Joey Magidson
For anyone to play Sylvester Stallone and not make it simply an impression, the task would be monumental. To play Stallone in the lead up to, and making of, the film that would put him on the map, Rocky, is an even bigger challenge. For Anthony Ippolito, who’d already played Al Pacino on The Offer, he was more than up to the task. Not only is he great as Sly in I Play Rocky, doing an uncanny job, he captures the soulfulness of the man at that time. I previously spoke about the film with co-stars Tracy Letts here and Jay Duplass here. Now, it’s time for the leading man, as it’s Ippolito’s turn.
In my review of the movie from the Toronto International Film Festival (here), I wrote about Ippolito and his supporting cast members like so:
Anthony Ippolito is an uncanny Sylvester Stallone, channeling Sly in a way that never feels like an impression. This is soulful and funny work, from beginning to end. Ippolito is going to be a star, sure, but he might also end up an Oscar nominee for this one, he’s that good. Jay Duplass and Tracy Letts steal their scenes in very amusing supporting roles, while P.J. Byrne and Toby Kebbell also have their share of good scenes.
Below, you can see my discussion with Ippolito. As one of the season’s breakout stars, I was interested in hearing his reaction to how the film played at TIFF, for example. The movie blew the roof off of Toronto, which Ippolito clearly was moved by. Then, we get into the research he did in order to play Stallone, which I was fascinated by. The proof is in the pudding, as this is one of the most surprising and enjoyable performances of the year. The flick is a winner, plain and simple, with Ippolito one of the biggest reasons why. Don’t miss I Play Rocky, as it’s a supremely enjoyable crowd pleaser of the first order.
Here now is my interview with I Play Rocky star Anthony Ippolito. Enjoy:
I Play Rocky opens in limited release on November 6th, with the wide release coming on November 20th!
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