Rocky

1976.
#78 / #57
Winner of 3 Academy Awards.

Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) trains for his title fight against Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). But really, he's falling in love with the pet store girl, Adrian (Talia Shire).

Sarah: Eddie insisted we watch this movie together, even though I told him I've already seen it. I ended up being glad to re-watch it because I had forgotten a few details (spoiler: I had forgotten that Rocky loses the fight). One thing I had blocked out was how stressed this movie makes me feel. Stallone manages to make Rocky so vulnerable and helpless, which is why this movie made it to the list. It's not just a sports movie. However, there were two things I didn't understand:

1. Apollo Creed's evil plan.
2. Boxing in general. (There are judges? What?)

All in all I was glad this was on the list, it's fun, simple, and sweet.

Eddie: Lately, Sarah and I have been watching a lot of movies that are good, but don't deserve to be on the list (or don't deserve to be listed as high as they are). ROCKY is just the opposite. Not only does it belong on the list, it should be much, much higher. ROCKY is more than a boxing movie. It's a love story. And it's a story of redemption. The Rocky-Adrian love story dominates the first hour of the movie, with only cursory scenes about boxing. Both Stallone and Shire turn in such brilliant performances - he as the hulking oaf and she as the shy pet store girl - that you are rooting for them to get together.

And the redemption story is palpable throughout. The good ROCKY movies (I, II, V, and VI) are all about the Italian Stallion redeeming himself. Rocko is a guy from the gutter of Philadelphia. He gets a shot at the title, and he makes the most of it. "No one's ever gone the distance with Creed," he tells Adrian. And then he does. Pure inspiration.

My only guff with the AFI is their omission of ROCKY II from the list. I think that the sequel raises the stakes of the love story and the quest for redemption (without going over the top like ROCKY III and IV do).

Why You Should See It: Rocky and Adrian's first date ice-skating. So uncomfortable, yet so charming.