Shadows on the Wall

Christy

dir David Michod
scr Mirrah Foulkes, David Michod
prd Kerry Kohansky-Roberts, Teddy Schwarzman, Brent Stiefel, Justin Lothrop, David Michod, Sydney Sweeney
with Sydney Sweeney, Ben Foster, Merritt Wever, Ethan Embry, Katy O'Brian, Jess Gabor, Chad Coleman, Bryan Hibbard, Tony Cavalero, Gilbert Cruz, Coleman Pedigo, Marvin LaViolette
release US 7.Nov.25,
UK 28.Nov.25
25/US Black Bear 2h15

TORONTO FILM FEST

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Triumphing against adversity is at the core of this biopic of boxing champion Christy Martin, which traces her discovering her talent and facing abuse and homophobia before emerging on her own terms. Filmmaker David Michod finds some edge in the story, but maintains a relentlessly inspiring tone, even when events take the expected dark turns, as well as intensely moving ones. And Sydney Sweeney gives a knockout performance.

In 1989 West Virginia, 21-year-old basketball player Christy (Sweeney) is punished by her strictly conservative parents (Wever and Embry) when they learn that her friend Rosie (Gabor) is actually her girlfriend. Meanwhile, she tries boxing for fun and is introduced to middle-aged coach Jim (Foster), who thinks she can be the greatest female fighter in the world. He also marries her to control her. Because of her talent, she begins boxing for Don King (Coleman) in Vegas, and stardom follows. But Jim loses it when Christy turns to rival Lisa (O'Brian) for help with training.

It's fascinating to watch Christy practice with men, often knocking them out, then changing into pink for professional bouts in which she demolishes female competitors. Boxing matches are well shot with a mix of vicious punching and slo-mo artistry. Yes, the film hews closely to both the beats of a boxing movie and a sports biography. This includes Jim introducing Christy to cocaine, viciously abusing her, stealing her money and worse.

Skilfully disappearing into the role, Sweeney plays Christy as a young woman with fire in her veins who won't go down without a fight. But she understands that she's out of her depth in her seedy fake marriage. Foster is also unrecognisable as Jim, an outwardly nice guy who is actually a jealous control freak. O'Brian and Gabor have superb scenes of their own as steely women who help Christy when she needs it most (one later becomes her wife). And Wever is terrific in a quietly scene-stealing role.

There's a sense that Michod wants to evoke the same sparky energy as similarly working-class sports biopic I, Tonya, but he hedges back instead of taking on the more provocative themes. So the characters only rarely break out of their types to surprise us. That said, the extent of Jim's horrific aggression is heart-stopping. What the film shows most effectively is the way everything looks so positive on the surface, including to Christy's wilfully deluded parents, when the truth is so ugly. Breaking free becomes essential.

themes, language, violence 8.Sep.25

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