Only 68% Rating, Why Is Sydney Sweeney Still Getting Oscar Shouts for Christy Martin Biopic?

There is something eternally magnetic about Sydney Sweeney, the kind of pull that makes streaming platforms, gossip feeds, and awards chatter collide in one glittering mess. She exists in that rare space where Hollywood fascination meets relentless scrutiny, and every move she makes becomes a ripple across social media currents. Whether glamorized or critiqued, her latest transformation in Christy has tongues wagging, eyes wide, and rumor mills spinning toward a single inevitable question: why is Oscar buzz still breathing her name?^[1]

While audiences scroll past reviews faster than social media trends, the whispers of awards season refuse to die, especially when a single performance refuses to stay in the box office shadows.

Sydney Sweeney makes Christy unforgettable despite the mixed ratings

Sydney Sweeney is still generating Oscar buzz for Christy, even though the movie scored a modest 68% after its world premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival on September 5. Rotten Tomatoes reviews gush that she completely vanishes into the role, swapping hair, eye color, accent, and even her entire physical energy, making Christy vibrantly alive. Meanwhile, the movie itself struggles to land punches. Reviews on Rotten Tomatoes following the premiere suggest that Sydney Sweeney’s fame sometimes makes it harder to believe her as Christy Martin.

Fans believe the plot and character development occasionally lack spark, highlighting the contrast between the story and her virtuoso performance, even though the movie has not reached the theaters yet. Essentially, while the film trips over its own script, Sweeney’s transformative presence continues to knock critics’ expectations out of the park.

As the critics divide between the movie and the magic of Sweeney, the boxing world’s adrenaline kicks in, hinting that there is more than just acting fueling this buzz.

Sydney Sweeney in Christy follows the legacy of legendary fighter movies

Another reason for Oscar buzz is the boxing factor. Sydney Sweeney’s Christy Martin is not just emotional; her transformation is hardcore physical, with muscular definition, bruised knuckles, and an athletic intensity that feels lived-in. Historically, male-dominated biopics like Raging Bull or Rocky have wooed the Academy, and for female fighters, only Hilary Swank’s Million Dollar Baby has broken through. Sweeney’s performance, therefore, carries potential historic weight, boxing its way straight into awards conversations and cinematic legend territory.^[2]

Critics and Rotten Tomatoes reviews highlight that the film does not shy away from Christy Martin’s personal battles, abuse, survival, and emotional scars, making Sydney Sweeney’s role more than a physical spectacle. Her layered, career-defining transformation, the rarity of female-centered boxing stories in Oscar history, and the emotional gravity of the story position her as a serious contender. The project is about to reach a wider audience in the theaters on November 7. And despite the skeptical reviews, the real verdict on the project will not be written until. 

What are your thoughts on Sydney Sweeney’s performance in Christy, and the Oscars buzz it is stirring? Let us know in the comments below.