There’s something about Rocky. No matter what you think of the movies, the franchise, or the countless sequels, that iconic score is enough to make you want to lace up your running shoes, run up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and go straight through a brick wall. And now we’re getting the story behind how it all began. I Play Rocky, directed by Peter Farrelly, the Academy Award-winning filmmaker behind Green Book, tells the incredible story of how one of the most iconic movies in Hollywood history came to life. Starring Anthony Ippolito as Sylvester Stallone, alongside Tracy Letts, Toby Kebbell, Sophia Robb, Matt Dillon and PJ Byrne, the film takes us back to the 1970s, when Stallone was a struggling, practically unknown actor with a screenplay he believed in and a dream he simply refused to give up on.
And this is where the real underdog story begins. Stallone was offered serious money for his screenplay, at one point reportedly $300,000, but there was one condition: somebody else would play the lead role. The studio wanted a recognizable star. They wanted Clint Eastwood. They wanted Burt Reynolds. They wanted somebody who could sell tickets. But Stallone wasn’t having it. He famously stood his ground, turned down the money, and insisted on one thing: “I play Rocky.” What followed was an uphill battle filled with financial hurdles, casting challenges, production headaches and seemingly impossible odds. From the decision to shoot in Philadelphia to all the obstacles that nearly prevented the movie from ever getting made, the road to Rocky was almost as remarkable as the story told on screen. And that’s essentially what I Play Rocky is all about. Believing in yourself when nobody else does.
We see Stallone’s lifelong determination to become an actor. His father, played by Matt Dillon, once had dreams of becoming an actor himself before life forced him to take a different path and provide for his family. Stallone spends years taking odd jobs, working in movie theatres, doing whatever he can to keep himself afloat while pursuing his dream. He even spends some time working in the adult film industry before eventually making his way to Los Angeles, where he takes a job as a valet. He’s constantly writing scripts, trying to get his foot in the door, and looking for somebody who will believe in him. Eventually, he meets two producers, played by Toby Kebbell and PJ Byrne, who recognize something special in this guy when practically everyone else has written him off. And that’s the beauty of this story. It’s about artistic integrity, artistic freedom and artistic ownership. When you truly believe in something, sometimes you have to be willing to bet everything on yourself. Even when you have no money, barely enough to pay rent, and have to sell your dog, Buckus, just to get by. Shoutout Buckus!
The film almost becomes a highlight reel of some of the most iconic moments in the Rocky franchise, mixed with the behind-the-scenes struggles of actually getting the original movie made. We’re seeing the recreation of these legendary scenes, the famous boxing sequences, the training montages and, of course, that unmistakable score. And you can’t help but get swept up in it. Now, biopics can be incredibly formulaic. They’re often paint-by-numbers exercises that hit all the familiar beats. We’ve seen this with countless music biopics and Hollywood stories. Sometimes, though, filmmakers find a way to put a different spin on the genre. Better Man, with Robbie Williams portrayed as a CGI monkey, was certainly one way of doing that. Movies like Air and Saturday Night also found ways to make familiar stories entertaining. Even Michael, which I wasn’t necessarily the biggest fan of, had moments where you couldn’t help but stomp your feet and get caught up in the music and the recreation of those iconic performances.
And I Play Rocky operates in a similar fashion. It’s not necessarily reinventing the wheel, and I wouldn’t call it particularly groundbreaking filmmaking. It’s a fairly conventional biopic that follows a familiar formula. But when you’re recreating one of the most beloved movies of all time, with all those iconic moments and that legendary music, it’s almost impossible not to get emotionally invested. Everyone knows how the story ends. We know Rocky becomes a phenomenon. We know it goes on to win Best Picture. We know Sylvester Stallone becomes one of the biggest movie stars in the world. But watching everything unfold, seeing just how many things seemingly went wrong along the way, makes the eventual payoff incredibly satisfying. There are so many moments where you’re thinking, man, this movie is never going to get made. Even Stallone himself probably thought opening night was going to be a disaster. And yet, it went on to become the highest-grossing film of 1976, win Best Picture, and earn Stallone Academy Award nominations for both Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay. Pretty remarkable stuff.
But the biggest reason this movie works is Anthony Ippolito. Honestly, this guy was born to play Sylvester Stallone. In the world of AI and everything we have at our disposal today, it’s almost like he was bred in a laboratory specifically for this role. His mannerisms, his voice, the way he moves, talks, walks, runs and boxes. It’s remarkable how closely he captures the young Stallone. You could put some of these scenes side by side with footage of the real Stallone and it’s genuinely uncanny. He nails the performance, even in some of the most recognizable moments and frames from the original Rocky. It’s a tough role to pull off, especially when you’re playing somebody as recognizable and iconic as Sylvester Stallone, but I thought he absolutely killed it. It’s a hell of a performance, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Hollywood takes notice come awards season.
The supporting cast is terrific as well. Toby Kebbell and PJ Byrne are both really good as the producers who take a chance on Stallone. Tracy Letts is fucking hilarious in this movie, and you can tell he’s having an absolute blast. Sophia Robb is wonderful as Sasha, and I really enjoyed the chemistry between the two of them. Matt Dillon brings an interesting dynamic to the role of Stallone’s father, while Stephan James brings all the swagger as Apollo Creed. And seeing that character recreated is another reminder of just how much Carl Weathers brought to the original franchise. RIP to a legend. I also enjoyed the appearance of Talia Shire’s character and the recreation of some of those early Rocky moments.
My biggest criticism, though, is that I would have liked a little more distinction between Sylvester Stallone the person and Sylvester Stallone the actor playing Rocky Balboa. At times, the movie makes it seem as though Stallone was simply being himself when he stepped into the role of Rocky. And while he obviously pulled inspiration from his own life and experiences, that’s not entirely the case. This was a guy who had spent his entire life wanting to be an actor. He wrote this screenplay, created this character and understood that he was playing a role. I would have appreciated a little more exploration of that distinction, rather than making it seem as though the character and the man were essentially one and the same.
But ultimately, I think the filmmakers understood what kind of movie they needed to make here. They weren’t necessarily trying to reinvent the biopic genre or do something wildly experimental. They were telling an incredible underdog story, and sometimes the best way to tell that story is to simply let the story speak for itself. And that’s what makes the ending so satisfying. Because this isn’t just a movie about the making of Rocky. It’s a movie about believing in yourself, never compromising your artistic vision, and refusing to let somebody else decide what you’re capable of achieving. Stallone had every reason to give up. He had no money, no real career, no guarantees, and people constantly telling him that his screenplay was worth more without him attached to it. But he knew what he had. He believed in the character, believed in the story, and refused to compromise. There’s a great line in the movie about the difference between being a pessimist and an optimist, and I think it really encapsulates the entire story. Sometimes, when you know you’re right, you just have to stick to your guns. And Stallone did exactly that.
Nearly 50 years later, Rocky remains one of the most iconic characters in movie history. The franchise spawned countless sequels, introduced generations of moviegoers to some unforgettable characters, and eventually gave us the hugely successful Creed franchise. It’s still part of the cultural conversation today. And no matter how many times you’ve seen those movies, no matter how familiar you are with the story, that theme song still gets you every single time. Seeing Rocky run up those steps in Philadelphia still gets you every single time. Honestly, combine those two things and there aren’t many more iconic duos in moviegoing history
I Play Rocky = 87/100
