Inside and outside the ring, International Boxing Hall of Famer Christy Martin has a story made for the big screen. Now, that story comes to life in Christy, a new film from Black Bear Productions starring Sydney Sweeney. Hitting select theaters nationwide on November 7, the movie—directed by David Michôd (The Rover, War Machine, Animal Kingdom)—joins a proud tradition of boxing biopics that celebrate grit, glory, and the fight beyond the ropes.Martin’s life has been full of obstacles and hardship. Somehow able to survive it all, the film cannot help but be inspirational.
The film begins with Martin fighting in a Toughman competition in 1989 leading to her being noticed as a fighter and eventually getting the call that would change her life’s trajectory. The film doesn’t shy away from difficult subjects. In the late 80s, having a same-sex partner was still widely stigmatized, and for Martin, that reality was amplified by growing up in Bluefield—a small town in West Virginia with a population of just over 9,000 as of 2024. One dinner scene captures this tension vividly: Martin’s mother confronts her after hearing rumors that she was involved with another woman. Aware of how her truth would be received, Martin quickly deflects, choosing silence over confrontation.
The film then jumps to Martin receiving a phone call from a promoter about her professional debut—and from there, it’s off to the races. She soon meets her trainer, Jim Martin (played by Ben Foster), whom she later marries. Their relationship becomes a harrowing journey marked by drug use, physical and sexual abuse, financial exploitation, and ultimately, a near-fatal attack. Amid the chaos, Martin signs with the controversial promoter Don King, transforming her from a coal miner’s daughter into a fighter on a Mike Tyson pay-per-view undercard. The film covers these pivotal chapters of her life with precision and pacing, ensuring that each moment lands without losing the viewer in the passage of time.
Sydney Sweeney IS Christy Martin
When the first photos of Sydney Sweeney’s transformation into Christy Martin surfaced earlier this year, the reaction online was electric—she looked almost identical to the real fighter. Watching the film, that resemblance deepens beyond appearance. You forget you’re watching Sweeney at all; she fully disappears into Martin. The way she channels Martin’s emotions and captures the unease of her most painful moments is extraordinary. Several scenes sent chills through me as they unfolded, their rawness amplifying the film’s emotional impact.
Biopics come with enormous pressure to get the story right—particularly when it comes to portraying the lead—and boxing movies are no exception. Sweeney delivers striking authenticity, embodying Christy Martin so naturally that her performance becomes one of the film’s standout achievements.
Why You Should Watch ‘Christy’
As someone who covers boxing, I may sound a bit biased when I say this, but Christy is a film worth watching. And not just as a boxing film—it’s a great film, period. What makes it powerful is its willingness to confront difficult, deeply human issues that remain just as relevant today, even if they’re still not talked about enough. If even one person walks away inspired to change their life because of it, then the film has done its job.
When audiences see Christy, some may think certain scenes are exaggerated for Hollywood effect. The tragic truth is that it all really happened. Christy Martin endured it, survived it, and lived to see her story told on the silver screen.
Martin’s life is an inspiration, but also a life full of lessons, and during a time where morality is questioned almost daily, a film like Christy is a good example of things you should be aware of before it gets out of hand.
The film’s running time is 2 hours and 8 minutes, but it needs every second of that time to tell the story correctly, and when you watch Christy, time is the last thing on your mind. Christy can be seen at select theaters nationwide on November 7.
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