Stallone's best work and an excellent film...

Rating: 10/10 (15 December 2001)

I don't think the film "Rocky" is as appreciated in todays society as it is deserved to be. It's an amazing film with a fine story and some amazing characters. The film has been ridiculed and made fun as the years went on, made into a cliche', except by those who remember its purity and substance when it was first released or those movie enthusiasts who appreciate fine theatrical work.
Rocky, a down and out boxer from the streets of Philadelphia, surrounded by poverty and scorn, who falls in love with a local girl and finds himself in the fight of his life against the champion of the world. Seems like such a simple premise, yet so much was happening between all it's characters, that the film never got dull or over the top.
Stallone out did himself and surprised everyone, him included, when he delivered this outstanding performance. How could you not root for this guy and feel his despair and pain as his life was happening.

His supporting cast was nothing short of excellent. A great mix of very different characters. A drunk, loud, jealous brother. An extremely shy yet very loving woman. An over the top glory hungry champ. An old disgruntled and still living his dream boxing trainer.
I don't think people appreciate the very real fact that it only took Stallone a few days to write this script or how he had to fight the studios to let him play the lead. How different this film would have turned out if another actor played the lead. We are more fortunate for it.
Will Stallone ever play a finer role than Rocky? Probably not. He was "Rocky" in every way possible and it was amazing for him to have let us, the viewers, experience that for ourselves.