I rewatched Rocky today as there was a 50th anniversary screening. It’s also a great refreshed before next week’s I Play Rocky is released here.

It’s such a simple premise but one which clearly struck a chord with audiences. A small-time, part-time boxer who is struggling to survive day to day gets a shot at the heavyweight championship belt.

There are so many clichés I could fall into using such as ‘rags to riches’ and ‘underdog’ when reviewing this film but the thing is they’re all true. The film is so well made and written that in itself it doesn’t feel clichéd or cheesy when dealing with such themes. No wonder the film became a huge earner at the box office.
The sequence which marks the film’s and leading character’s turning point is, of course, the running/training scene with the iconic theme playing in the background. It’s genuinely uplifting and moving- just like the entire film really.

Bonus marks for having Joe Spinell and Lloyd Kaufman as cast members.

Stallone also penned the screenplay. Nice job, Sly.

4 out of 5 stars