Enduring & Endearing

Rating: Null/10 (26 December 2004)

When you think of "Rocky", you probably think of that soaring music, the film's many sequels, and possibly Sylvester Stallone drinking raw eggs. While all of those things are certainly a part of the "Rocky" experience, the film has so much more to offer.
Stallone wrote the screenplay about Rocky Balboa, a southpaw club fighter who makes his money as an enforcer for a Philadelphia loan shark despite his intrinsically sweet nature. Indeed, it is Rocky's sweet nature that leads him to see the beauty in Adrian, the shy girl that he visits at the pet shop every day. As Rocky helps Adrian to come out of her shell, he finds himself randomly chosen to go toe-to-toe with the heavyweight champ, Apollo Creed.
"Rocky" isn't just about boxing but about people daring to dream of something better for themselves. The many pleasures of the movie include the easy, often funny dialogue and the well-shaded characters throughout. Stallone and Talia Shire share lovely chemistry while Burgess Meredith, Burt Young, and Carl Weathers - inhabiting Rocky's trainer Mickey, Adrian's somewhat sleazy brother Paulie, and the preening champ Creed, respectively - are great to watch.
Both the film and its title character ooze goodwill and heart. The sequels can be fun, but the original "Rocky" best understands what winning and losing are really all about.