Rocky follows Rocky Balboa, a small-time boxer and debt collector from Philadelphia who gets an unlikely opportunity to fight the world heavyweight champion, Apollo Creed. Written by and starring Sylvester Stallone, the film is a deeply human story about perseverance, self-worth, and the desire to go the distance. It became a cultural phenomenon and launched one of cinema's most beloved franchises.
John G. Avildsen films Sylvester Stallone's Philadelphia palooka given a title shot. The film is the genre's foundational text: the sport is the proof, but the dignity is the case.