Christy Review | Flickreel

Christy is a well-acted biopic centered on a compelling figure. Even at more than two hours, though, I sensed something crucial was missing. It didn’t become clear what the narrative was lacking until the obligatory end text, mentioning that Christy Martin married her former rival in the ring, Lisa Holewyne. The film’s best scenes are between Sydney Sweeney as Martin and the underrated Katy O’Brian as Holewyne, sharing a natural chemistry. If it weren’t for the closing text, though, you wouldn’t know that these two became a couple. What should’ve been a focal point of the film is more of a footnote. That’s not to say the film omits Martin’s sexual orientation. It’s established from the beginning that she likes girls, secretly seeing her high school sweetheart, played by Jess Gabor. Her heartless mother (Merritt Wever) would rather see Christy married to an abusive husband than hear gossip about her daughter dating another woman. Enter Ben Foster as James V. Martin, Martin’s coach turned spouse. Foster is chillingly effective as a weak man who nonetheless comes to control every aspect of Martin’s life, from her career, to her image, to her sexuality. Martin is a force of nature in front
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