Review of Rocky (1976) by Darran J — 18 Apr 2013

One of films' better underdog tales -- both in terms of the story and the career of Sylvester Stallone. I've always dug the '70s vibe which allows for a slow build and fully realized characters over just servicing the plot.

This pays off once we actually get to the fight, and you realize how invested you are in the outcome. 'Rocky' also plays with sports movie conventionality and doesn't offer typical resolutions.

Almost from release, 'Rocky' got a rep for being overly-earnest schmaltz, but there's always room for those type of pictures if they're well done.