Rocky (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
The hero we get in 'Rocky' (written by & starring Sylvester Stallone, directed by John Avildsen) is a large-muscled southpaw boxer who isn't ready to quit, but not quite good enough to make it big in his sport. A trainer at the gym in the Philadelphia slum where he lives even tells him: "You're a tomato. You got the heart but you fight like an ape." Rocky Balboa's main goal is to keep his head above water. He lives in a 1-room apartment with 2 turtles & a fish, and spends his days working as a heavy for a Philadelphia loan shark. Mickey (Burgess Meredith), the cantankerous manager at the boxing club where he works out, is disgusted with Rocky, because he's a bum who had the natural ability to become a great boxer, but tossed it away.
When Rocky isn't fighting or his loan collecting, he's wooing Adrian (Talia Shire), the somewhat unattractive, shy sister of his best pal, Paulie (Burt Young). Rocky is in love with her, but his dopey attempts to ask Adrian out scare her off. Rocky's fate changes when Muhammad Ali-like Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), the World Heavyweight Champion, hand picks him as a replacement opponent in a special Bicentennial contest; which gives our local Philly fighter a chance, & Rocky's nickname of the "Itallion Stallion" catches his attention. As a result, our hero with no clear future suddenly has a chance at the World Championship title.
No one really believes he has a shot; including Rocky, himself. Apollo even thinks he can knock Rocky out cold. But from Rocky's perspective ... winning is not everything, anyway. What he wants (from the fight with Apollo) is the self-respect he can earn by going pushing himself farther than he ever thought he could. And then even more than that, he wants to win-over Adrian. Without revealing who wins the wonderful climactic duel, I will say that the movie's last scene is more concerned with the result of the romance than with the result of the match. It's a great cinematic moment.
What makes Rocky special is that it focuses on its characters & not on sports. The climactic match is important, but that's not all that this movie is about. There are only 2 fights - at the beginning & at the end. And in btwn., every moment is used to develop Rocky as a 3-dimensional human being. Rocky is kinda dumb, boorish, & has initially low aspirations. Nevertheless, there's something likable about him; particularly in the way he treats Adrian.
Sylvester Stallone's performance is movie magic: an authentic, touching portrait of a loser who becomes a winner when his back was against the wall. He gives us a memorable hero. Talia Shire is very good as the shy, withdrawn, atypical love interest, Adrian. Burgess Meredith is a hoot as the crabby, yet wildly supportive manager. And Burt Young is quite good as Adrian's troubled brother. John Avildsen's direction deftly combines style & substance. He & his editor handle the brutal 15-min. boxing climax masterfully. And in addition to the excitement of the scene, there's also the sense of not knowing who's going to emerge as the winner.
Also important to 'Rocky' is it's setting; never before has Philadelphia gotten this kind of star treatment (I'm reminded of the scene where Rocky runs up the Art Museum steps & raises his arms in triumph as "Gonna Fly Now" blares in the background). Stallone's script/story about this down-on-his-luck boxer - while wholly predictable - is executed with confidence & flair. And it's a movie that emphasizes a good lesson: life is all about regrets, lost opportunities, sticking to one's dreams, gaining the courage to fight, aiming for success, attaining it, or losing it ... but never forgetting that love (in all its forms) conquers all.
When Rocky isn't fighting or his loan collecting, he's wooing Adrian (Talia Shire), the somewhat unattractive, shy sister of his best pal, Paulie (Burt Young). Rocky is in love with her, but his dopey attempts to ask Adrian out scare her off. Rocky's fate changes when Muhammad Ali-like Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), the World Heavyweight Champion, hand picks him as a replacement opponent in a special Bicentennial contest; which gives our local Philly fighter a chance, & Rocky's nickname of the "Itallion Stallion" catches his attention. As a result, our hero with no clear future suddenly has a chance at the World Championship title.
No one really believes he has a shot; including Rocky, himself. Apollo even thinks he can knock Rocky out cold. But from Rocky's perspective ... winning is not everything, anyway. What he wants (from the fight with Apollo) is the self-respect he can earn by going pushing himself farther than he ever thought he could. And then even more than that, he wants to win-over Adrian. Without revealing who wins the wonderful climactic duel, I will say that the movie's last scene is more concerned with the result of the romance than with the result of the match. It's a great cinematic moment.
What makes Rocky special is that it focuses on its characters & not on sports. The climactic match is important, but that's not all that this movie is about. There are only 2 fights - at the beginning & at the end. And in btwn., every moment is used to develop Rocky as a 3-dimensional human being. Rocky is kinda dumb, boorish, & has initially low aspirations. Nevertheless, there's something likable about him; particularly in the way he treats Adrian.
Sylvester Stallone's performance is movie magic: an authentic, touching portrait of a loser who becomes a winner when his back was against the wall. He gives us a memorable hero. Talia Shire is very good as the shy, withdrawn, atypical love interest, Adrian. Burgess Meredith is a hoot as the crabby, yet wildly supportive manager. And Burt Young is quite good as Adrian's troubled brother. John Avildsen's direction deftly combines style & substance. He & his editor handle the brutal 15-min. boxing climax masterfully. And in addition to the excitement of the scene, there's also the sense of not knowing who's going to emerge as the winner.
Also important to 'Rocky' is it's setting; never before has Philadelphia gotten this kind of star treatment (I'm reminded of the scene where Rocky runs up the Art Museum steps & raises his arms in triumph as "Gonna Fly Now" blares in the background). Stallone's script/story about this down-on-his-luck boxer - while wholly predictable - is executed with confidence & flair. And it's a movie that emphasizes a good lesson: life is all about regrets, lost opportunities, sticking to one's dreams, gaining the courage to fight, aiming for success, attaining it, or losing it ... but never forgetting that love (in all its forms) conquers all.