Few film franchises have impacted me the way Rocky has. From the first moment young Gonzo laid eyes on the defenseless battles between Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed, I was in. Little did I know that’s not how boxing truly works. All jokes aside, from his battles inside and outside the ring, Rocky Balboa has always been one of cinema’s greatest underdog characters. I mean, he took down Ivan Drago and ended the Cold War. Now, 50 years later, Rocky remains one of the most surprising Best Picture winners ever.
On the other hand, Academy Award winner Peter Farrelly’s Green Book does not have the same reputation. While I’ve always enjoyed the film, I do understand its place as a Best Picture winner is not exactly ideal. What’s made things worse for Farrelly is that since then, not much has been added to his resume that garners any real excitement. That is, until the conventional biopic train came knocking at his door with I Play Rocky, a film that would capture Sylvester Stallone’s journey to getting Rocky made. Would this be another fumble, or would Farrelly have you back in the ring cheering for the underdog once again?
I Play Rocky goes the distance! Peter Farrelly captures the spirit of what made Rocky Balboa an icon by turning Sylvester Stallone’s journey into its own rousing underdog story. Against impossible odds, you find yourself completely invested in Stallone’s fight to bet on himself and make his dream a reality. Led by a star-making turn from Anthony Ippolito, I Play Rocky is a crowd-pleasing knockout!
I Play Rocky follows a young Stallone struggling to make it as an actor, but no matter how many doors Hollywood closes in his face, giving up simply isn’t an option. After a chance meeting with producers Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler, Stallone gets the motivation he needs to continue writing. However, it’s watching Muhammad Ali battle Chuck Wepner that changes everything, inspiring Stallone to put the idea for Rocky on the page. Hollywood loves the script, but there’s one problem: they don’t want Stallone to play Rocky. For Stallone, there is no Rocky without him in the ring, and much like the character he created, he’s willing to go the distance to prove everyone wrong.
Written by Peter Gamble, I Play Rocky’s screenplay does rely on familiar biopic tropes as we’re treated to Sly’s rags-to-riches story. However, despite its conventionality, the screenplay’s greatest strength is its ability to evoke a true underdog feel throughout. We know where this journey ends, yet Gamble still finds a way to make every rejection, setback, and small victory feel like another round in a fight Stallone refuses to lose.
What some may see as self-important, I viewed as a screenplay that evokes the importance of betting on yourself and finding that underlying eye of the tiger inside every underdog. Gamble isn’t breaking the mold here, nor does he need to. Combined with Farrelly’s direction, the familiar biopic formula becomes part of the film’s charm, taking what could have been a traditional Hollywood origin story and delivering a knockout sports film where the biggest fight takes place before Rocky Balboa ever steps into the ring.
Then there’s Anthony Ippolito, who is nothing short of a revelation as Sylvester Stallone. I was already impressed with what Ippolito brought to his performance as Al Pacino in The Offer, but what he does here is on another level entirely. He captures the voice, mannerisms and swagger we’ve come to associate with Stallone, but never allows the performance to fall into simple impersonation. There’s a genuine heart behind his portrayal that allows us to see the hungry actor underneath the Sly we all know today. This feels like a true breakout moment for Ippolito, and quite frankly, it’s the type of performance that deserves to be part of the awards season discussion.
The supporting cast is equally game, with Jay Duplass and Tracy Letts stealing several scenes as John Avildsen and Sandy Maddox, respectively, while providing some of the film’s biggest laughs. P.J. Byrne and Toby Kebbell also get plenty of opportunities to shine, with Byrne continuing his trend of being one of my favorite character actors working today. Give this man a supporting role, and somehow, he always finds a way to make every minute of screen time count. AnnaSophia Robb is equally charming as Sasha Czack in a role that could have easily been reduced to the traditional girlfriend/wife of a biopic. Instead, Robb brings a warmth to Sasha that makes her feel essential to Stallone’s journey, especially as one of the people in his corner when betting on himself seems absolutely crazy to everyone else.
On the technical side, Sean Porter does an admirable job shooting the film, while David Palmer’s score is solid throughout. Unfortunately for Palmer, anytime Bill Conti’s iconic Rocky score kicks in, that’s when my energy level hit its absolute max. It’s not Palmer’s fault, per se, as he’s being compared to one of the most iconic scores in film history, but there’s a noticeable difference in the jolt of energy the film receives whenever Conti’s music takes over. Those familiar notes hit, and suddenly you’re ready to run up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art all over again.
In the end, I Play Rocky may follow the familiar beats we’ve come to expect from the conventional biopic, but much like Rocky Balboa himself, it’s the heart behind the fight that ultimately wins you over. Farrelly understands that this isn’t simply a story about how one of the most iconic films of all time got made, but about a guy who was told “no” at nearly every turn and continued betting on himself anyway.
Fifty years after Rocky Balboa had audiences everywhere rooting for the ultimate underdog, Sylvester Stallone’s own journey proves to be every bit as worthy of that same support. I Play Rocky is funny, heartfelt, inspiring, and powered by a knockout Anthony Ippolito performance. Sometimes you don’t need to reinvent the wheel. You just need to step into the ring, take your shot, and go the distance.
