by Cyn’s Corner

When the credits started rolling on I Play Rocky, the theater broke into applause, and I was one of the people clapping. It wasn’t a polite, obligatory clap, either. It was spontaneous, because that’s exactly how I felt on the inside.

I caught the film as Regal’s mystery movie on Monday, November 2nd, and I already knew what it was going in. The trailer had hooked me the moment I saw it. At first glance, I assumed it was a documentary about the making of Rocky, but within seconds it was clear this was a feature film, and I was all in. That’s a bit funny considering I’ve only seen Rocky once, as a teenager, on a VHS tape at a house where I was babysitting. I remember enjoying it and knowing it was a good movie, and I have no doubt I’d feel the same way today. Some films change for me with age. I don’t think this is one of them.

Directed by Peter Farrelly, I Play Rocky tells the story of how Sylvester Stallone conceived, wrote, and fought to star in Rocky. As Stallone points out in the film, Rocky was essentially his own story, so who better to play it than him? Roughly the first half covers his early career, his difficult relationship with his father, meeting his first wife, Sasha, and writing the script. The second half follows the battle to get it made and the production itself, including recreations of some of the film’s most iconic scenes.

I had no idea about any of this backstory, and it’s fascinating. What struck me most was Stallone’s grit: his determination, his belief in himself, and his refusal to give up or play the victim. His father would likely be considered emotionally abusive by today’s standards, and probably physically too. While I don’t automatically consider spankings abuse, I know a lot of parents back then overused physical punishment. Stallone didn’t let any of that pull him down. With victim mentality as popular as it is today, it was refreshing to see the story of someone who simply refused to go that route. I feel the same way about Arnold Schwarzenegger’s life story. They don’t make people like that much anymore, and while there are exceptions, I’m pessimistic about whether the general direction of our society is going to produce more people with that kind of internal drive to keep going in the face of so much opposition.

And the opposition here was real. Stallone had been in a few movies before Rocky, but he was a nobody, and the studio did not want him in the lead. The pressure on him was enormous, including the money he was offered for the screenplay. I know some of this was dramatized, but the heart of it holds up. Rocky made him, and it’s well deserved. I’ve never been the biggest Stallone fan. I was always drawn more to Arnold, who I find more captivating on screen. But Stallone has delivered some fantastic performances, Rocky and Cop Land chief among them (if you haven’t seen Cop Land, I highly recommend it), and I don’t think Rocky would have been the success it was without him fighting for that part. His performance is honest, raw, and real, and the film is better for it.

This isn’t primarily a movie about filmmaking, but the moments that dig into the production are some of its best. The crew was working on a tight schedule and had to come up with some genuinely innovative ways to shoot quickly. I had no clue about the story behind filming the famous run up the stairs, and I won’t spoil it, because it’s much cooler to discover it fresh. Those behind-the-scenes moments made the original film feel even more impactful to me. I also appreciated a particular scene that shows what a bunch of little thugs the unions were, and are. You’ll know it when you see it.

Then there’s Anthony Ippolito as Stallone, who is super impressive. Between the outfits, the mannerisms, and a voice that’s very close to the real thing (he amps it up a little), I sometimes had to remind myself I wasn’t watching Stallone himself. He melts into the role.

The supporting cast is just as strong. Before the screening, Farrelly and a few of the cast appeared on screen to reveal the mystery movie, and my first thought upon seeing Stephan James was that he didn’t look much like Carl Weathers. But once he showed up in the film, he looked and acted so much like Carl Weathers that his performance blew me away. Kiki Seto is great as Talia Shire, and Matt Dillon, almost unrecognizable at first, does a great job as Stallone’s father. The actors playing the studio head (who is something else, let me tell you), the producers, and director John G. Avildsen are all excellent, and the dynamic between the characters is great.

The humor is situational rather than goofy or slapstick, and it lands. My theater laughed often. The film runs more than two hours, but the time flew by, and I could have happily spent another 20 or 30 minutes with these characters. This is a genuine feel-good experience on the big screen, and I think most people will walk out with a real sense of happiness.

The ending is especially satisfying. As the credits begin, the film intersperses its recreations of iconic Rocky scenes, followed by the Academy Awards and the film’s achievements. Rocky became the highest-grossing film of 1976 and won three Oscars, and Stallone was nominated for both Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay, the first time that had happened since Orson Welles. Even if you’re not crazy about Rocky, that’s impressive. After everything it took to get made, I was so gratified by the happy ending. There’s also a clip of Stallone on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson at the very end of the credits.

I Play Rocky has landed on my list of favorites, jumping ahead of several films already there, and I gave it a very high rating on Criticless. I expected to enjoy it, but I had no idea I’d adore it this much. It also has me planning to buy the 50th anniversary Blu-ray of Rocky when it comes out in December, so I can finally rewatch it with a whole new appreciation.

It opens in limited release before expanding wide later in November. Quality films like this deserve support, and when I find one, I’m going to pull out my bullhorn and yell about it. When I Play Rocky comes to your area, go see it. Your mileage may vary, but I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Rating: 9.5/10