Peter Farrelly’s I Play Rocky received a lengthy standing ovation and repeated mid-film applause at its Toronto International Film Festival world premiere Saturday, according to reporting by The Hollywood Reporter.
The film dramatizes the inspiration for and making of Rocky, with 27-year-old Anthony Ippolito portraying Sylvester Stallone. The report says Ippolito closely captures Stallone’s appearance and speaking style, potentially placing him in a crowded best actor Oscar race.
Amazon/MGM plans to begin the film’s U.S. rollout Nov. 6. Its enthusiastic festival reception could also raise awards interest, though any Oscar nomination or win remains speculative.
The comparison with Farrelly’s Green Book is notable but limited. That film polarized critics while winning over Toronto audiences, then won the festival’s audience award before earning and winning the 2019 best picture Oscar, according to The Guardian and the Academy’s official record. I Play Rocky has not yet established the same awards trajectory.
Stallone may be the film’s most consequential variable. He was not directly involved in the production and does not appear to financially benefit from it, according to the report. Ippolito said he spoke with Stallone before filming, while Farrelly said Stallone had seen and liked the finished movie.
Stallone has previously criticized producer Irwin Winkler over ownership of the Rocky franchise. Both Winkler and the late Robert Chartoff are portrayed sympathetically in I Play Rocky, and Winkler appears in a cameo. A public endorsement from Stallone could help the film’s awards prospects, while public criticism could hurt them, the report notes.
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