By The Movie Lady
Karen Chutsky
YO! ROCKY- Our beloved iconic boxing hero of the 1970’s-IS BACK!
Just when it feels like the rags to riches American dream is on life support the movie CREED comes along and delivers a defibrillator jolt to the heart.
Sure - Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) is forty years older, shuffling along instead of bobbing and weaving, but so are all of us who cheered him on and mimicked his moves in our youth to that soul igniting music-Dah Dah dada Dah dada Dah Dah Dah…by composer Bill Conti, considered among many to be America’s second national anthem.
Sure- Rocky’s demeanor is more subdued and soulful, the guy’s been put out to pasture, his past glories are just that- in the past. He’s resigned to spending his waning years reliving it all by telling stories to patrons of his restaurant over vino and Italian food- ah- made by Mexicans. And visiting Adrian and Pauly at their gravestones.
But it’s not all dim, thankfully in this newest twilight installment of the Rocky Balboa saga, his pilot light for boxing and life is once again ignited by the young illegitimate troubled son of his old nemesis Apollo Creed.
'Little Creed' ( Michael B. Jordan) is a scrappy delinquent growing up on the same mean streets Rocky did, heading for nothing but trouble until Creed’s wealthy widow becomes his savoir and benefactor, educating and stabilizing his life. While he grows into a Wallstreet-type on the rise, he’s constantly sparring with the shadow of his father’s legacy and the nagging wannabe boxing champion dream rumbling in his gut.
Like Pauly says in the last Stallone Film “Rocky Balboa”-“You gotta get that thing out of your gut.” So 'Little Creed' does by accepting the challenge to fight it out with the current English boxing Champion Ricky Conlan (Tony Bellew), who is accused of winning his titles by fighting so-called cream puffs. Somehow 'Little Creed'- Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan) manages to get Rocky into his corner as trainer and the girl next door as girlfriend, his motivating “Adrian,” a young talented singer “Bianca” (Tessa Thompson). So there is a strong music vibe in this one folks.
Oldman Rocky’s boxing passions bubble up back in the Philadelphia slums, shown in a spirited montage, while he passes on his champion moves at the punching bag in the old gym. And with some gut wrenching twists in the story, the tables are turned and “Little Creed” becomes an inspiration for Rocky to take on the biggest fight of his life.
They ended the film with the classic scene we all hunger for at the famed Philadelphia steps (a climb millions of people have cockily mimicked over the last forty years) though this time Rocky struggles to climb them one by one. The view from the top, though bittersweet, is still powerful, as he pontificates, ”I can see the whole of my life from here.” We hear yah Rock!
According to the Hollywood echelons and Film Critics, Stallone will never be included in the ranks of such stars as Richard Burton or Alec Guinness. No. He is much BIGGER. “Sly” is the biggest box office drawing star EVER. HE IS THE STREETKID who created a character that had America on it's feet cheering forty years ago, one that is burned into the lexicon of the American psyche. He’s a piece of pure Americana. So I applaud the belated kudos he is finally receiving from the Academy Award elites for his role in “Creed”, nominated for Best Supporting Actor.
But-What Stallone does not get enough credit for in my opinion is his screenwriting. Close your eyes and just listen to the dialogue of his last film “Rocky Balboa.” It’s pure street poetry; eloquent, charming and as touching as it gets with classic lines like; “You think you outta stop trying things ‘cause you’ve had a few too many birthdays?” and “What’s crazy about standin’ toe to toe-and sayin’ I AM!”
Don’t expect the full-fledged ‘Rocky Balboa’ (Sylvester Stallone) experience though, because “CREED” is a somewhat different animal written and directed by Richard Coogler. It has a more main stream film feel, markedly infused with a strong contemporary hip=hop feel. And it works. My only disappointment is it never builds to the crescendo it deserves. It was lacking that soul moving music and there wasn’t enough ‘Rocky’ screentime.
From the get-go Sylvester Stallone had me welling up…the guy is pure heart…like a loveable aging hound-dog, who as he says, “gets knocked down by life but keeps getting back up and moving forward.” And I’d say that’s all of us too!
ROCKY! ROCKY! ROCKY! It’s been quite a ride! Please come back on screen soon……
Strong performances by Michael B. Jordan and Tessa Thompson!