Christy (2025)
12-month trend
12-month trend
Monthly article views
2025-09 to 2026-08
The film chronicles the rise of former professional boxer Christy Martin to becoming America's best-known female boxer in the 1990s, and later her coach-turned-husband's 2010 attempted murder of her.
The story
In 1989, college basketball player Christy Salters enters a local female boxing competition and wins. Impressed by her skills, local boxing coach James Martin offers to coach her. While Christy is initially ambivalent about pursuing boxing, her raw talent and success motivate her to continue. Meanwhile, her secret relationship with her high-school girlfriend, Rosie, falls apart, and her homophobic mother, Joyce, is troubled by rumors of Christy's sexuality, causing tension within the family. By 1995, Christy has moved to Florida with James, where they open a boxing gym and eventually marry, beginning her journey toward becoming a prominent figure in the sport.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1989, Christy Salters wins a local boxing competition and is recruited by coach James Martin. Despite initial hesitation, her talent leads her to pursue boxing professionally. As her career grows, her personal life becomes complicated by a secret relationship with her girlfriend, Rosie, and friction with her homophobic mother. By 1995, she moves to Florida with James, who becomes her manager. They marry and she signs with promoter Don King, eventually becoming a media sensation and the first female boxer on the cover of Sports Illustrated. However, their relationship turns abusive and they develop a cocaine addiction. In 2003, she loses a fight to Laila Ali. By 2010, the abuse escalates; after a confrontation over stolen money, James stalks her and publicly outs her before attempting to murder her. He stabs and shoots her, but she survives and is hospitalized. She eventually reconciles with her former girlfriend, Lisa, and becomes an advocate for domestic violence victims, while James is sentenced to 25 years in prison.
- First release year
- 2025
- Runtime (minutes)
- 135
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- David Michôd
- Writers
- David Michôd · screenplay; Mirrah Foulkes · screenplay; Katherine Fugate · story
- Cast and characters
- Sydney Sweeney · Christy; Ben Foster; Merritt Wever; Katy O'Brian; Ethan Embry; Chad L. Coleman
- Genres
- biographical; sports drama
- Themes
- Domestic violence; Addiction; Identity; Sports
- Tone and mood
- Dramatic; Gritty
- Setting
- West Virginia, Florida, and Las Vegas from 1989 to 2017.
- Premise and plot tags
- Biographical; Sports; LGBTQ+; True Story
- Source material / true-story basis
- Based on the life of Christy Martin
- Content notes
- Violence; Substance Abuse
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics, though the performances were praised, in particular Sweeney. It was considered a box-office bomb.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 58 · scale: 100 · review count: 38; CinemaScore · score: B+ · scale: A+ to F
- Production trivia
- Sydney Sweeney performed her own stunts in the boxing sequences.; The film was premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival.; The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray in April 2026.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
Your lists
Loading your lists…