Filmmaker David Michôd’s docudrama about the famous boxer Christy Martin hit theaters last week, and its journey from TIFF darling to social media punching bag devolved quickly. Still, much like the film’s titular protagonist, Christy isn’t going down without a fight. Starring Sydney Sweeney, Christy tells the true story of one woman’s battle for victory within the boxing ring while simultaneously fighting to reclaim her identity outside of it.

The Biggest Fight Lies Outside of the Ring

Christy Martin’s (Sweeney) rise to fame as the most successful female boxer of the ’90s wasn’t without its setbacks. Growing up in a small town in West Virginia, Christy – nicknamed the “Coal Miner’s Daughter” – is plucked from obscurity once she catches the attention of trainer and manager-turned-husband, Jim Martin (Ben Foster). Christy’s incredible strength and ability to outperform her counterparts are unlike anything Jim has ever seen. His dreams for Christy’s future become his sole focus, which eventually creates a rift in their already fraught relationship.

Watch the Christy trailer here.

An important characteristic to note about Christy is that she is queer. Before leaving West Virginia and entering the elite boxing world, she had a romantic relationship with another woman. This, however, is not considered acceptable by her family or management. As Jim so eloquently summarizes early on in their professional relationship, “Nobody wants to see a butch girl fight.” Determined to win while avoiding social stigma at all costs, Christy suppresses her true identity and morphs into a figure who is unrecognizable by her former self. Ignoring her instincts, she agrees to marry Jim. The manager/husband dynamic works for some time, but Jim’s controlling and manipulative behavior continues to worsen the more successful Christy becomes. She eventually realizes that the biggest fight lies ahead of her, and that is going against her husband.

A Phenomenal Story That Falls Flat

Balancing two themes, one of a rising boxing star and the other a domestic abuse victim, requires very delicate storytelling. Writer/director David Michôd attempts to nail this balance, but the film ultimately ends up lopsided and flat. Removing two or three boxing montages from the final cut would potentially have allowed time to dive deeper into Christy’s internal struggles. What we have instead is a status quo and paint-by-numbers feature that lacks electricity and memorability. With a lengthy two-hour and fifteen-minute runtime, the film could have also benefited from a pared-down score. Sweeping and triumphant music is best used in select scenes for the highest emotional impact, but Christy suffers from using the score as a crutch.

Takeaway

Does Christy need over two hours to tell this story? No. Will Sydney Sweeney be anywhere in the conversation for Best Performance, like once alleged? Again, no. What Christy does offer audiences is a traditional biopic about an inspiring woman who defied the odds, yet unfortunately, it didn’t come close to matching Christy’s fiery persona.