While Sydney Sweeney’s movie, Christy, didn’t perform well in theaters, those who have experienced and work to prevent domestic violence say it accurately portrayed how to discuss the issue.
The 2025 movie about boxer Christy Martin and her abusive relationship with her manager, Jim Martin, had a disappointing start, earning only $1.3 million. It then experienced a massive 91.7% drop in ticket sales during its second weekend – the biggest drop ever recorded for a film.
Even though the movie wasn’t a success with audiences, critics loved it, giving it a 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a ‘B+’ grade from viewers in its CinemaScore poll.
Sydney Sweeney is receiving significant awards attention for her performance, having already won the Spotlight Award at SCAD Savannah, an acting prize from the Hamptons International Film Festival, and she’s also set to receive a Virtuosos Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
Even though fewer people were buying tickets, the movie’s advertising resonated with audiences in a way that wasn’t about typical flashy marketing.
Sweeney consistently made sure to highlight the full extent of Martin’s traumatic experiences, refusing to downplay them for a wider audience. He believed the story of abuse was just as important as his boxing career.
As a lifestyle expert, I’m incredibly passionate about stories that can truly make a difference, and working on this film has been an absolute privilege. Being able to share this woman’s story with a wider audience, and potentially help others through it, feels like the greatest gift I could have asked for. It’s incredibly rewarding to be a part of something with such a powerful message.
Oh my gosh, Kerry Kohansky-Roberts, the producer, totally gets it! She said they didn’t want to just entertain us with this film, they wanted it to actually make us talk, you know? Like, really think about things afterward. It’s not just a movie to passively watch, it’s meant to spark a discussion – and honestly, that’s everything I could ever want from a film!
She wants to create stories that resonate with people and, ideally, inspire conversation and openness about difficult experiences, both their own and those of others.
Both women also made clear steps to protect Martin during filming.
The most intense scene involving violence was filmed before Anya Taylor-Joy joined the set. Director Edgar Wright explained they did this to shield her from witnessing it.
When Martin finally arrived on set, the entire crew gave her a standing ovation, which Sweeney said was a very moving experience.
Watching her stand before the crowd, I realized everyone finally understood how meaningful our story was.
At nearly every Q&A, Sweeney said survivors came forward to share personal stories.
Apparently, Martin wanted the film to serve as a cautionary tale for fathers to show their daughters about the dangers of abusive relationships.
Kohansky-Roberts explained that it’s important to be aware of early warning signs in relationships, particularly how manipulation can begin. She emphasized that these situations are often subtle and difficult to identify, which is why open conversation is crucial. Ultimately, the event was a celebration of Christy’s strength and resilience; she is thriving today.
Sweeney shared with Variety that this topic is deeply important to her personally, and she hopes sharing Christy’s story will help bring more attention to it.
As someone who believes in using my platform for good, I was so proud to support the National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence through Variety’s Power of Women event. It’s important to me to not only talk about important issues, but also actively contribute to organizations making a real difference, and this felt like a natural extension of that commitment.
She also collaborated with American Eagle on The Sydney Jean, a special-edition design with a butterfly pattern to raise awareness about domestic violence. All the money earned from the jeans went to support Crisis Text Line.
Despite Christy’s disappointing results, Sweeney remained committed to its goal and continued to address the issue instead of backing away.
She shared on Instagram that the film represents the themes of survival, bravery, and optimism. She emphasized that they create art not just to gain popularity, but to make a real difference.
She finished by saying that if Christy inspired even one woman to begin protecting herself, then their efforts would have been worthwhile.
Blake Lively’s promotion of her book, It Ends With Us, which also deals with domestic violence, received a lot of criticism. Many people felt she focused too much on things like fashion and appearances, and not enough on the serious subject matter of the story.
The movie is based on the popular book by Colleen Hoover and tells the story of Lily Bloom as she deals with a difficult and harmful relationship with a brain surgeon named Ryle Kincaid.
Initially, marketing for the story focused on pretty images, love, and the author’s imagination, rather than the difficult and painful events it was actually about.
Criticism grew stronger after Lively conducted a lighthearted interview with her co-stars Jenny Slate and Isabela Ferrer, and author Colleen Hoover. They discussed topics like zodiac signs, ideal careers, and a fear of horses, but completely avoided mentioning the issue of domestic violence, which is central to the book they were promoting.
Lively playfully said, ‘We didn’t mention our film once!’ and thanked everyone for being there at the end of the interview.
Social media users strongly criticized the way the film was presented, calling it insensitive and disrespectful to survivors of domestic violence. Many felt the actress was marketing a serious drama about abuse as if it were a lighthearted romantic comedy.
Lively addressed the discussion by stating that ‘It Ends With Us’ captures the full range of a woman’s life, including both its greatest joys and most difficult challenges.
She shared a public service announcement about violence against women, along with facts about domestic abuse, and provided links to the National Domestic Violence Hotline. She emphasized that everyone has the right to a relationship without violence.
Although Lively eventually explained that her character was meant to be a ‘survivor’ – someone not defined only by the trauma she experienced – many critics felt this explanation didn’t address earlier concerns and came across as an afterthought.
Okay, so I was reading this article in The Daily Mail, and honestly, Professor Dale Margolin Cecka – she gets it. She’s an Assistant Professor of Law at Albany Law School, and runs this amazing clinic helping people with family violence cases. She totally nailed it when she talked about how different the two campaigns are. It was such a stark contrast, and she just said it, you know? She really understands what’s going on!
Both Lively and Sweeney were attractive figures used in the campaigns, but ‘It Ends with Us’ emphasized appearance, while the campaign featuring Christy Martin highlighted the difficult and painful experiences she went through. Instead of presenting Martin’s story as a simple makeover or transformation, Sweeney consistently focused on sharing the truth of what she endured.
Cecka, as someone who supports this, was especially pleased with how consistently Sweeney delivered this message.
Understanding the truth about domestic violence is essential. The depiction of it in ‘It Ends with Us,’ both in the book and the movie, was deeply flawed. The story wrongly suggested that abuse is simply occasional physical violence, and that victims can easily choose to leave. This isn’t realistic; domestic violence is a complex issue. The author’s own experience highlights the difference between real abuse and the romanticized version presented in the fictional story.
Even though many people criticized it, the movie It Ends with Us earned $350 million around the world on a $25 million production cost, making it one of the most financially successful films of 2024.
The disappointing box office numbers show we haven’t fully come to terms with understanding and accepting the realities of being a victim. Despite a lot of talk about supporting those affected by domestic violence, society still expects victims to fit a certain, often unrealistic, image – quiet and conventionally attractive, according to Cecka.
In December 2024, several months after the movie It Ends with Us was released, Blake Lively accused director Justin Baldoni of sexual harassment. Baldoni has publicly stated that the accusations are false.
The case is scheduled to go to trial in March 2026.
The difference between these two campaigns perfectly illustrates how Hollywood approaches difficult or delicate topics.
Despite her film not being a financial success, Sweeney made a deliberate choice to focus on the difficult truths of abuse, giving a platform to the experiences and voices of survivors.
Although Lively helped promote a major film, some critics felt it focused more on being appealing than on truly addressing the gravity of the situation.
Many survivors felt there was a noticeable difference between the two campaigns: one seemed focused on simply raising awareness, while the other felt more like promoting a specific image or brand.
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2025-11-25 17:52