I Play Rocky’ Reviews Praise Sly Stallone’s Underdog Story

Hollywood has spent decades lecturing Americans about privilege and victimhood. I Play Rocky takes a different path. It tells the story of a struggling actor and writer who refused to surrender his dream, even when studios wanted someone else to play the role he created. In 1976, Sylvester Stallone starred as broke Philadelphia boxer Rocky Balboa in Rocky, a film he wrote himself. The underdog drama won Best Picture and made Stallone a household name. Fifty years later, Stallone remains a major draw as the star of Tulsa King. Now Anthony Ippolito plays the young Stallone in I Play Rocky, director Peter Farrelly’s behind-the-scenes account of the fight to get Rocky made with Stallone in the lead. Early reviews are mixed, but the strongest notices suggest the movie understands why the original story still matters: determination, work, faith in one’s talent, and refusing to let gatekeepers decide your future. Rotten Tomatoes reports that the film’s early reviews have leaned positive, with critics calling it an inspirational crowd-pleaser and praising Ippolito’s performance. Travis Hopson of Punch Drunk Critics wrote, “I went into this with low expectations, but I Play Rocky blew the r...