TIFF 2026: Our Review of ‘I Play Rocky’

Posted in Festival Coverage, Movies, TIFF 2026 by - September 15, 2026
TIFF 2026: Our Review of ‘I Play Rocky’

For many Rocky isn’t just a film about boxing. It’s about an underdog looking for his way, who is forced to fight for every step he takes. Oddly enough, the story behind the story is very similar. I Play Rocky tells the story of Sylvester Stallone’s fight to become the man who he is today. It also shows the struggles he had to get his first defining moment of his life.

Anthony Ippolito was born to play Sly. Not only is he a spitting image of him, but he mimics his mannerisms and has the same pain, determination and understanding behind his eyes. Odds are he will find himself nominated for several awards for this role in the new year.

For fans of Rocky and Sly, a lot of the story will be known to them. Nonetheless, I Play Rocky also has several comedic parts to it that will have audiences laughing uncontrollably. Tracy Letts leads the charge on the humour side, playing a fictional studio head who tries to throw money at Stallone’s passion project.

Like most biopics, I Play Rocky is not always accurate, and does have its fair share of fiction thrown in as well. This means that if you want the full, true story you will need to do your research. Still, the film does do a good job showcasing how difficult of a fight it is to get what you want out of life. Even if it is too nostalgic for some people’s tastes.

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While Roderick has only been writing movie reviews for a relatively short time, he's been a fan of film for as long as he can remember. It's a love affair that started when he saw Star Wars at a drive-in theatre in Kitchener when he was four years old. In the past decade he's fulfilled his dream of interviewing celebrities, attending red carpets events at festivals such as TIFF and writing reviews for outlets such as Realstylenetwork.com. He's always on the hunt for the next big thing to hit the screen.
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