I Play Rocky review: Uplifting and inspiring underdog story
John Malkovich, Matt Damon and Andrew Scott have the most buzz in this year’s Best Actor Oscar race, and I would like to throw another name into the ring – Anthony Ippolito for his uncanny portrayal of Sylvester Stallone in I Play Rocky. He has an outside chance, but he should be a main contender.
The biographical drama, directed by Peter Farrelly, tells the remarkable true story behind the 1976 boxing classic Rocky. Stallone, a struggling actor working odd jobs, blows away producers Irwin Winkler (P.J. Byrne) and Robert Chartoff (Toby Kebbell) with his screenplay, and they wish to make the movie. But there’s a catch – Stallone wants to play Rocky (hence the title), but the studio wants a big box office draw and someone more conventionally handsome. No matter how much money they offer him, Stallone stands firm, eventually gets the role and, as they say, the rest is history.
Often with biopics, you have to suspend your disbelief that an actor looks, sounds or moves like who they’re playing. There is no need to do that with Ippolito. He has Stallone absolutely nailed and at times I forgot I wasn’t watching the man himself, especially in recreations of certain Rocky scenes. The resemblance is uncanny, and the slurred voice and the distinctive way he holds his mouth are absolutely spot-on. I was in awe of this star-making performance.
I Play Rocky is an inspirational, heartwarming crowdpleaser. It’s hard not to be charmed by a story of a penniless actor making his dreams come true and becoming a successful star. Stallone was relegated to small thug parts and he knew he had more to give, so he created the role for himself – and backed himself even when he was offered crazy money to step down. Nobody could pull that move today; studios are more risk-averse than ever, so Rocky wouldn’t have been made.
Sure, it hits familiar biopic beats, but when the story is this interesting and funny, who the hell cares? I found it fascinating to see the behind-the-scenes of the production and how they pulled it off on a tight budget and schedule. The film gave me a new appreciation for Rocky (which needs a rewatch) and what Stallone went through before he achieved success.
I’m a sucker for uplifting underdog stories, films about making movies and watching someone achieve their dreams, so I Play Rocky was right up my street.
In cinemas from Friday 6th November