The moment “The Offer” drew a crowd, we knew what might come next.
Add “the story behind the story” to the conga line of Hollywood reboots, sequels, prequels and re-imaginings.
You get IP value, nostalgia berries and more. And “I Play Rocky” is emblematic of all that pop culture noise. Except for one crucial element.
It’s great.
Sylvester Stallone’s breakout 1976 film became a template for the American dream. “I Play Rocky” will do the same, and the timing couldn’t be better.
Again.
Anthony Ippolito (Yes, he played Al Pacino in “The Offer”) practically IS Sylvester Stallone. That voice. Those mannerisms. That facial structure.
He’s an out-of-work actor desperate for a break. He landed a few minor roles, but he doesn’t have enough money to feed his dog, let alone pay the bills.
So he decides to write his way into Hollywood. He gets a few nibbles before inspiration strikes. Journeyman boxer Chuck Wepner goes toe-to-toe with Muhammad Ali, a fight that lights a fire under Stallone.
He spends less than a week writing as fast as his fingers will allow. Let’s call the screenplay … “Rocky.”
A pair of wily film producers love his script, but they insist on hiring a star to play the lead. Burt Reynolds. Ryan O’Neal. Clint Eastwood. A face to fill movie seats, not a no-name stiff with a speech impediment.
Stallone has other ideas. “I play Rocky,” he croaks.
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We know what happens next, but there’s endless joy in the way director Peter Farrelly (“Green Book,” “Dumb and Dumber”) recounts the next critical steps.
Working from a smart, tight and hilarious Peter Gamble script, Farrelly finds the near-perfect balance between storytelling and nostalgia.
The latter is clear in the supplemental casting. We see fleeting images of Burt Young/Paulie (Scot Teller), Burgess Meredith/Mickey (Robert Morgan) and even Talia Shire/Adrian (Kiki Seto).
Those supporting roles don’t get genuine closeups. That would be obvious and distracting. We barely see Teller’s Young, for instance.
You have to look hard to even notice him.
Farrelly is working on a deeper level, understanding why the first chapter in Stallone’s rags to riches story matters. Still.
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Ippolito is outstanding, recreating Stallone without resorting to mimicry or parlor tricks. AnnaSophia Robb plays Stallone’s first wife with authenticity and vigor. Their scenes together give the film the unexpected anchor it needs.
You’ll laugh longer and harder during “I Play Rocky” than with most big-screen comedies. Pin that on Farrelly’s farcical past (“There’s Something About Mary”), but the humor here flows from character and circumstance, not curious hair gels or unchecked idiocy.
Best of all, “I Play Rocky” is the ultimate crowd pleaser, working on multiple levels without sacrificing anything vital in the process. It’s savvy, accessible and warm, much like “Top Gun: Maverick” from 2023.
The behind-the-scenes details prove fascinating, too, The drama doubles as a sly Hollywood satire, but it’s not obsessed with navel gazing or glad handing. The focus stays on the eccentric souls who make the industry tick.
“Rocky” hit theaters as the nation was licking its wounds over Watergate and the Vietnam War. Stallone’s screenplay didn’t address either, at least not directly. It spoke to a nation that had all but forgotten what made it great.
The American Dream.
“I Play Rocky” hits theaters at a time when socialism is on the march and too many doub that dream still exists.
Oh, it does. And “I Play Rocky” is proof of it.
HiT or Miss: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 2 hours, 8 minutes
Where to Watch: In theaters Nov. 6
Family Friendly? PG:13 (Brief sexual material, adult language and mature themes)