Commentaires des utilisateurs

TIFF #3

Third film I've seen at TIFF, but easily the best so far. It's an extremely well made film with great performances. However I didn't feel the film did enough to rise above the conventions of its sub-genre. It has the expected training and fight montages, the pop songs of the era in the background (Young MC - Bust a Move), the rise and fall trajectory, etc. This is not an inherent criticism, just an observation that the beats felt familiar. Also because the story spans across many years, there were a number of subplots that are touched upon that I wanted to see more of. I especially wanted to see more of Chad L. Coleman playing Don King who absolutely shined in the role.

One of the most impressive aspects of the film is that it's a true story. Although I wanted to the film to go deeper on certain storylines, it definitely whet the appetite to learn more. The real Christy Martin even came out on stage with much of the cast and crew for a post-film Q&A. Even though the premiere was the night before, it was awesome everyone came back out the next morning to talk about the film. Everyone's passion for the project was evident, and I think the film will find success post-festival.

No matter how you want to like it, this is a terrible film. Its biggest failing is Sweeney simply cannot act. She is undoubtedly the most overrated actor in years. And she's awful in this film. It's going to be a success for the simple reason Sweeney is in it. But that is nowhere near enough to justify this film's existence. Surely her free pass has worn out by now?

Christy is a gripping and emotional film that shines a light on the incredible life and career of Christy Martin, the trailblazing boxer who broke barriers and redefined what it meant to be a female athlete in a male-dominated sport. The film does a remarkable job of balancing her triumphs in the ring with her deeply personal struggles outside of it, weaving together a story that is raw, inspiring, and unforgettable. The recreation of candid interviews, archival footage, and unflinching honesty, Christy captures the resilience, determination, and fighting spirit that made Martin not only a champion in boxing, but also in life.

Ben Foster simply disappears into this role playing Jim Martin, Christy's trainer and would be husband. He again demonstrates what it's like to be a true character actor and one of the best in the business.

It's disappointing to see some reviewers dismiss or downplay this film, simply because they are Sidney Sweeney haters.

They miss the point entirely. Christy isn't just about boxing-it's about survival, perseverance, and the courage to keep moving forward when the odds are stacked against you. To overlook the importance of this story is to overlook the barriers Christy Martin shattered and the inspiration she continues to provide. Negative takes often come across as shallow or unfair, failing to recognize the film's power and emotional weight.

Go see it, you won't be disappointed.

Here we Sydney should win an Oscar for her role. This movie is very convincing of the fight that Chrissy went through.

Sweeney's preparation for the role is evident from the very first scene. She gained over 30 pounds of muscle through months of intense training-weightlifting, kickboxing, you name it-and it shows in every punch she throws. Her portrayal of Christy rising from a small-town West Virginia girl with a conservative family to a welterweight champion signing with Don King and gracing the cover of Sports Illustrated is electric. The ring sequences are visceral and thrilling, capturing the raw energy of female box.

Get ready for the bell-Sydney Sweeney is about to land her first Oscar nomination. She delivers a mesmerizing performance, showcasing a remarkable range and hitting every emotional note with precision. It's the kind of work that lingers with you long after the credits roll. I rarely revisit films, but this is one I'll gladly experience again.

The highlight of the film is performance. Sydney just gave one of the best performance of her career. Film isn't perfect by any means but its thrilling and keep you engaged. The writing is okish for me. If you are a sport and fan of christy then you should definitely watch this. I thoroughly enjoyed the film.

I was just waiting for more but it have all the necesary to shine, i really enjoy how the movie was recordered, it was a pleasure to watch and also the make up and dresses was on point! It was like a reallistic view of the line time of the movie, but the acting sometimes was a bit boring if i can say that.

Take a bow Sydney - Sydney Sweeney delivers a career-defining performance in Christy. Raw, fearless, and heartbreakingly human, she commands every frame with magnetic intensity. A masterclass in vulnerability, nuance, and control-Sweeney doesn't just play Christy, she truly becomes her. Perfect. 10/10.

I saw this film at the AFI Film Festival in Hollywood. The true story of Christy Martin (Sydney Sweeney) who popularized women's boxing. Some of the initial boxing montages are unnecessary (you will get the point that Christy was good quickly) but recommended for Sweeney's performance and especially Ben Foster's performance as her jerk of trainer/husband. Direction and cinematography were adequate. Bottom line: a good film but not an outstanding one.

This was much better than I expected and it's pretty accurate to the real story. If you already know her life story there won't be much to learn but that doesn't mean it's not worthy of watching. Great performances all around. And the knockouts during the fight scenes looked real. Definitely worth checking out.

I saw this as the amc mystery movie...I was planning to see it weeks ago as well...and i would've never thought in a million years I wouId say this ls actually better than Smashing Machine, Its boxing but the fights are better, longer and smoother, the story is slightly thin but stiII becomes entertaining, Sydney Sweeney can ACT...it's just better than Smashing Machine...I can compare both films because it's has two actors stepping out their comfort zone, but Sydney definitely stepped out of hers, and she still nailed it...I never heard about this female boxer until I saw this film...it's pretty brutal for a story, but now im interested in this real life boxer's story.

I've never heard of Christy and thats kind of sad. My guess is her being a women didn't help with that. Shes a strong woman both inside and out and should be proud of her accomplishments. Sad home life story. Thats alot to carry and go through. Glad she made it out and became who she wanted to be.

Watched at AMC on 11-12-2025.

I don't know why some gave high praise except superb performances not much else to it. I love Ben Foster in anything and Sydney Sweeney is exceptional in any role; love them both! Some parts felt slow and some unfortunate decisions but it's a great movie for what it is glad I saw it. Reminds me a little bit of I, Tonya without the amazing soundtrack.

Rating - 6.2: Overall, this movie does not know what it wants to be, as it tries to be both a sports movie and a hard-hitting drama about trauma, but does not give enough time to be great at either; the first two acts and resolution are just a generic boxing movie, but the third act truly is a powerful drama about trauma and abuse, as Sydney Sweeney delivers a pretty powerful performance in this portion of the movie.

Direction - Decent: The direction on a macroscale is a major issue for the movie because it just feels generic, especially in the first hour and the final 15 minutes; The macroscale direction in the 3rd act is good, but the problem for this movie is that it does not know what it wants to be; The direction on a microscale is pretty generic, a little dull at times because there really isn't that much chemistry in the cast and a lot of the performances feel exaggerated or over-the-top; The storytelling is a major issue for this movie because for Act 1, 2, and the resolution, it is just a generic boxing movie that sprinkles in personal issues; I did enjoy the storytelling in Act 3 because it deals more with the personal issues of Christy, but ultimately in the end, this movie does not know what story it wants to tell (her career or her personal struggles) as it tries to do both when it can't; Tension is pretty predictable and bland for Act 1, 2, and the resolution, but it is very good in the third act because it uses our uncomfortable feelings with what is going on screen to make you feel very uneasy

Story - Pretty Bad: The concept is the life of Christy Martin, but the movie tries to touch on both her boxing career and her personal struggles when it should only really touch on the latter to be profound; The plot structure is a major issue for this movie because it is this generic boxing movie for Acts 1, 2, and the Resolution, but it is a different movie in the third Act; Because of its weird structure, the movie does not know what it wants to be; Character writing is pretty good to good for Christy because it does paint her as a flawed character who projects negativity because of the trauma she receives at home, but every other character is just a generic trope

Screenplay - Pretty Bad: The dialogue is so generic and bland; the humor is decent; the symbolism is profound in act three because of the DV issues they talk about, but it is generic for the most part; the foreshadowing is a massive issue for this movie because it's very obvious where this movie is heading with on the nose roots the movie places throughout the movie; I was shocked that the crowd didn't know things were going to happen because I read this movie like a book

Acting - Pretty Bad: Sydney Sweeney - Pretty Good (Definitely one of her better performances, as she transforms herself for the role; even though the accent work is a little rough at times, and it doesn't really seem like she is doing anything special, she delivers a pretty powerful performance in the third act), Ben Foster - Bad to Pretty Bad (Just such an over-the-top performance that feels like over-acting at times than realistic definitely feels menacing and his lack of chemistry with Sweeney helps, but this is just more how the character is written rather than his performance), Merritt Wever - Pretty Bad (Very subdued and quiet performance; is meant to show lack of emotion and empathy, yet still somehow doesn't feel believable when she does this), Katy O'Brian - Pretty Bad (Just a generic performance; nothing really stands out about it), Rest of the cast - Pretty Bad (There doesn't feel like there is any chemistry between any of the cast members; the background actors just feel generic)

Score - Decent: Standard helps with establishing tone and tension

Soundtrack - Pretty Bad: Generic boxing movie soundtrack;

Cinematography - Decent: Standard; nothing special; what you would expect from a boxing movie

Editing - Decent: Standard; nothing special; what you would expect from a boxing movie

Sound - Pretty Good: Crisp; what you want from a boxing movie

Visual Effects - Decent: helps show gore and injuries; does not age the people well

Makeup - Decent: Helps show gore and injuries; Does not age people well

Costumes - Pretty Good: Gives Christy iconic boxing outfits

Pacing - Pacing is slow in Act 1, 2, and the resolution because of how generic it is; pacing is just right in Act 3 because it helps with building the tension

Climax - Climax is the best part of the love, as it is executed very well, making you uneasy with what is going on; the ending is straight up a Dhar Mann narration

Tone - This movie doesn't know what it wants to be; it tries to be both a sports movie and a hard-hitting drama about trauma, but it tries to play both sides and doesn't do a good job being right for the whole movie

Final Notes - Saw premiere at Austin Film Festival.

Greetings again from the darkness. For those who think of Sydney Sweeney as just an attractive model for blue jeans or eye-candy on the red carpet, this is a movie that will change your mind. She plays tough. OK, not as tough as boxing champ and domestic violence survivor Christy Martin, whom she portrays here ... but tough, nonetheless.

In a perfect world, writer-director David Michod (ANIMAL KINGDOM, 2010) and co-wrtiers Mirrah Foulkes (also Michod's spouse) and Katherine Fugate would tell the uplifting story of the first great female boxer of the 1990's and the first female boxer to make the cover of "Sports Illustrated" and fight on Mike Tyson's undercard. While they do tell that part of the story, there is also the much darker aspect of Christy's life. It's actually a story of survival - and honestly, since I was not a boxing fan at the time, it's the 2010 headlines of her surviving a vicious attack by her husband that come to mind when I hear her name. Michod and his cast handle both aspects very well.

It's 1989 in rural West Virginia. Christy gets her first taste of boxing and takes to it immediately. However, her mother (Merritt Weaver, "Godless") and meek father (Ethan Embry, "Sneaky Pete") are humiliated by the rumors that Christy is hanging out with Rosie (Jess Garbor "Shameless"), a lesbian. When they threaten to send her to a priest for curing, Christy seizes the chance to pursue boxing. Trainer Jim Martin (Ben Foster) initially wants nothing to do with her, but he quickly realizes she could be his ticket to the big time.

The story follows Christy's rise in boxing, while at the same time showing us the dark side of a relationship. Jim is an expert manipulator and controller, and Foster's searing blue eyes deliver his patented icy and intimidating stare (in spite of that awful haircut) on more than one occasion. Shadowboxing in legendary promoter Don King's (Chad Coleman, "The Wire") office gives Christy the opportunity she needs in 1995. He labels her "The Coal Miner's Daughter" and her pink outfits become a trademark.

Christy's story has many parallels with the tragic Dorothy Stratten story. Her time as a Playboy model and violent fallout with her scumbag husband became the basis for Bob Fosse's film STAR 80 (1983). In this film, when Michod finally shows the despicable act of Jim Martin on Christy, it's stunning and memorable. We can't help but think how unfortunate and tragic it was for Christy to battle both her husband and mother. Towards the end, we see the actual Christy Salters (she took back her maiden name) as a security guard who fist bumps the fighter on the way to the ring. It's a nice touch. And kudos to Sydney Sweeney for taking on such a challenging role (physically and emotionally).

In theaters beginning November 7, 2025.

Caught Christy as the Regal Mystery Movie. Not a big sports person and have never heard of Christy Martin prior to this. The film spans over 20 years, and thats just too much. A storied career like this deserves more time. Maybe a mini series?

Positives!

+Ben Foster melts into the role of Jim and you'll despise him!

+Tragic story of how everyone failed Christy Martin.

+Some good tunes!

+Sydney gives another okay performance.

Negatives!

-Characters hardly age in 20 years, just some hair and outfit changes.

-Plots are thrown in for a few minutes then never mentioned again.

-Lacks emotional depth.

-Doesn't go deep enough into storylines that could have improved movie flow.

Honestly, I wasn't expecting to like Christy. It was mostly okay, more of a drama than sports movie. But the drama is too shallow to elicit deeper thoughts. However, it feels like a movie that people will enjoy because it gives the bare minimum to get interest.

-GremlinLord615!

-Full Review on Youtube!

In the last 30 years there has been at least one pugilistic film released every year. Movies about female boxers are still rare. 2000 gave us Michelle Rodriguez in Girlfight. Hilary Swank won a Best Actress Oscar for her role in Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby in 2004. In 2014 India gave us Mary Kom. Last year (2024) we had The Fire Inside, a biopic about Claressa "T-Rex" Shields. And now, just in time for award season we have Sydney Sweeney bringing the story of Christy Salters to the screen.

I knew nothing about Christy Salters going into my screening. This naïve, rambunctious scrapper from West Virginia started her pugilistic journey by entering a local strong man contest in 1989. She kept boxing around the area where she lived winning small purses. By 1995 she was being scouted, taking an offer Jim Martin (Ben Foster) to train her. He got her fights, and she continued to get noticed until she got a meeting with the infamous Don King (Chad L. Coleman), at which point her career skyrocketed.

This is a movie about Christy taken in by a less than scrupulous man, about Christy who preferred women at a time when that was frowned upon, about Christy who is constantly at odds with her religiously snobbish mother Joyce Salters (Merritt Wever). Joyce does everything in her power to come between Christy and her real love Rosie (Jess Gabor). We follow the twists and turns of Christy's life, and the painful existence that attached itself to her.

Sweeney and Foster electrify the screen with their performances. Sure, at times it does feel like another boxing biopic. At other times it is engaging, like riding a roller coaster of emotions with the title character. Sweeney conveys the full range of those emotions, sometimes with just her eyes. Foster embodies the creepy Jim without any sense of self-consciousness. I have always liked Ben Foster no matter what the roll. This is a good bad one for him. And the final act is worth it when it comes. You just wait and see what hits you.

I was pretty excited for yet another mystery movie Monday and didn't know what to expect this time but I was pleasantly surprised by the film Christy. I didn't have the highest hopes for this film and I didn't know if I could see Sydney Sweeney playing in something so serious and complex but she does a really great job in this film playing Christy and I really love her performance in this film. I also think there's some really tough scenes to watch in here and this movie deals with a lot of domestic violence which is really hard to sit through especially in this context. Ben Foster plays one of the most evil characters I've seen on the big screen all year and I absolutely hated Jim throughout the movie. The struggles that Christy has to go on throughout the movie is unbearable and the circumstances that cause some of these things to happen is heartbreaking. Also this relationship Christy has with her mother is also infuriating and you just feel horrible for Christy as her own mother never accepts her nor is proud of her. There's also some great boxing moments throughout the film and the fights are well choreographed and there's some great moments with the fights implemented into the film. The writing here is solid for the most part and there's some moments that didn't work too well for me and the movie also skips around a lot of time periods and I would've loved to see more of these time periods touched upon and I felt like some stories were missing in between such big jumps in time. The film also is great at having compelling narratives and the narratives in this film feel fantastic and terrifying in a sense with all of the stuff going on presented throughout the movie. The first half takes a little bit to get into everything but this second half of the movie is just absolutely great for the most part and there's so many heartbreaking moments in this film and I just couldn't help but feel absolutely wrenched for Christy. Overall this movie is absolutely worth a watch and it might be hard for some people to watch this but there's some serious topics the movie talks about and I think it succeeds well in providing a great and compelling story.

The story of Christy Martin, the face of women's boxing from the late 80s well into the 2000s, who had a long and successful career but faced many different challenges along the way.

The biopic that shares the life and struggles of Christy Martin. The story focuses on her excellent career in boxing as well as her struggles with her own identity and her survival of domestic abuse. The story is a slow burn, with loads of boxing mixed with the slow escalation of her personal life and trauma, making the audience feel every minute of the two-hour and fifteen-minute runtime. A decent biopic worth streaming.

LIKES: The Setting/Immersion The Soundtrack The Portrayal Of Hard Topics The Comedy The Character Development The Fights To Degrees The Acting Summary: Because so many of these stories take place in the past, we have to find a way to make the movie feel like we have journeyed back to the era when they ran supreme. Fortunately, this one was in the nineties, so the recreation didn't quite involve as much time-hopping as other films. Nevertheless, the movie accomplishes much in bringing history back to life, capturing cars, hairstyles, television sets, and the works to fit the bill of the times. A simple mechanic, this immersion adds an element I just admired in these films, enhancing the feeling of being there in that time. An awesome soundtrack further helps engage the nostalgia bit, classic songs from the '80s and '90s ringing hard at the start as the soundtrack evolves with the times.

Past Hollywood's resources, the meat of the movie is about two things: boxing and personal hardships, with one woman as the bridge between the two segments. Regarding the former, the fighting is good, focusing more on the realistic choreography that boxing requires to succeed. I've not watched any fights of this legend, but many of these moments felt accurate to the real-life fight, and still hold some Hollywood sheen to give it a little more "punch" that I like. Some of these moments hit harder in other ways, but there is enough there to keep things entertaining, which the modern-day storytelling sometimes struggles with. On the personal side, Christy has a lot of things to unpack in the two-hour runtime, but I find that the movie handles well with accurate (if dramatized) sequences that I find many audiences will eat up. It's not insulting, it's not too much mocking, and it's designed to coincide with the fighting to help shape a character portrayal I found mostly engaging to watch, and at times pulled my heartstrings when everything came together. A warning that this may be triggering, but Michod and his writing team have helped infuse some comedic moments to lighten things up, many jokes having a delivery and timing combo to knock me out with laughter, but never to the point of overshadowing the lessons. Such direction has helped form a character development film that feels genuine, and what they accomplished is something I hope others find engaging as well.

But what has to be the strongest element to this film for me...is the acting. The supporting cast is great and serves their parts well, with several elements I wish I had more time to explore in this film. The two main actors of Foster and Sweeney, are the ones who blew my mind with what they accomplished. Foster has come a long way from the goof he was in the first show I saw him play. As her trainer, this complex role required a darker side to manipulate my emotions, and Foster did it in style. His delivery, mannerisms, and the way he acts with Sydney is stunning, and I found myself loathing this character more and more as I continued to watch Christy's journey. Sweeney, though, continues to push her acting range to new levels. While there are similarities to her other roles, Christy requires her to tweak her acting to new dimensions to make them feel fresh. These vulnerable elements hold such genuine suffering that I wanted to leap in and help her; while her arrogant moments were vibrant, vicious, and indulgent in potential foreshadowing that we all know was coming. It works, and what she accomplished was another spectacle that makes me tip my hat to her skills.

DISLIKES: The Pace The Fights Need A Bit More Hollywood The Material Is Hard To Watch Too many Time Jumps for Me The Language Summary: Where I did not have fun, it involved the dramatic elements of this movie alongside the length. Christy's accolades span nearly three decades, and to capture all of this in two hours is a challenge almost no one will accomplish. And for me, the worst part of the film is the pacing. There are times the movie is dirt slow, getting caught up in these repetitive arguments and filler sequences that feel not the best use of time despite the simplicity. Other times, the material is too rapid, arguments and details so hastily attempted that they give you enough, but need a bit more time, build up, and finesse to fully bring that Hollywood charm I like. The time jumps as well get annoying, as the fast-forwarding cuts through the swaths of other adventures, relationships, and accomplishments Christy had to try and get to the end of her path. I applaud the drive to honor her story, but...so many time jumps feel best left to a mini-series. As another warning, the material is very hard to watch, and I myself felt triggered by things that brought my mood down. If this is not enough of an escape from reality, this again may lower your enjoyment of the film. As for the language, this movie is not shy to find every expletive in the dictionary and unleash with it the ferocity of a boxer. The F bomb is not going to be the worst word in this movie, and though I get the use of the language for many reasons, sensitive viewers are going to find this a turn off given the amount of cursing the film swims in.

The VERDICT: Christy is a movie that feels like it champions a blend of Hollywood and reality for this woman's incredible fighting legacy. Fans of dramas are going to feast on a lot of theatrics that feel at home on an ABC drama, but without the relentless seasons, convenience factors, and the sinful stupidity of their characters. It's got a wonderful immersion into the times and a story that is all about focusing on Christy's two main focuses of her life. With decent action sequences (that still could use a touch of Hollywood magic), a respectful (if slow) portrayal of personal struggles, and some incredible talent to develop this character, I find this movie approachable by many. It's biggest issue is the pace, mainly in trying to accomplish so much in two hours, and some of the language feels a bit aggressive to annoying levels. Is this a theater-worthy movie? I think so, but there are better selections if you are limited on time. My scores for Christy are:

Boxing/Documentary/Drama/Sports/History: 7.5 Movie Overall: 7.0.

It's not trying to reinvent cinema, but it tells its story with sincerity and a steady emotional pull. The performances feel grounded, the pacing works for the kind of story it wants to tell, and there's a quiet authenticity that kept me engaged throughout.

Sure, it has a few rough edges, but nothing that justifies the harsh criticism it's received. If you go in with reasonable expectations and let the film do its thing, it's an enjoyable and worthwhile watch. Definitely better than its reputation suggests.

• Rating: 8/10
• Watched on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025 (first watch)
• Format: regular theatre

This film is an emotional, heavy ride through Christy Martin's challenging life. It's a real rollercoaster of sad and hopeful moments, and Sydney Sweeney absolutely shines in the lead role. It's great to finally see her carry a film like this, and she plays the part perfectly. While I wish the movie had given her even more room to push her abilities further, she definitely hits the mark and makes you feel every emotion.

But honestly, the movie wouldn't have been as powerful without Ben Foster. He completely steals the show, carrying the film on his shoulders every time he's on screen. His performance as Christy's ruthless husband gives the story its real emotional weight.

I also loved the editing, especially during the boxing scenes. The cuts between shots were so smooth and made the fights incredibly engaging. The music was also a great touch, helping to set the vibe for each different time period as the story moved forward.

My only real complaint is that the story felt rushed at times. It jumps through the years so quickly that I wish it had slowed down to explore certain moments a bit more.

Sydney Sweeney and Ben Foster did incredible jobs on this film. I love to see actors stretch themselves and they both do that. The movie could've paced faster but the performances were worth it. Lots of solid supporting actors as well. Overall, it was a gripping tale that shares the many challenges of this athlete. Well done!