By Roger Costa
CHRISTY
Some films just take your heart along the journey and become one of those sweet memories of cinema experience. And if there’s a charismatic heroine for us to root for, it’s a right combination for a great, unforgettable story. That’s exactly the case here. First, it’s a very efficient indie true story. And then, there’s a revelatory performance by Sydney Sweeney, in a star-making role that proves her talent. I must confess that I walked into the NewFest New York Premiere to watch this with little hope. I’ve been an admirer of Sweeney, as a beautiful Hollywood-in-the-making young blondie who wasn’t offered a major role yet. Until I saw this. Here, she proves her dramatic skills, devours the role with heart and soul and instantly gets the audience’s affection. What happens here is one of those cases, when a fresh face comes from nowhere with a strong performance proving she is respectful and has found her way into the A-list. Therefore, she delivers an outstanding work that deserves Awards recognition. Her work here is among this year’s best female performances, she anchors and carries the entire film, and makes it feel great even when it isn’t. Based on the true-life story of female boxing champion Christy Martin, the efficient drama travels through her conflicts with queer identity, family prejudice and abusive marriage to her trainer Jim (a remarkable and scary Ben Foster), but mostly it digs deep into her passion and commitment to the art of boxing. Director David Michôd gives the film the right treatment, adding excitement and enthusiasm to the boxing scenes as well as undressing the emotional battle of our heroine. Michôd scores a fine and entertaining drama, making his best film since “Animal Kingdom”. Once again, Sweeney reaches perfection with this role, securing her a bright future among the giants of Hollywood.
(Premiered at NewFest 2025. Black Bear will release it in theaters on November 7)
NOUVELLE VAGUE
A lovely homage to the art of filmmaking, and everything connected to it, especially the world and the role of film critics in the game, Richard Linklater’s second project this year is a light hearted slice-of-life look at the behind the scenes production of Jean-Luc Godard’s first film, “Breathless”- one of the most influential films of all times, and the pioneer in the beloved French genre. We first meet Godard and his fellow writers at film premieres and the bohemian, intellectualized lifestyle. Their meetings are delightful interactions about the essentials of cinema, and for any cinephile it is a pleasure seeing all those iconic figures going on with their passionate projects and perspectives. That said, Linklater crafts a low-key, delightful exploration of the sacrifices, troubles, reputations and pleasures of cinema making. In the role of Godard, actor Guillaume Marbeck delivers a superb, hypnotic portrayal of a mad genius, a creative force bursting into ideas and making history. He makes for a charming, charismatic, irritating at times Godard anyone who love to hang out with- or have a crush on. As we follow him on his obsessive quest for perfection, which not even himself knows exactly what that is, we are conducted through a wondrous voyeuristic almost sadistic look at that moment in history when a whole movement was created. The highlight of the history turns to be on actress Jean Seberg (played magnificently by a luminous Zoey Deutch as one of the year’s most fascinating sweethearts) as she struggles to fulfill the master’s demands while subtly getting involved with her co-star Jean-Paul Belmondo (an irresistible Aubry Dullin) and dodging her fiancé.
Winner of the Audience Award at Morelia Film Festival and nominated for the Palm D’or in Cannes, Linklater crafts an adorable and satisfying comedy about the creative process of a cinematic genius. Highly entertaining and elegant, he makes intelligent comedy great again.
(Opens Friday at Film at Lincoln Center. Presented on 35mm for the first week. Worth seeing it on the big screen for its gorgeous B&W Cinematography. A NetFlix Release.)
A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE
Featuring a premise that reflects on everyone’s biggest concerns based on the world’s politics, introducing technics of defense brilliantly crafted and impressively detailed, director Kathryn Bigelow’s latest piece of war game falls flat half hour into the film. What really starts as an impressive depiction of the government’s top experts scrambling to save us from a nuclear attack goes down the rail as the filmmaker decided to chop up the story, introducing too many characters lacking in depth pr charisma, in many situations that eventually come together. I really can’t understand how some people are betting this is an Oscar contender. Undoubtedly, I respect and admire Bigelow’s work and cinematic brilliance, but the film feels rushed, too ambitious, and utterly staged. There’s also a moral dilemma to the plot to begin with. The film’s highest expectation is to provoke and alert, and to show what a nuclear situation would look like. It gives the audience a sense of thrill and waiting for the worst to come- not really something we need right now; Even though we can see evidence of a collapsing world in front of our eyes. Many are left disappointed by how she delivered the ending. Personally, such a decision, to end the film in such a note, was the most satisfying part of it. The fault was with its middle execution and flat performances. On the other hand, actor Tracy Letts, always a great presence, steals the scene as a general.
(Premiered at the 63rd New York Film Festival. Now streaming on NetFlix.)
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