Sydney Sweeney’s performance in Christy is earning awards buzz even as the film struggles at the box office, with several critics applauding her portrayal of boxer Christy Martin in the biopic.
The movie, which spotlights Martin’s career in the ring and the domestic abuse she survived outside of it, opened to just $1.3 million across more than 2,000 theaters—one of the worst openings on record. Despite its poor commercial debut, Christy has become a critical talking point, with Sweeney at the center of that attention.
The film premiered in September at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in Canada, where Sweeney’s lead performance was widely praised. Critics at TIFF described her portrayal as being a “career-best,” with some saying she “disappeared into the role” of the former boxing champion.
Though the film itself has drawn mixed reactions and sparse audience turnout, Sweeney’s performance has consistently stood out.
On Rotten Tomatoes, Christy holds a 97 percent audience score on the Popcorn Meter, with the critics’ consensus noting: “While Christy falters in tonal cohesion and emotional impact, it remains a compelling showcase for Sydney Sweeney’s transformative performance, grounding a mythic genre in raw, personal storytelling.”
Sweeney played the title role of Christy Martin, a professional boxer whose story includes not only a trailblazing athletic career but also a brutal episode of domestic violence at the hands of her husband. The film sought to raise awareness about abuse and portray Martin’s survival and comeback, framing it as a core part of her legacy.
Still, some reviewers argue that the film’s impact begins and ends with Sweeney’s performance alone.
While she has received praise for her physical transformation and commitment to the role, and some critics have dubbed the film as being a “compelling” piece of art, others have said that the movie lacks the depth needed to support what Sweeney was trying to achieve.
The low turnout at the box office is expected to be a hurdle in Sweeney’s push for major awards recognition. However, her name has already entered the conversation for a potential Oscar nomination for Best Actress ahead of the 2026 ceremony. But with a crowded field of contenders who have starred in better received films, her chances are uncertain.
As attention builds, the contrast between the film’s commercial failure and its lead’s strong performance has grown starker. Though it is rare for a film with such poor box office results to generate Oscar buzz, the acclaim for Sweeney’s role continues to keep her in the discussion.
