Peter Farrelly’s “I Play Rocky” premieres at the Toronto International Film Festival as a making-of biographical drama centered on Sylvester Stallone’s rise and the early struggle behind the creation of “Rocky.” Multiple outlets describe the film as broadly entertaining and built to appeal to fans, with most praise focused on the lead performance.
Reviews highlight Anthony Ippolito’s portrayal of young Stallone, with several critics calling it uncanny, endearing, and central to the movie’s success. Ippolito is presented as physically and vocally persuasive in the role, blurring lines between Stallone and Rocky as the story recreates moments from “Rocky” while tracking Stallone’s efforts to win studio support.
At the same time, responses diverge on the film’s emotional depth and overall craft. The Guardian characterizes the movie as heavy on nostalgia and “fan service,” describing it as light on real emotion and relatively lightweight. Other outlets still find it inspiring and crowd-pleasing, and some reviewers emphasize the film’s modest production scale and dutiful, accessible storytelling. The New York Post and Deadline frame the narrative as an underdog story that resonates, including moments in which Stallone reacts emotionally to the behind-the-scenes journey.
