While everyone was focusing on the dog-whistle American Eagle campaign that Sydney Sweeney was the face of, there was another project she was working on that had been brewing in the process. Christy (2025) tells the powerful narrative of Christy Martin, who was not only a pioneer in women’s wrestling, but was also a survivor of domestic violence and a closeted lesbian.
Sweeney’s portrayal of Martin became controversial after the release of several questionable advertisement campaigns. The themes of queer suppression and feminist messaging are truly contradictory to Sweeney’s current status in Hollywood, where many people see her as a symbol of conservative politics. Despite issues with her drama, this movie may just be one of the most important pieces of representational media released this year.
Christy Martin (now Christy Salters) was a boxer who was known for “putting women’s boxing on the map.” Born and raised in West Virginia, she was a star basketball player before entering boxing after college. Training with Jim Martin, she was known throughout her career with the title “The Coal Miner’s Daughter.” The two eventually got married, despite Martin’s awareness of her sexuality from a young age. With a rapidly growing career, Martin was highly recognized after her contract with Don King, pushing her to boxing stardom. What the masses failed to realize during her rise to stardom was the appalling amount of both physical and emotional abuse she endured at the hands of her husband. The section of the film displaying how these events unfold is both harrowing and empowering. You will find yourself rooting for this woman every step of the way throughout this movie.
Though this movie seems to be created with the intent for Oscar-buzz, there was nothing particularly revolutionary about the way the story was told with respect to the technical filmmaking. However, Martin herself made the production promise they would not “Hollywoodize” her life. They stayed true to their word and made the focus of the movie her story and her struggles, leaving out the elevated film industry magic that would have been completely irrelevant. With the cast ranging from Ben Foster playing the despicable Jim Martin to Merritt Wever as the mother of our title hero, spectacular performances were coordinated by director David Michôd.
Though the runtime of the movie is about 135 minutes, the pacing is quite quick and vague, but held together through an incredible score. It is perfectly balanced between the hardcore training montages and sickening depictions of Martin’s home life. The suppression of Martin’s lesbian sexuality is hinted at throughout the movie without it ever being explicitly stated. The film skillfully alludes to certain events without mentioning them, making the whole experience uncomfortable, honest, and inquisitive. The set dressing and costuming were also stunning. Taking place in the 1990s through early 2000s, both aspects were excellent and on par with their respective time periods. One particular element that stood out was the evolution of hairstyles. There were four styles that Sweeney sported throughout each era of the film. Both iconic and period accurate, they seem to represent a stint of Martin’s story and the differences between them.
This is not the first time Martin has had her history told through the silver screen. In 2021, a Netflix documentary titled Untold: Deal with the Devil was released, displaying to audiences the horrific truth of Martin’s life. This documentary did not receive as much attention as Christy, so now it seems that if the masses continue to boycott Sydney Sweeney, Martin may never be able to spread her inspirational experiences to a wider audience.
Accusations of white supremacy messaging and catering to the male gaze have painted Sweeney as an unfavorable figure. Ranked as one of the lowest box office openings at $1.3 million, the indie production company Black Bear Pictures is at a significant loss. The total budget of the film was $15 million and did fairly well in the film festival circuit, gaining attention at the Toronto International Film Festival.
This film has the potential to put Sweeney into consideration for an Oscar nomination in the forthcoming award season. Her portrayal of Martin was genuinely impressive and raw despite current public debate, but it can be difficult for some people to view her in the role of Martin, knowing her background. According to the actress, she trained for two to three months and gained around thirty pounds just to take on the feat of playing the iconic boxer. This made her almost completely unrecognizable, allowing her to blend into the character and disguise her controversies. This movie is a great display of Sweeney’s talent and could have easily become a turning point in her career. Her performance, especially towards the end, was deeply impactful.
Could Sweeney have an I, Tonya (2017) moment with this movie? It is hard to tell, but if Sweeney is able to adjust her public image similarly to Margot Robbie, the star of the ice-skating biopic, she may have the opportunity to redeem herself. With the current political climate, queer representation and feminism is of more importance than ever, but Sweeney’s clash with the public has unintentionally overshadowed the impact of this film. Regardless of the actress’s outside conflicts, it is crucial that we do not ignore the influence and recognition Christy Martin deserves.
