Sydney Sweeney’s “must-see” biopic Christy has confirmed its UK release date as the first reviews land.
Directed by David Michôd, Christy tells the true story of Christy Martin (Sweeney), a small-town woman from West Virginia who became one of boxing’s most trailblazing and controversial figures.
Per the synopsis, Christy discovers she has “a knack for punching people” and “charges into the world of boxing under the guidance of her trainer and manager-turned-husband, Jim (Ben Foster)”.
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Following its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on 5 September, the film will premiere in the UK at the 69th BFI London Film Festival on 17 October, ahead of its release in UK and Irish cinemas on 28 November.
Ahead of its theatrical release, the first reviews have come in, with critics praising Sweeney’s performance and giving the film a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 68% based on 28 reviews.
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Awards Buzz said that Sweeney “delivers the performance of a lifetime”, adding: “Christy is not just a sports movie, it is a life-affirming tale about overcoming the odds while staying true to who you are. A must-see that doubles as one of the best films of 2025.”
“Christy is a decent movie, and a way better proof-of-concept regarding Sweeney’s willingness to go the distance for a project,” penned Rolling Stone.
The New York Post described Sweeney’s performance as “a knockout”, writing: “And Christy is a major step to showing there’s much more to her than rom and com.”
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While many critics commended Sweeney’s role as Christy, some were left disappointed by the film as a whole, calling it predictable.
“Sydney Sweeney gives a stellar performance in a fairly rote boxing film that hits the beats you’d expect around every corner. Even though this is Martin’s story, it’s still hard for Christy to shake the clichés that we’ve seen in countless similar films,” penned Collider.
Screen Rant said: “Christy is meant to be a showcase of Sydney Sweeney’s talents, but while she gives a good performance, the rest of the material doesn’t live up to it.”
Christy will be released in UK and Irish cinemas on 28 November.
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Harriet is a freelance news writer specialising in TV and movies at Digital Spy.Â
A horror enthusiast, she joined Digital Spy after working on her own horror website, reviewing films and focusing largely on feminism in the genre.Â
In her spare time, Harriet paints and produces mixed-media art. She graduated from the University of Kingston with a BA in fine art, where she specialised in painting. She also has an MA in journalism from Birkbeck University.