I Play Rocky Review: ★★★½☆ (3.5/5)
I Play Rocky is a warm, spirited tribute with a strong lead performance. It leans too much on love for the original film, and a few cast members get little screen time.
Rating: ★★★½☆ (3.5/5)
Genre: Biographical Drama
Language: English
Director: Peter Farrelly
Writer: Peter Gamble
Cast: Anthony Ippolito, AnnaSophia Robb, Matt Dillon, Toby Kebbell, PJ Byrne, Jay Duplass
Runtime: 2h 8m
Few Hollywood stories are as famous as the one behind Rocky. Before Rocky Balboa became an icon, Sylvester Stallone was a struggling actor who could not get anyone to give him a lead role. I Play Rocky tells that story. It is directed by Peter Farrelly, whose film Green Book won the Oscar for Best Picture, and it reached theatres in India on 13 November 2026.
Anthony Ippolito plays the young Stallone. The film follows him from money trouble and constant rejection to the moment he writes the screenplay for Rocky. The idea was inspired, in part, by the 1975 fight between Muhammad Ali and an underdog boxer named Chuck Wepner, who lasted until the 15th round.
When producers Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff see the promise in the script, the studio wants a bigger name for the lead. Stallone refuses to sell unless he plays the role himself. It is a huge risk, and it puts his whole future on the line.
The best part of the film is Ippolito. He does more than copy Stallone’s voice and mannerisms. He shows the doubt of an actor who has been turned away again and again, yet he never loses the stubborn streak that makes his success believable.
He is at his best in scenes where Stallone has to argue his worth in front of people with far more power. You can feel that he knows what he wants but cannot be sure his belief will be enough.
Farrelly clearly loves the underdog tale, and the script by Peter Gamble draws a neat line between Stallone and his famous character. Both are underestimated, both have something to prove, and both refuse to quit. It is an obvious link, but it gives the film a solid base.
One of the sweetest parts is the role of Sasha Czack, played by AnnaSophia Robb. She sees Stallone’s potential when the industry does not and pushes him to write a role for himself. Their bond gives the film real feeling.
One of her lines, about preferring to be an optimist and be wrong rather than a pessimist and be right, sums up the spirit of the whole story. There is also a lovely touch where she mentions Orson Welles, who got Oscar nominations for both acting and writing on Citizen Kane. Stallone later earned the same two nominations for Rocky.
The film also shows the tough side of making Rocky on a small budget. Stallone hurts himself during the butcher shop scene and even breaks his hand. Cinema fans will enjoy the trivia, such as the flu he caught after the famous kiss with Adrian.
Not everything lands, though. Once the shoot begins, the film leans too much on your love for the original movie. Recreating a famous scene is one thing, but finding a fresh view of the people behind it is another. The runtime of two hours and eight minutes also means some characters, like those playing Talia Shire, Burt Young, and Meredith, barely get a moment.
The supporting cast helps a lot. Toby Kebbell and PJ Byrne play the producers, Jay Duplass stands out as director John G. Avildsen, and Matt Dillon adds depth as Stallone’s father, who has no faith in his son.
If you want more to watch, our Student of the Year After Dark review covers a dark murder mystery on JioHotstar. For a heist series with a smart start, try our 12 12 12 review, and for a gentle love story, read our Parivarik Manuranjan review.
I Play Rocky does not escape the usual biopic habits, but it reminds you why this fight is still worth telling.
I Play Rocky released in theatres in India on 13 November 2026.