An Uplifting Movie

I was surprised by this movie. It is a throwback to the first Rocky. In fact, it is like the first Rocky coming home as an old man.

What I liked best about this movie is that Rocky is a thoroughly good man. Thoroughly. He owns a restaraunt where he is kind and fair to all the employees; daily feeds an old friend who is down on his luck; spends time patiently talking with customers, telling them over and over the same old stories they want to hear, and having his picture taken with them, etc. He befriends a woman from the bad side of town, looks after her needs, helps her find a better job in a safe environment (His restaraunt), never tries to bed her or even get romantic. He also mentors the woman's fatherless son, taking him to adopt a dog and to his work place and later to his press conferences, etc. He also is warm, patient, and inspiring to his own son. He honors the memory of his late wife and is good to her very negative brother, Paulie. He speaks no ill of any man, and is kind and good, though strong and famous.

He's also just as plain (dumb?) as he was in the first Rocky. Stalone created this character over 30 years ago. He has gone on from his humble beginnings to great things. Now, Stalone has Rocky return to where he started. But there is a peace and goodness about him.

Was this a great movie? No. But it was good. And, it is uniquely American. Rocky has become an iconic figure in our nation. We root for him as if he wasn't fictional. Stalone could have ruined him --he could have made him into a tragic figure filled with filthy language, drunkeness, womanizing, or hate. But, instead, he gave us hope, pointing out that a good man, like a good wine, can get better with age.

And Jesus even made the film. The ex-boxer down on his luck that Rocky would feed began to do the dishes to earn his keep. Rocky protested, pointing out that he was a guest. The man said, "Jesus wants me to do the dishes for my supper." Rocky gives in, muttering as he walks away, "Good thing Jesus didn't want you to cook."

I liked this movie because I liked the man who Rocky has become. If America is to have fictional icons, I can't think of a better one.