From Variety · Clayton Davis · · 1m 10s
The guy who wouldn't sell Rocky
Peter Farrelly's TIFF premiere turns Sylvester Stallone's fight to make "Rocky" into the crowd-pleaser of the festival.
In brief
Peter Farrelly's TIFF premiere turns Sylvester Stallone's fight to make "Rocky" into the crowd-pleaser of the festival. "I Play Rocky" bets that the story behind the Best Picture winner is as good as the movie itself, and TIFF audiences are the first test. Originally reported by Variety.
Rocky did it again
The character who won Best Picture in 1977 is back at TIFF, this time as the subject of a biopic about how the film got made.
“Yo Adrian, Rocky did it … again!”
A movie about a movie
"I Play Rocky" dramatizes Sylvester Stallone's push to get "Rocky" onto the big screen, on his terms.
Farrelly takes the helm
Peter Farrelly directs from a script by Peter Gamble, pairing a comedy veteran with an underdog story built for the big swing.
Ippolito's star turn
Anthony Ippolito plays Stallone, and Variety calls it a star-making performance.
“a star-making turn from Anthony Ippolito”
Relentless determination
The engine of the story is Stallone refusing to let go of "Rocky" until it reached theaters his way.
Built for the audience award
Variety pegs it as TIFF Audience winner material, the prize that has launched plenty of Best Picture campaigns.
“This has the DNA of a TIFF Audience winner through and through.”
The headline
"I Play Rocky" bets that the story behind the Best Picture winner is as good as the movie itself, and TIFF audiences are the first test.
