Movie Review: Christy

On this episode Jackie Hanzl (HomeBodiesOnly, MADE with Jackie Hanzl) and No Rest for the Weekend host Jason Godbey review films from this year's Woodstock Film Festival including: Christy starring Sydney Sweeney and Ben Foster.

Sponsored by
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Tonkawa Film Festival
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Show theme & Music by Christopher Gillard

Written by
Jackie Hanzl
Jason Godbey

Produced & Created by Jason Godbey

Jason's review:
The story of real-life boxer Christy Martin is extraordinary, a coal miner’s daughter, from West Virginia who rose through the ranks in a sport where women were rarely recognized. Martin was the biggest name in women’s boxing in the 1990s fighting on major pay-per-view events as a champion and knocking out her opponents, but there was so much more to her story outside the ring. Add to that, the trappings of fame, coming of age, coming to grips with her sexuality, an abusive husband/trainer, domestic violence, along with other crimes and misdemeanors, and you’ve got the makings of a hell of a movie.

Christy is a performance-driven drama with an ensemble of heavy hitters. Ben Foster is spectacular as Jim Martin, Christy’s trainer/husband. He is unrecognizable in the role with an uncanny ability to copy Martin’s mannerisms and affect. He’s has this good-old-boy charm masking something sinister underneath that’s provocative and chilling at times.

Merritt Weaver plays Christy’s mother, a proud southern woman who believes she’s doing right by her daughter despite not being able to understand her. Katy O’Brian plays Lisa Holewyne — a former opponent of Christy’s, then sparring partner, then life partner. She doesn’t get a ton of screen time, but she still manages to leave a lasting impression. Chad Coleman plays Don King, one of boxing’s most notorious promoters. Coleman portrays King as both showman and swindler, and seems be having a great time doing it.

Make no mistake, this is Sydney Sweeney’s movie. As Christy Martin, she transforms herself for the role physically giving herself a boxer’s physique and duplicating Martin’s boxing style. There are quite a few fight sequences in the movie, and they all look really good. You really believe she could really put someone’s lights out. She also captures Martin’s voice, attitude and resilience, capturing her essence brilliantly. With this film, she proves she’s the real deal, not only can she act, but she can carry a film.

Looking at it from a cynical critic’s point of view, Christy does seem like it’s a perfectly manufactured star vehicle for Sweeney, who also serves as a producer on the film. It has all the elements of “Oscar bait,” a strong lead performance, a famous subject matter, a November release date, and themes that Academy voters will deem important. That being said, it’s still a moving, engaging, inspiring, and at times shocking story with compelling performances that make it worth watching.