Director: David Michôd
Writers: Mirrah Foulkes, Katherine Fugate, David Michôd
Stars: Sydney Sweeney, Ben Foster, Merritt Wever
Synopsis: Tells the story of Christy Martin, the most successful female boxer of the 90s.
There are a few genres in American film that are so stable, so typical that they have turned stale. The biopic is certainly high on that particular list, but the sports film is right there alongside it. When you combine these two genres, there is a real opportunity to break new ground and take some actual risks. This is even more so when the subject of your biopic has a past that could be seen in a negative light. And let’s not forget that women’s boxing, especially in the 1990s was seen as more of a sideshow than a sport! And yet, despite all of these opportunities, Christy plays it completely safe at nearly every turn.
The film begins with Christy (Sydney Sweeney) as she figures out what “her thing” is, namely boxing. Much has been made of Sweeney’s transformation, and for good reason. No movie star can be truly unrecognizable, but she certainly gets close. But the physical side is not the only bit of change. Her performance here is a stunner, as she removes all signs of glamour and stereotypical beauty. This is replaced with a focus and desire to compete that would fit in with the best boxing films on record. The problem, really, is that she is given little to work with from the script, penned by Mirrah Foulkes, Katherine Fugate, and director David Michôd.
One of the glaring issues that the film has is predictability, and not solely because this reviewer lived through the time period covered. Given the fact that we know who Christy Martin is, when we are introduced to her trainer, James V. Martin (Ben Foster), even the dullest viewer will know that the two will end up married. However, Foster is so cartoonishly evil that we are also left grasping at straws for why she would agree to a relationship. There is some leaning towards the idea of compulsory heterosexuality as Christy is forced, mostly by her mother, Joyce Salters (a constantly whispering Merritt Wever), to give up her romantic relationships because of “how it would look.”
The entire world seems to be against Christy finding even a modicum of happiness, and there is an interesting movie hidden in there somewhere. Unfortunately, Michôd bows to convention and takes us through Christy Martin’s career, bout by bout. The boxing sequences are entertaining enough to watch, but they certainly do not push the envelope in terms of style. Ryan Coogler and Maryse Alberti in Creed, this is not. Sweeney handles herself very well, as do her partners, including the great Katy O’Brian.
O’Brian plays Lisa Holewyne who is an opponent of Martin’s, and is attacked repeatedly by the titular character for her sexuality. This opens up a truly interesting dichotomy. Martin is a closeted woman, who begins to lash out at others who are living their truth. Now, this is not a radical or surprising development, but the way that Sweeney and O’Brian play it is nearly magical. In between curses and epithets, you can see that Martin is deeply wounded. And instead of meeting her in kind, Lisa sees her pain without ever putting a name to it. The gentle nature of O’Brian’s performance will come as no surprise to those of us who have seen Love Lies Bleeding, but her soft smile and understanding fills the screen between her and Sweeney. Sadly, O’Brian’s character is nowhere near the focus, and that is to the film’s detriment.
As the movie plods along, hitting all of the expected beats, it is easy to wonder why it is worth your time. In order not to spoil too much, vagueness is necessary. But every reason to watch this film occurs in the last 30-40 minutes of runtime. When James finally goes from bad to worse (everyone knew it was coming), Sweeney goes into overdrive. All of the rage and battle saved for the ring, is now unleashed into the real world. The fierceness of her gaze as she recovers and takes her place in her new world is truly something to behold. Now that the obstacles of thinly drawn characters have been removed, there is a time to shine. It is only a shame that, at this point, the film is winding down. Just when the viewer might be getting locked in, the credits and post script roll.
Working within a genre is always a challenge. There are moments that you have to hit, especially in a biopic about a person who is still alive. This doesn’t mean that there is no opportunity for risk. Christy offered so many of these chances, but the film chooses to travel straight down the middle and they are deeply lucky to have actresses like Sweeney and O’Brian who can carry this to a winning decision, even if just barely.
