Sly

Directed by Thom Zimny, Sly explores the life and career of Sylvester Stallone – with a particular emphasis on his success with the Rocky and Rambo franchises, as well as his fractured relationship with his abusive father. Filmmaker Zimny does a terrific job of eliciting open, honest comments from Stallone on a variety of appealing subjects, although it does remain fairly clear that the movie has been designed to appeal to the star’s dyed-in-the-wool followers – with this vibe particularly apparent during stretches focused on the nitty gritty of Stallone’s film work. (Although some of these stories will seem very familiar to fans, Zimny does an effective job of periodically offering up surprising and eye-opening tidbits and factoids from the actor.) It’s ultimately clear, however, that Sly is at its best when focused on Stallone’s personal life, as the film, particularly in its poignant final stretch, affords the larger-than-life figure plenty of opportunities to reflect on his relationship with his wife and kids – which ultimately does confirm the picture’s place as a fairly standard movie-star documentary that’s elevated by its subject’s openness and honesty.

*** out of ****