#TIFF26: “I PLAY ROCKY” REVIEW

By David Baldwin

Sylvester Stallone (Anthony Ippolito) moves to Los Angeles with the hopes of being an actor. He works as a valet to get by and writes scripts when he is at home. After watching a particularly inspiring boxing match, he writes Rocky. The studio execs are excited to make the picture and Stallone is eager to sell – but only if he can play the lead.

From that description alone, you should know whether or not I PLAY ROCKY from Director Peter Farrelly (who won People’s Choice at TIFF and later Best Picture at the Oscars for Green Book) is the kind of movie you will gravitate to. It’s a crowd-pleaser through and through, filled with laughs, heart and a keen emphasis on the magic and wonder of making movies. It leans into the myths and tales you have heard before (including the one about Stallone selling and then buying back his dog), and lovingly recreates classic scenes from Rocky. And yes, of course it finds time to play Bill Conti’s legendary score. Farrelly stays surface level for the most part, never asking his cast to dig too deep nor veering too far from the beaten path of making a movie about making movies. It’s the right choice for a conventional feel good picture like this about a 50-year-old(!) film and no one should be be expecting anything different.

Though it sometimes comes off as a caricature or mere impression, Ippolito puts in the work embodying the look, sound and vibe of Stallone. He is a dead ringer for the action star in some scenes, and his voice work is downright eerie for how close it sounds. While I would have loved to have seen him afforded more time to be introspective, Ippolito still manages to put his entire heart and soul into a performance that just might be his star-making turn. Supporting players like Toby Kebbell and P.J. Byrne (as Producers Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler), Toronto’s own Stephan James (as Carl Weathers)and especially Jay Duplass (as Director John Avildsen) is each afforded their own moments to shine and do a solid job backing up Ippolito.

They really don’t make ‘em like they used to, do they?

I PLAY ROCKY screens at TIFF ‘26:

Sat. Sept 12 at 6:00 PM at VISA Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre

Sun. Sept 13 at 11:15 AM at VISA Screening Room at the Princess of Wales Theatre

Fri. Sept 18 at 5:45 PM at TIFF Lightbox

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “RICKY STANICKY”

Zac Efron and John Cena star in RICKY STANICKY from Director Peter Farrelly! We get a new Trailer for the R-rated Comedy, coming to Prime Video March 7, 2024.

Synopsis:

When three childhood best friends pull a prank gone wrong, they invent the imaginary Ricky Stanicky to get them out of trouble! Twenty years after creating this ‘friend,’ Dean, JT, and Wes (Zac Efron, Andrew Santino, and Jermaine Fowler) still use the nonexistent Ricky as a handy alibi for their immature behavior. When their spouses and partners get suspicious and demand to finally meet the fabled Mr. Stanicky, the guilty trio decide to hire washed-up actor and raunchy celebrity impersonator “Rock Hard” Rod (John Cena) to bring him to life. But when Rod takes his role of a lifetime too far, they begin to wish they’d never invented Ricky in the first place. From director Peter Farrelly and featuring additional cast members including William H. Macy, Lex Scott Davis, and Anja Savcic.

Directed by Peter Farrelly

Starring Zac Efron, Jermaine Fowler, Andrew Santino, Lex Scott Davis,

Anja Savcic, Jeff Ross with William H. Macy and John Cena

Screenplay by Jeff Bushell and Brian Jarvis & James Lee Freeman & Peter Farrelly & Pete Jones & Mike Cerrone

Produced by Paul Currie, Thorsten Schumacher, John Jacobs, Michael De Luca

#TIFF18: “GREEN BOOK” REVIEW

By Mr. Will Wong

While known much for his funny Films, Peter Farrelly, one-half of the Duo which brought us classics There’s Something About Mary and Me, Myself & Irene, gifts us at TIFF ’18 with the Sleeper Hit of the Festival, GREEN BOOK. The heartwarming Comedy details the unlikely friendship between a Concert Pianist Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali) and his bouncer-turned-chaffeur Tony Lip (Viggo Mortensen). While from completely opposite worlds, it is impossible not to be charmed by the back-and-forth banter between sophisticated Don and tough-talking Tony in this witty Script by the latter’s actual son Nick Vallelonga, Brian Hayes Currie and Farrelly.

Performances are outstanding from our leading Trio. Mortensen continues to build his stellar catalog of work and is pitch-perfect throughout the Film’s light and heavier moments which don’t shy away from matters which still are true today. Ali is remarkable as Shirley, capturing his strength and fragility – we were spellbound. Cardellini while under-written and under-seen is a joy every time she is on-screen. We are thrilled for audiences to discover this gem, giving TIFF ’18 a much-needed lift of spirits.

GREEN BOOK screens Thursday, September 13  Winter Garden Theatre 2:30 PM and Saturday, September 15 Princess of Wales Theatre (VISA Screening Room) 3 PM.