I Play Rocky Movie Review

​If you liked the first Rocky movie, you’ll appreciate that this was made and with the energy that it was created. Over the years you may have heard a thing or two about what it took for Stallone to make his film. Seeing him go through it, and watching his endurance come to life, will blow you away.

It starts with writer/director Peter Farrelly, (no brother with him for this film) showing starving actor, Mike Stallone, (Sylvester used Mike because he hated his name. While growing up, kids picked on him for it), at an audition. During the audition, his lisp is noticed by those in casting, and he’s teased as if they were all children. If he could get a good part, they pay well and being able to pay the rent would be nice for a change. Covered in blood from the fish market where he works, he asks to leave early for an audition. That doesn’t go well, but living on the street not long after, he meets Butkus, a little Bullmastiff pup who’s in dire straits, just as he. The dog used in the Rocky film was actually Stallones. He had to sell him to eat, but he never forgot who he sold him to, hoping to get him back someday.

Next, I must mention that young actor, Anthony Ippolito, who plays Stallone, not only looks like him, but sounds like him. Close your eyes during any scene and you’ll swear it’s Stallone speaking. When he gets a job at a theater, tearing tickets, he meets Sasha played by AnnaSophia Robb. The two hit it off. She seems to support his every endeavor and believes in him so much she talks him into losing Mike and going back to Sylvester… it’s more unique and has a nice ring to it, she says. He makes a softcore porno film to make ends meet but doesn’t want to have to do those types of films. It’s not far into their relationship that he tells her he wants to write a screenplay to star in as it seems no one will ever cast him for anything much more than a thug.

He goes to a bar and watches a Muhammad Ali fight. Seeing how people were reacting to what’s going on, even though they’re there to drink, ideas pop into his head. He goes home and puts pen to paper. With passion and enthusiasm, he’s up all night writing Rocky’s story. He writes “Rocky” in three and a half days. It’s loved by everyone who picks it up and puts in the time it takes to read it. He slips it into a pile of scripts to be read by producers Irwin Winkler (P. J. Byrne) and Robert Chartoff (Toby Kebbell). Their assistant reads it and insists that they do, too. Stallone is told they’ll give him a hefty paycheck if he stops demanding on being the lead. He’s an actor and the movie is about going the distance. He wrote it for himself and wants to go the distance with them, but not if he’s not Rocky. Nothing they say or do changes this.

We all know what happens next, but by this team of filmmakers and actors, it’s definitely worth watching it unfold the way it does. It’s amazing the constraints on him for him to go on and win the Oscar for Best Picture. This has heart and soul and is quite witty in places I didn’t expect it to be. The Rocky soundtrack has always been a hit and some of it is used here, a classy way to pay homage to Bill Conti as they already are Sylvester Stallone. Way to go and put this in your must see list.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Site | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | X

#IPlayRocky