Sly
By Jennifer Green,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Compelling docu about action star has language, violence.
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Sly
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What's the Story?
The documentary SLY gives actor-writer-director Sylvester Stallone the opportunity to reflect on his life and career. The film draws heavily from recent interviews with Stallone, as well as past recorded interviews, to piece together the decisions, motivations, and significance of his storied career. Colleagues, costars, critics, and Stallone's brother offer their own insights into Sly's life and work. Footage from many of his films show the arc of his on-screen career, and images from his childhood help flesh out the story of how his background shaped him into the man he would become.
Is It Any Good?
This professionally-compiled, first-hand analysis of Stallone's career might contain some new insights for Rocky and Rambo fans, but it falls short of painting a full portrait of the man himself. That's because in Sly, Stallone seems to have kept some topics -- namely, his wife and children -- largely off the table. Perhaps that's reflective of reality, as the last 15 minutes of the film suggest when Stallone starts talking about how much he missed out on his family life to pursue his career, concluding that professional success ultimately means nothing without the love of his family. His son's tragically young death is memorialized but goes unremarked by Stallone, as do reports of a near-divorce. Other than one archived sound bite, his wife and daughters make just one, shadowy appearance in this documentary. All the other commentators, besides Rocky costar Talia Shire, are men.
Instead, the film builds a case that Stallone's personality and motivation to succeed arose from the emotional and physical "dents" of growing up with an abusive father and a largely absentee mother. Stallone opens up a lot about that difficult relationship, and he discusses at length how it informed his writing and acting over the years. He narrates his own career chronology, offering fascinating insights into the significance and inspiration of specific scenes from his films and various career choices over the years. (As the film's evocative poster suggests, Rocky looms large.) His main messages seem to be, like Rocky, to keep getting up when life knocks you down, to not get complacent, and to prioritize what really matters -- potentially helpful reminders for some viewers. Sly's intelligent commentary and self-awareness contrast with his somewhat oafish action-hero profile, and the documentary keeps an engaging pace that stays interesting throughout.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about whether they learned anything new about Sylvester Stallone in Sly. If so, what did you learn?
Stallone and others talk about the downsides of celebrity. What were some of those mentioned? What others can you think of?
What methods does this film use to reconstruct the past?
How does the film show Stallone has, like many of his on-screen characters, demonstrated resilience and perseverance over the course of his life? How has this served him?
Stallone says he's "in the hope business" and doesn't believe in "sad endings," especially for heroes. How does he reveal that this affected the fates of characters he's most famous for?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: November 3, 2023
- Cast: Sylvester Stallone , Talia Shire , Arnold Schwarzenegger
- Director: Thom Zimny
- Inclusion Information: Female actors
- Studio: Netflix
- Genre: Documentary
- Topics: Brothers and Sisters , History
- Character Strengths: Perseverance
- Run time: 96 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: some language
- Last updated: November 9, 2023
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