Movie · 2025 · History, Drama · 2h 14m · R · English
Curator score: 3.0/10 (45.3K ratings)
What does it take to become a legend?
Overview
Christy Martin never imagined life beyond her small-town roots in West Virginia—until she discovered a knack for punching people. Fueled by grit, raw determination, and an unshakable desire to win, she charges into the world of boxing under the guidance of her trainer and manager-turned-husband, Jim. But while Christy flaunts a fiery persona in the ring, her toughest battles unfold outside it—confronting family, identity, and a relationship that just might become life-or-death.
Ratings
Curator score: 3.0/10
IMDb: 6.4/10
Letterboxd: 3.20/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 67%
Metacritic: 58
TMDB: 7.1/10
Director
David Michôd
Production
Anonymous Content, Yoki, Votiv Films, Fifty-Fifty Films, Black Bear Pictures
Cast
Sydney Sweeney, Ben Foster, Merritt Wever, Katy O'Brian, Ethan Embry, Jess Gabor, Chad L. Coleman, Tony Cavalero, Miles Mussenden, Gilbert Cruz, James Self, Bill Kelly, Walter 'Buddy' Carter, Coleman Pedigo, Tamara Hopkins, Bryan Hibbard, Jay Croft, Marvin Laviolette, Emma Jackson, Valyn Hall
Where to watch
Max
Curator Review
Verdict
A serious, bruising sports biopic that works best as a portrait of abuse, survival, and identity rather than a conventional underdog victory story. The performances and subject matter give it weight, but the familiar biopic structure keeps it from feeling fully fresh.
Best for
Viewers interested in true-story survival dramas
Fans of boxing films with a darker psychological edge
Audiences looking for strong lead performances
People drawn to stories about domestic abuse and resilience
Skip if
You want a highly original or formally daring biopic
You prefer uplifting sports movies with a big feel-good payoff
You are looking for a fast, propulsive crowd-pleaser
You are sensitive to depictions of domestic violence
Overview
Christy is built around a compelling real-life story and a lead performance that gives the film its pulse. It tracks Christy Martin’s rise in boxing, but the real drama is the private one: the coercion, control, and self-erasure that shape her life outside the ring. That tension gives the movie a grim emotional charge even when the storytelling stays familiar.
Worth noting
David Michôd keeps the tone sober and unsentimental, leaning into the brutality of both the sport and the relationship at the center of the film. The result is less a rousing sports movie than a survival drama with gloves on. When it works, it’s because the film understands that the most important fight here is not for a title.
Bottom line
It doesn’t fully escape the conventions of the prestige biopic, and some viewers may find the structure predictable. Still, the material is potent, the performances are strong, and the film has enough force to make it worthwhile for audiences who want a hard-edged true story rather than a polished inspirational arc.
Top Letterboxd reviews
jonathan fujii (1.5★) · 1920 likes
“Holy shit there’s still over an hour left”
demi adejuyigbe · 1825 likes
Christ. Y
-ˏˋ mak ˊˎ- (2★) · 1085 likes
“we have i, tonya at home”
i, tonya at home:
Quintin (4★) · 994 likes
Far right parents would rather have their daughter experience verbal and physical domestic abuse by an overweight man twice her age than let her enjoy a coffee date with another woman.
cressiew (3.5★) · 805 likes
Someone in the audience yelled fuck off to the mother and we all applauded
2010 · Drama · 1h 56m · R · Curator 7.6/10 (688.8K ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
A tough, character-driven boxing drama that balances athletic struggle with family dysfunction and self-destruction.