ROCKY BALBOA

US, 2006, 105 minutes, Colour.
Sylvester Stallone, Burt Young, Milo Ventimiglia, Geraldine Hughes, Antonio Tarver, James Francis Kelly III.
Directed by Sylvester Stallone.

A surprise. After Rocky first ascended those steps in Philadelphia to Bill Conti’s now classic fanfare and theme back in 1976, he now returns to prove that he is still alive, that life is worth living and to exorcise his inner ‘beast’, his demons, and move to the next, more peaceful, stage of his life journey.

Sylvester Stallone has not been able to let go of Rocky Balboa and, on the evidence of his new screenplay, Rocky has not been able to let go of Stallone. Their lives parallel each other. And one can only wish for great success for this film, released at a time when Sylvester Stallone has reached sixty.

In interviews, Stallone has been very candid about his life and career. He acknowledges the effect of his early successes, especially the Rocky and Rambo series: a man who grew up poor then achieved all that could be desired in terms of career, reputation, marriage, wealth and comfort. But, he admits, it went to his head and he experienced some chaos in his personal life as well as a deterioration of his career. He had to go back to his roots, his Christian roots and rediscover values and authentic meaning for his life.

This is what happens to Rocky Balboa – although his character seems to have made a better fist (and fists) of his life than his creator. Rocky is now grieving the death of Adrian (and Stallone has written quite tenderly of this marriage love and commitment). He runs a successful restaurant, well patronised, where he recounts his tales of the ring to eager customers who also want a photo opportunity. He loves his son who feels that he has been overwhelmed by his father’s reputation and lives in his shadow. Paulie is still his close friend.

In his late 50s, Rocky still has the urge to fight another day. TV pundits speculate how he would have fared had he fought a bout with the current world heavyweight champion – and they provide a computer game to illustrate this. A challenge for an exhibition fight is offered. It is a redemptive challenge for Rocky. Is it wishful thinking? Is it his ego? Has he the physical stamina to endure? And so, with great feelings of nostalgia for the Rocky movie fans, the training (adapted to his age and condition) begin again.

After this, the training and bout are very much for boxing fans. Others will look at the punishing fight more as the will of a warrior striving for victory with his talent.

The screenplay, as with the other Rocky movies, is by Stallone himself. This is quite a literate screenplay considering that Rocky himself, unlike the real life Stallone, is rather inarticulate: ‘Yo, Paulie!’. And it is not without some humour and pleasant self-mockery. Needless to say, Stallone does justice to the performance.

Burt Young is back as an older and scruffier Paulie. Talia Shire appears in photos and flashbacks to the earlier films as Adrian. The supporting characters this time are Robert Balboa – with some effective scenes between father and son, frankness in resentment and reconciliation. ‘Living in my shadow is not an excuse for blaming someone else for underachieving.’

A local woman and her teenage son provide an outlet for Rocky’s kindness and warmth and friendship in return.

There are some specific Christian references and images indicating Stallone’s own spiritual journey.

1. The popularity of Rocky? His impact in 1976, the year of the bicentenary? The subsequent sequels? Rocky after thirty years? Audience expectations?

2. Sylvester Stallone, his screen image, Rocky and Rambo, his personal life, story and career? The parallels? The appeal of the film for the older audience remembering the Rocky films? Interest for younger audiences?

3. The boxing context, Rocky’s career, the stories, his image, the past? The new heroes? The boxing champion, Mason Dixon, his tough attitudes, knockouts? A setting for the build-up to the confrontation between Mason Dixon and Rocky? The TV simulation and Rocky winning?

4. Rocky as a fighter, a fighter being deeper than merely a boxer? His drive, talent, the beast within, his reference to the feelings in his basement, his inner self? Possibilities, the challenge, the exhibition bout, Las Vegas? The collage of his training, Bill Conti’s music, the Rocky theme and fanfare? Rocky at fifty-eight, the information about his physical disabilities, strengths, psychological?

5. The build-up to the bout, the ten rounds, Mason Dixon and his attitude, his entourage, the managers? The encouragement? The initial knockout, audience reaction to his character? Rocky and his fighting, skills, being knocked about, knocked down, getting up again, his entourage? The support of his son, of Marie? Her son? His surviving the ten rounds, the split decision, the acclaim at the end? Mason Dixon winning, Rocky’s personal achievement?

6. Philadelphia, the ordinary neighbourhoods, the rough neighbourhoods, Rocky at the cemetery, his restaurant, the buildings and Robert at work, the streets, the seasons? Bill Conti’s score? Its familiarity, emotional impact?

7. The title, seeing Rocky as a Balboa, as a person, his age, the experience of Adrienne’s death, his memories of her, the flashbacks? The cemetery, his talking with her, the chair? Hiding it in the tree? The anniversary, Paulie accompanying him, Paulie feeling that he couldn’t do this any more? Going to visit Robert, Robert’s comments about his father having him in his shadow? The various visits to the grave? The encounter with Marie, memories of her as a young girl, the taunts in the bar, the confrontation in the bar, in the street? Accompanying Marie home, her story, Steps as her son? Mixed race? Rocky and his interest, the visits, offering Steps a job? Persuading Marie to come and work at the restaurant? Paulie, the friendship, his arrival at the restaurant, his having been sacked? Rocky and his talking to the customers, telling them the stories? The possibilities for the fight, the visit of the promoters, the press conference?

8. Rocky’s inner journey, going down, coming up, his inner life, the bout, Robert and his comments about his father’s ego?

9. Marie, her past, as a character, genial, in the bar, her love for her son, her going to work at the restaurant, taken aback with Paulie? In the group going to Las Vegas, her visit to Rocky, supporting him?

10. Paulie, his age, accompanying Rocky to the cemetery, his skill at his work, his suddenly being fired, his reaction, with the gift of the meat instead of a watch, the decision to help Rocky with the training?

11. The trainer, the advice to Rocky, his physical condition and limitations, his exercise?

12. Robert, living in the shadow of his father, with his friends, watching the television simulation, talk, his not achieving aims in life? His giving up? The confrontation with his father, and the visit to the restaurant, the talk in the street, Rocky’s straight talk, telling him not to blame others for his lack of achievement? Robert’s going to cemetery, his working with his father for the bout, at the ringside?

13. Themes of grief, anger, loneliness, age, fighting and achievement?

14. The finale at the grave, Rocky at peace, the chair not being there, his disappearance – like an ascension to a new place?

15. The popularity of Rocky for thirty years in the 20th century? A hero for the 21st century?