For nearly 50 years, Sylvester Stallone has entertained millions with his iconic characters and blockbuster movies, from Rocky to Rambo to the Expendables. This retrospective documentary offers an intimate look at the Oscar-nominated actor, screenwriter, director and producer, juxtaposing his inspirational underdog story with the indelible characters he brought to life.
You may know him as Rocky and Rambo, but the story of Sylvester Stallone himself is a cinematic treat. Sly is a documentary that is as much about the life and career of the Oscar-nominated actor, writer, director and producer as it is about the characters he has brought to life over the years. It offers a heartfelt, intimate look at Stallone’s triumphs and struggles, which take place alongside the indelible characters he created for the world. Stallone’s career has spanned more than 50 years, entertaining millions with such unforgettable blockbusters as Rocky, Rambo and The Expendables. As well as being an actor and filmmaker, he is also an artist who in 1976 fought to bring his indie script for Rocky to life – and play the title character himself. Despite the studio’s misgivings, Stallone was able to realize his original vision, the film went on to chart at number one and win the Academy Award for Best Picture – but it hasn’t been all up and down since then. In the documentary, Sly talks candidly about his box office flops and failures and how the hardships he experienced professionally only drove him forward. “Which is more rewarding — to live in an illusion and still have a little glimmer of hope that you could be great,” Stallone says in the Sly trailer, “or to screw it up and be… a failure? I think it’s easier to live in an illusion. The rejection was an encouragement to me.”
Directed by Thom Zimny (The Gift: The Journey of Johnny Cash), featuring interviews with contemporaries including Arnold Schwarzenegger (Arnold, FUBAR) and Quentin Tarantino, and exclusive insights from Sly himself, Sly is part retrospective and part Hollywood nostalgia. Presented by Netflix from 3/11/2023.
