Rocky Balboa (film) - Plot

Plot

Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), in his late fifties and retired from boxing for sixteen years, lives a quiet life as a widower; his wife Adrian Pennino Balboa (Talia Shire) had died from cancer in 2002. He runs a small but very successful Italian restaurant named after her, where he regales his patrons with stories of his past. He also battles personal demons involving his grief over Adrian's death, the changing times, and his eroding relationship with his son Robert (Milo Ventimiglia), a struggling corporate employee. Paul "Paulie" (Burt Young), Rocky's brother-in-law and longtime friend, continues to support him whenever he can.

Late one night, Rocky reunites with a much older "Little" Marie (Geraldine Hughes), a once mischievous neighborhood girl (whom he first met in Rocky) now working as a bartender at the Lucky Seven, a tavern Rocky once frequented in the mid-1970s, and a single parent of a teenaged son born out of wedlock: Stephenson, nicknamed "Steps" (James Francis Kelly III). Rocky's friendship with the two quickly blossoms over the following weeks, and Steps takes to him as a father figure. A budding romantic relationship between Rocky and Marie was implied, but never fully explored by Rocky out of his reverence for Adrian.

Meanwhile on the professional boxing circuit, the newly crowned world heavyweight champion is Mason "The Line" Dixon (Antonio Tarver). ESPN broadcasts a computer simulation of a fight between Rocky (in his prime) and Mason, likened to a modern-day version of The Super Fight that ends in a controversial KO victory for Balboa, further riling the champ. In contrast, the simulation inspires Rocky to take up boxing again — an intention that goes public when he successfully renews his license. Dixon's promoters pitch the idea of holding a charity exhibition bout at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas to bolster Dixon's falling popularity. With some hesitation, both men agree to the match, creating a media buzz that stabs at Rocky's has-been status and Dixon's credibility. Robert later makes an effort to discourage Rocky from fighting, blaming his own personal failings on his father's celebrity shadow, but Rocky rebukes him with some advice; that to succeed in life, "it ain't about how hard you hit; it's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward", and that blaming others won't help him. The next day, father and son meet over Adrian's grave and reconcile; Robert has quit his job to be at Rocky's side. Rocky sets straight to training with Apollo Creed's old trainer Duke (Tony Burton) who quickly surmises that the slow and arthritic Rocky can only compete by building his strength and punching power as much as possible. The fight ends up becoming an HBO Pay-per-View event with Michael Buffer as the ring announcer.

The bout itself is a back and forth affair, with Dixon easily dominating the first round only to injure his left hand in the second on Rocky's hip, after which Rocky makes a dramatic comeback: he manages to knock Dixon down once, then continues to surprise the audience with his prowess and chin against the much younger and faster fighter. Dixon sends Rocky to one knee in the final round, but the elder fighter pulls himself to his feet for one last assault. The two opponents then continue to punish each other severely throughout the remainder of the final round, ending with both men still standing. Rocky thanks an appreciative Dixon for the fight, and leaves the ring to the adulation of the crowd as the result is announced: Rocky losing by split decision.

In the closing shot, Rocky returns home and visits Adrian's grave again to thank her for helping him, saying: "Yo Adrian, we did it." Adrian's tombstone is still at Laurel Hill Cemetery in the East Falls section of Philadelphia, just to the southeast of the main entrance.