Sydney Sweeney and Ben Foster star in ‘Christy.’
This image released by Black Bear shows Sydney Sweeney, center, in a scene from ‘Christy.’
Black Bear via AP
REVIEW
“Christy”
Starring: Sydney Sweeney, Ben Foster
Christopher’s “meow” score: 9/10 paws
This past month’s box office lull was one of the slowest months financially in the history of the movie theater business. I read an article with a headline proclaiming “The Cinema Is Dead!” Seeing and hearing the numbers for October is infuriating to me, and they quite frankly hurt my heart. Why isn’t the general public getting their fannies into those seats anymore? Does anyone care if all of America’s classic cinemas shutter someday soon? I cannot be the only one who loves the rich, storied history of the cinema and big screens throughout the land. As convenient as at-home streaming is, nothing can touch the surround sound, buttery popcorn, and oversized giant screens.
Public, please hear my cry.
Tanking also in its opening week is the brand-new, gritty biopic entitled “Christy,” which only brought in just over $1 million. It follows the rise and fall of the first and most successful female boxer of the 1990s, Christy Martin. She was at one time a household name, the first female boxer to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine, and once shared a ticket on the pay-per-view extravaganza with boxing great Muhammad Ali.
I have come across so much hate and trash talk of the film’s lead actress, Sydney Sweeney (“Anyone But You,” “Immaculate”), who plays Christy, for numerous reasons. One being flak from a recent American Eagle ad gone wrong, and another because her voter registration was located in her home state of Florida, revealing that she is a registered Republican. Both factors hurt the chances of this film’s success, sadly. Not for nothing, but numbers aside, “Christy” just so happens to end up as one of the best pictures of 2025, without any question in my mind.
Yes, the wigs they made her wear in the film left much to be desired, but hairdo aside, I was very startled, touched, and moved to tears by not only this daring story but the portrayal of a true female trailblazer. With a strong supporting cast, Ben Foster (“3:10 to Yuma,” “Hell or High Water”) playing Jim Martin, Christy’s manager and eventual abusive husband, rocks the house with his outlaw portrayal, while Merritt Wever (TV’s “Nurse Jackie”) memorably plays Christy’s stubborn, traditional mother Joyce.
This boxing biography doesn’t pack quite the same punch that “Million Dollar Baby” did, but it still is more than worthy of your attention and ringside cheering section. Actress Sweeney gained approximately 35 pounds for this role through intense workouts and high-calorie intake of fast food. Mark my words (politics aside, cancel culture aside), you will not find a more emotionally jarring, impressively unsettling achievement in film anywhere else this year, but inside the necessary life story of “Christy.”
Bravo, I take a bow.
Christopher Vernon is a proud NEPA resident and award-winning writer and author. He began writing film reviews on his page ‘The Movie Meow’ in 2018. His favorite two films of all time are ‘Thelma & Louise’ and ‘Million Dollar Baby.’ And of course, you guessed it, Chris adores cats.
Christopher Vernon is a proud NEPA resident and award-winning writer and author. He began writing film reviews on his page ‘The Movie Meow’ in 2018. His favorite two films of all time are ‘Thelma & Louise’ and ‘Million Dollar Baby.’ And of course, you guessed it, Chris adores cats.
