abuse victim and portraying her story with strength and nuance. Additionally, David Michôd’s direction is steady, as he elicits excellent performances from his sturdy cast.
Christy is Worth Seeking Out, Despite Its Questionable Awards Potential
That being said, chances are low that Christy will have legs. In a kinder year, Ben Foster could have probably picked up an Oscar nomination. As it stands right now, though, competition in Supporting Actor is too fierce. Sydney Sweeney’s role seems custom-designed for Oscar buzz, but the performance itself does not have the oomph. A nomination is possible; anything is possible with the power of a strong awards campaign. Either way, divorced from larger contexts and concerns, Christy is one cut above the usual biographical sports drama, thanks to its focused narrative and themes. It’s worth seeking out for that alone.
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