{"id":19983,"date":"2023-11-05T22:06:56","date_gmt":"2023-11-06T03:06:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cinemadailyus.com\/?p=19983"},"modified":"2023-11-05T22:06:56","modified_gmt":"2023-11-06T03:06:56","slug":"sly-is-a-thorough-and-eye-opening-look-of-sylvester-stallone-afi-fest-film-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cinemadailyus.com\/?p=19983","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Sly\u2019 is a Thorough and Eye-Opening Look of Sylvester Stallone-AFI Fest Film Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

Most actors are lucky to achieve one distinguished role over the course of their career or to have a steady stream of work. It\u2019s rare to headline more than one franchise at a time and then start a new one decades later. But there\u2019s not much that\u2019s typical about Sylvester Stallone, who was determined early on to ensure both his voice and his presence in the work that he was doing. The new Netflix documentary Sly<\/em><\/strong> offers an overview of his life and his career, presenting someone who may not be exactly what fans of his films might expect.<\/p>\n

Stallone, who celebrated his seventy-seventh birthday this past July, reflects eagerly back on everything that led to his success, ready to pause to acknowledge difficult moments and challenging setbacks. He talks about being raised by a very tough and physical father, and how his first forays into acting were stunted by being typecast as a thug with few lines of intelligible dialogue. He cites an early friendship with Henry Winkler following their work in The Lords of Flatbush<\/em><\/strong>, and how everything changed when he successfully lobbied to star in his first big script: Rocky<\/em><\/strong>. That\u2019s just the beginning of the story, as his next few flops and later attempts at comedy represent low points in an otherwise invigorating and remarkable straight shot to the top.<\/p>\n

\"Sly\"
Courtesy Netflix<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Stallone\u2019s willingness to talk to the camera and to answer any question feels very appropriate, especially due to the many mentions by others of his tendency to offer notes on the screenplay of any film he didn\u2019t write. It indicates both a commitment to character and authenticity and a desire to be in charge, something that evidently doesn\u2019t always work given the fact that someone else is supposed to be the boss. It\u2019s ironic, therefore, that it feels like he\u2019s being allowed to shape and tell his own story here, one peppered with interruptions by collaborators and fans like Talia Shire and Quentin Tarantino. But this is the all-access Stallone story that he wants told, which necessarily means it will have a particular focus to it.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s not a dull moment in this ninety-five-minute retrospective, and it\u2019s very worthwhile to see and hear Stallone react to tapes of himself recorded years earlier, much more aware now of what he should have done or said that he couldn\u2019t have processed then. The film touches on his personal life in looking at his father, his brother, and his son, Sage, who died in 2012 and the age of thirty-six. There\u2019s barely any mention of his wife and daughters, who take center stage in the Paramount+ reality series The Family Stallone<\/em><\/strong>, suggesting that he\u2019s an open book but that his family is off-limits for this project. It feels like a strange oversight given how important family seems to be to him.<\/p>\n

\"Sly\"
Sly. Sylvester Stallone in Sly. Cr. Rob DeMartin\/Netflix \u00a9 2023<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For someone who is best known for playing action heroes, it\u2019s enlightening to see the perspective and lived experiences Stallone has that contribute to his storytelling style. The real Stallone, as presented in this documentary, feels most like his Tulsa King<\/em><\/strong> character, Dwight Manfredi, who uses intellectual words that don\u2019t always match the persona he has, minus the mob connections, of course. Stallone is well aware of how his physical appearance and the way he speaks have shaped the roles he\u2019s been given, but that hasn\u2019t stopped him from doing what he wants to do in the business. His latest franchise, The Expendables<\/em><\/strong>, is the best example of him tweaking and fine-tuning a situation to his advantage, reuniting aging action heroes for a new adventure fitting to where they all are now in their careers.<\/p>\n

Sly<\/em><\/strong> is an accessible and entertaining look at its subject, and fluctuating levels of viewer familiarity with Stallone shouldn\u2019t affect the enjoyment level all that much. Stallone is open and blunt, returning to his New York City birthplace to comment on how the neighborhood has changed and never afraid to confront a controversial aspect of his public persona. There\u2019s still more to be gleaned since 95 minutes can\u2019t possibly capture the entire career and phenomenon of a man like him, but it\u2019s a productive and energizing showcase that makes good on its promise to get to know someone who, nearly fifty years after his big breakout, shows little sign of slowing down.<\/p>\n

Grade: B+<\/strong><\/p>\n

Check out more of Abe Friedtanzer\u2019s articles<\/a>.<\/p>\n