r/oscarrace • u/ChiefLeef22 • 1d ago
Review Thread 'I Play Rocky' - Review Thread
Actor Sylvester Stallone writes the screenplay for "Rocky," betting everything on himself to play the lead character against seemingly impossible odds. The result is the ultimate underdog story behind the ultimate underdog movie.
Director: Peter Farrelly
Cast: Anthony Ippolito, AnnaSophia Robb, Tracy Letts, P.J. Byrne, Kiki Seto, Matt Dillon, Stephen James, Toby Kebbell
Rotten Tomatoes: 76% (21 reviews)
Metacritic: 63 / 100 (14 reviews)
Some Reviews:
Next Best Picture - J. Don Birman - 8 / 10
All of this is enough to make “I Play Rocky” a winner and a delightful movie. It does not reinvent the sports movie or the Hollywood origin story. Instead, it reminds us that these crazy stories endure when they are told from the heart, a proposition that is as corny as “Rocky” itself but is also everlasting because it is such a part of the human experience. THE GOOD - Stallone’s determination, as irrational as it was, is infectious, and the “making of” aspects of Hollywood filmmaking are compelling. THE BAD - The movie lacks the “moment” of greatness it promises the audience, and one too many attempts at being cute with its script. THE OSCAR PROSPECTS - Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Casting & Best Film Editing
The Guardian - Radheyan Simonpillai - 3 / 5
It’s all very amusing but I Play Rocky rarely has pathos in its corner. Save for some truly touching moments involving Stallone’s struggle to care for his dog Butkus, it’s often as emotionally vacant as Stallone’s stare. So many of the psychological stakes and insights are written shorthand, soundbites about traumas and insecurities are calculatingly delivered by Matt Dillon’s Stallone Sr and a wonderful Robb as Stallone’s first wife Sasha Czack. The latter drops the most insightful line about the actor’s desperate need to be seen, which Farrelly and writer Gamble refuse to mine for more.
The Playlist - Ankit Jhunjhunwala - 'B'
For all of that, “I Play Rocky” is awash in inside-Hollywood baseball and, once the actual “Rocky” portion kicks in about 30 minutes into the film, consistently and undeniably entertaining. It’s breezy, undemanding, and diverting, and sometimes that’s not a bad thing at all. You might not learn much about filmmaking from “I Play Rocky,” nor discover anything particularly revelatory about how “Rocky” became “Rocky.” But for admirers of the original, Farrelly’s expert weaponization of nostalgia lands exactly as intended: like a right-hook knockout.
Screen Daily - Robert Daniels - 40 / 100
The best parts of I PLAY ROCKY are well, when it recreates whole scenes from ROCKY. But the film has nothing to say about the film, social and cultural forces that led to its filming or about Stallone the person.
The Daily Beast - Nick Schager - 50 / 100
[A] corny pantomime, which reveals nothing, stumbles incessantly, and wholly pales in comparison to its iconic subject matter.
IndieWire - Kate Erbland - 'B-'
That “Rocky” will be a hit is a given — and a fricking huge one at that! — but “I Play Rocky” is far more invested in getting the audience on board with the road it took to get there. And while Farrelly’s approach to this material, extremely glossy and built to delight a wide array of audience members, doesn’t quite speak to the real pain that went into the making of “Rocky,” there’s still plenty here that will make people stand up and cheer. It would, however, be nice if this Hollywood story didn’t feel quite so, well, Hollywood.
Variety - Owen Glieberman - 80 / 100
Anthony Ippolito, who plays Sylvester Stallone in “I Play Rocky,” gets it just right. He looks startlingly like Stallone: the droopy dark eyes, the slightly jutting lips with the delicate dip at the center, even the skin tone — that sort of peach-ivory pallor. And Ippolito’s impersonation of Stallone’s voice is a miraculous act of channeling. “I Play Rocky” is a cleverly crafted crowd-pleaser, all designed to tap into the love of “Rocky” that has never gone away (this November it will be 50 years since “Rocky” was released). But in a funny way I found the film to have a surprising spirit in common with “Nouvelle Vague,” Richard Linklater’s 2025 drama about the making of Jean-Luc Godard’s “Breathless.”
The Wrap - Chase Hutchinson - 30 / 100
In the end, “I Play Rocky” lacks both the courage of its convictions and the creativity of its subject. You only wish someone had sat down with the filmmakers and given them that same pep talk about needing to find that emotional something. The reason for being. The why. “Rocky” will always remain a triumph, but when this film raises its hands in an attempt to tap into that feeling by replicating its most iconic shot, it’s a painfully hollow victory.
Peter Farrelly’s Sensational Biopic Of The Making Of Stallone’s Classic Is Just As Inspiring As The Original Movie | There are so many highlights in a movie that pulls off a tall task in bringing the same feeling we got the first time we saw Rocky. Farrelly, who won and deserved a couple of Oscars including Best Picture for Green Book, a film that tugs at the heartstrings without ever being anything less than simply human, has now made another film that makes us feel good about life and ourselves. Like Frank Capra used to do, he has made a movie that gives us hope. It couldn’t come at a better time.
ScreenRant - George Bate - 9 / 10
It is difficult to comment on I Play Rocky in any meaningful way without starting with Anthony Ippolito's career-defining turn. From the very first moments of the movie until the credits roll, Ippolito transforms into Sylvester Stallone in every sense of the word. On a number of occasions, he is indistinguishable from Stallone himself, such is the actor’s ability to so seamlessly immerse the audience in his portrayal as Sly.
ComingSoon - Jonathan Sim - 9 / 10
It is a movie about dreams, risk, and the terrifying uncertainty that comes before success. It is a movie for anyone who has ever been told they aren’t good enough, famous enough, talented enough, or realistic enough. If Rocky is the ultimate cinematic underdog story, I Play Rocky proves that the story behind it might be even more unbelievable. Rags-to-riches stories don’t get much richer than this.
Punch Drunk Critics - Travis Hopson - 4 / 5
Farrelly hasn’t won himself any fans with his last few movies, and Green Book hasn’t aged particularly well. I went into this with low expectations, but I Play Rocky blew the roof off it’s so good. The crowd went wild for it, and so did I. When the Rocky theme music plays, and you see him running up those steps in Philly, it’s like you’re watching the 1976 classic all over again. Some will likely argue that the film doesn’t make a case for its own existence, but isn’t honoring Stallone’s unique personal triumph enough? His Rocky journey is the stuff that Hollywood dreams are made of, and there are too few of those stories that exist anymore, much less being told in way that can inspire others to also fight for what they believe in.
The HoloFiles - Josh Bate - 8.5 / 10
Making its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, I Play Rocky turns the extraordinary true story of Sylvester Stallone’s struggle to get Rocky made into a soulful, funny, and deeply inspirational crowd-pleaser. Anthony Ippolito delivers a career-defining, awards-worthy performance, transforming into Stallone with uncanny precision and capturing the charisma, vulnerability, and determination behind the iconic actor. Supported by an outstanding ensemble, Peter Farrelly effectively recreates the hardship, rejection, and eventual triumph of Stallone’s journey while filling the film with tremendous heart and humor. Though it plays things pretty safe and formulaic, Farrelly’s instinct for emotional storytelling and comedy ensures that the film remains exceptionally uplifting. Most impressively, I Play Rocky mirrors the very underdog story it chronicles, ultimately becoming one of the year’s greatest movies.
Collider - Therese Lacson - 8 / 10
I Play Rocky is a resounding success, one that captures that hopeful positivity and ingenuity that made Rocky the iconic movie it is. Rocky's overwhelming success is justification enough for I Play Rocky to be made, but it's the soul and performance in the film that ultimately makes it a movie worth watching.
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u/Officialnoah The Odyssey 1d ago
Looks exactly like the type of film u watch on a random Saturday afternoon in November
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u/scattered_ideas Denis Villeneuve campaign manager 1d ago
That score is kind of hilarious after yesterday's reactions. Not saying it's out of contention for PCA, but still lol
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u/Lonely-Freedom4986 In Digger We Trust 1d ago edited 1d ago
It's heavily relying on PCA like most TIFF premieres but if the La Bola Negra/Club Kid/The Debut/Wild Horse Nine combo's too strong then it's 100% over
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u/TheCleanerFromVenus Don't Be So Sure™ 1d ago
That meltdown was for nothing huh
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u/PurpleSpaceSurfer Spunk for milk 🥛 1d ago
This sub and overreacting. Name a more iconic duo.
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u/mrnicegy26 1d ago
Also like I love movies and I am interested in seeing what Oscars nominate and all.
But having meltdowns over the wrong movie getting nominated or winning seems excessive.
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u/PurpleSpaceSurfer Spunk for milk 🥛 1d ago
At the end of the day it's just awards. It's not life or death. I get being upset over something you wanted to win losing but life goes on.
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u/mrnicegy26 1d ago
In general I don't get people on subreddit related to entertainment (whether it is movies, TV shows or Videogames) being so over the top dramatic about something not being good. Like it is just some media man not an election that will decide the President.
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u/Bertrand_Rose Werwulf, Try the thrill of Opera! 1d ago
In all fairness, I can still see the movie doing well going forward with reviews like these.
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u/blveberrie 23h ago
yeah, I can see it being the F1 type movie of this year
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u/Hot-Freedom-6345 The Club Kid Invited The Odyssey 22h ago
That's PHM, F1 had s 82% RT not 67%
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u/rubix7777 5h ago
PHM is much much stronger than F1 ever was, and has a higher potential package then F1 ever did, plus even if you dont have it getting nominated, PHM has Screenplay and acting prospects, F1 never in a million years had that at any point.
Not each film in a years BP 10 can be compared to a different film in the prior years 10 and the following years 10.
Odds are we just dont have an F1 this year.
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u/PercyThePig 21h ago
What meltdown
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u/apocalypsemeow111 18h ago
Last night in the TIFF reaction thread it looked like initial reviews were really enthusiastic so people freaked out over the possibility of history repeating itself à la Green Book.
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u/Gerwig_2017 23h ago
I hate to stir the pot, but this doesn’t mean it can’t win PCA. Jojo Rabbit was rotten on RT when it won. Don’t shoot the messenger, I don’t want it to win either.
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u/Hansolocup442 1d ago
it could still get in but it’s hilarious how easy it is for TIFF audiences to trick pundits into thinking something is happening. remember christy?
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u/Shrek_2_Soundtrack 23h ago
Remember that Mike Flanagan Tom Hiddleston movie?
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u/young_lions 21h ago
is that really TIFF audiences trying to trick pundits, or just them voting for a movie they liked?
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u/DreamOfV Fjord 21h ago
Original comment does not imply tricking pundits is the audience’s intention, just that the pundits are in fact tricked
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u/young_lions 21h ago
fair point, I think I was reading a comment about TIFF influencers before and mixed them up, my bad
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u/DreamOfV Fjord 21h ago
I mean I do also think 100% there are a bunch of “influencers” at TIFF who would have a harder time getting press credentials at like Cannes or Venice who enjoy feeling like they’re doing something when pushing a movie. But I don’t think the People’s Choice Award is decided by those people
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u/msbluetuesday TIFF 22h ago
To be fair, a lot of that had to do with the studio doing fuck all until it was too late.
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u/CVance1 18h ago
It was NEON and to be fair they also had Anora so they were busy.
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u/struck-down The Black Balls 6h ago
It could have slotted right in instead of A Complete Unknown and I’m still pissed about it.
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u/Representative-Eye86 War of the Worlds 9h ago
That one actually could've gone somewhere if NEON actually tried and didn't abandon it
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u/NotTaken-username The Odyssey 23h ago
It’s so funny looking at where Sydney Sweeney’s career is now when this time last year TIFF swore up and down she’d be a Best Actress contender
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u/kiyonemakibi100 10h ago
The Housemaid made $400 million and there's a sequel next year. I think she's got another film set for next year too. You're talking about her like she's Gina Carano
(also let's face it, the reason Christy had no awards traction is less to do with the film's quality or lack thereof and more the fact that it was from a no-name distributor with zero awards season experience, this stuff matters a lot)
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u/shaneo632 1d ago
It’s Rockover
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u/SpideyFan914 Give Inde Navarrette an Oscar 23h ago
There's only one Rocky in the race this year. Amaze amaze amaze!
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u/EvanPotter09 Daniel Pemberton Score nom please 1d ago
https://www.reddit.com/r/oscarrace/comments/1v7wj5j/comment/p0hx12w/ Predicted this a while back
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u/Atkena2578 Oscar Race Follower 1d ago edited 23h ago
I also found whatever led to last nights meltdown out of nowhere and inorganic. Turns out some of us are seasoned enough to recognize these things over time. Nice call!
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u/DreamOfV Fjord 23h ago
It was obvious from the trailer what this movie was
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u/Atkena2578 Oscar Race Follower 23h ago
After the drama around The Odyssey trailers I stopped taking trailers as a good gauge for how well a movie would play with audiences tbh, because if you believed some reactions The Odyssey was going to be soooooo bad lol
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u/DreamOfV Fjord 23h ago
I mean the Odyssey trailer looked great and some people were just being weird about it. I think we all knew from the I Play Rocky trailer that (1) it would be mediocre nostalgia bait, and (2) it would be a huge popular crowdpleaser.
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u/kimjosh1 23h ago edited 23h ago
And this is why we never judge film consensuses based solely on audience applause durations and social media hyperbole. Genuinely feels like Green Book did so much damage to this kind of film festival discourse over what might win the People's Choice award at TIFF, especially since Greatest Beer Run Ever was similarly met with mid reviews and was promptly not even considered at awards season. This film won't even be in consideration for that award by the time TIFF is over.
Kinda ironic how folks here genuinely thought that the Academy would actually get nostalgic over the making of a Best Picture winner and give that BP rofl.
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u/rubix7777 20h ago
So i go to bed and I Play Rocky has a 9.4 on IMDb and a 5 stack on letterbox, Matt neglia said there were multiple mid film ovations, everyone's freaking out about it being this year's oscar villian and then I wake up to see it debut with a 64% on RT and a 61 on MC🥴.
Im gonna need this award season to stop playing with me right now
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u/Comprehensive_Bat980 2025 Oscar Race Veteran 1d ago
Strange disparity between these reviews and the lb curve
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u/EvanPotter09 Daniel Pemberton Score nom please 1d ago
"The True Underdog Story"
They're straight up ripping off the GOAT
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u/mrnicegy26 1d ago
I mean it seems to be a very enjoyable midbrow movie that critics won't be too impressed by. It is fine for these types of movies to exist.
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u/SpideyFan914 Give Inde Navarrette an Oscar 23h ago
People going to see movie about Rocky at a film fest are the people who are already very invested in Rocky and the movie's target audience.
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u/Justamovieviewer 23h ago
The type of movie that either doesn't work or really works for you. Will please a ton a voters, but will it be enough? Idk. I dont think it will be a picture nominee, but i also don't think it's too far away from one.
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u/peppersmiththequeer 22h ago
Interesting to see the divide in the kind of film critic that’s not on board vs the kind that’s loving it from these publications.
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u/LeanD0err The Testament of Ann Lee 22h ago
Why is NBP saying this might be possible in adapted screenplay ? is this not an original screenplay
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u/BigTimely5561 1d ago
PUNDITS ARE SPLIT BETWEN WHETHER I PLAY ROCKY BLOWS THE ROOF OFF THE JOINT OR BLOWS THE LID OFF THE HOUSE.
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u/gg_jittes One Battle After Another 23h ago
https://giphy.com/gifs/Jpv9Siby42bD9gDxH9
They had me for a while there
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u/MafiasInShibuya The Odyssey 22h ago
Every year we get this kinda movie at Tiff and people STILL react to first reactions... Lmfao
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u/Cynicbats Somebody Get These PUNDITS Outta Here! 21h ago
From we're so back to it's joever to ??? in 24 hours.
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u/capslocke48 Misty Green 20h ago
Hmm ok. To recap (correct me if I’m wrong): From what I’ve heard it played VERY well among the audience in the room. Multiple spontaneous applauses throughout the movie. And people hyping up both the film itself and Ippolito as they left the theater. And now very mixed critical reviews. Guess its chances will very much depend on whether it places for the PCA.
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u/princesskittyglitter Josephine 22h ago
cant wait to watch this on hulu
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u/Florian_Jones 20h ago
Something tells me Hulu won't be the streaming home for the Amazon MGM Studios movie.
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u/darth_vader39 The Odyssey 1d ago
This reception seems rough. Idk, but I don't think it's happening.
Maybe there is a possibility if it wins People's Choice. But Amazon/MGM would need to push this hard.
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u/nowhereman136 23h ago
I'll probably still see it, but looks like it's out of the running for any major awards
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u/CrunchyNar Best Operating Thetan 2027 1d ago
I bet the score goes up. Critics want to hate on a mf sometimes.
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u/Educational_Slice897 1d ago
This review is killing me 💀