A story so much more than just boxing

Rating: 10/10 (24 January 2015)

Rocky is an excellent film which is personally one of my all time favourites. From a very early age Rocky has been a film which has inspired me and I have watched again and again, however the older I get, the more the story becomes clear on a much more deeper level and as a result it is a film that gets better each time I watch it.
This is the film which launched Sylvester Stallone's acting career and Stallone himself was referred to as the 'next Marlon Brando' by the late great leading critic Roger Ebert. It is without doubt Stallone's best film to date.
Stallone plays the role of the average boxer, a boxer who lives off a salary which depends whether or not he is successful in the ring. Everyday for Rocky (Stallone) is just the same as the last and you get the growing feeling he has very little in his life worth living for.
Although Rocky is an average skilled fighter he has a big heart and a strong desire to achieve his ambitions of being much more than 'another bum from the neighbourhood'. He lives his life with few pleasures and few companions. His one true love is Adrian (Talia Shire) who is very much like Rocky. The chemistry between the two shown throughout the film is warming and quite beautiful to watch. Two individuals who need each other in order for happiness and triumph to succeed.
When Rocky is offered the biggest challenge of his life, it gives Rocky the opportunity to achieve his dream and prove he is not a 'nobody'.
Fundamentally though, the score provided by Bill Conti is a work of art and for many, it will stick in your mind-set for a long time when you hear the iconic music bellow through your TV. Conti captures the essence of the particular scenes within the movie and provides us with a wonderful soundtrack for us to enjoy.
Of course, many believe that this movie is a boxing movie and to be fair many of the other Rocky movies will support that. However the original Rocky shows so much more. It is an insight into the American Dream and that anything is possible if belief and courage is there in a human being. The movie shows how a nobody can become a somebody. Stallone portrays the character of Rocky very well along with stunning performances from Carl Weathers (Apollo Creed), Burgess Meredith (Mickey) and Burt Young (Paulie).
I hope you will enjoy this masterpiece of a movie.