American accents throughout with some strong accents at times that may make this a challenge for intermediate English speakers.
A sports film is a curious thing for me. It s usually the most telegraphed of films, in that you almost always know how it's going to play out and end. The team starts off badly, makes tough decisions involving the initial "star" player, improves over the course of the film, before coming out on top against the team that beat them badly at the beginning.
I could reel off plenty of films like this.
Rocky was one of the first to genuinely stray from this path.
Also, it's as much a drama about relationships as it is about the sport of boxing. You absolutely care about the characters involved, whether it's Rocky himself or his trainer Micky, or even the brash champion Apollo Creed, played brilliantly by the late Carl Weathers.
In fact, two of the most important characters in the film are Rocky's shy object of his affection, Adrien, and her brother, Paulie. The dynamic between the three is fascinating, with Paulie's at once jealous and also admiring character particularly affecting. Adrien, played by Talia Shire, shines as she brings Rocky out of himself, and it's poignant that one of the more famous posters for the film includes her just as much as him.
Yes, there's a training montage, but when done correctly, and believe me this one is, it's exhilarating. In fact, even if you haven't seen Rocky, you probably recognise the theme music.
And then finally the fight itself. Not rushed, the bout swings back and forth with a couple of real twists making it a fantastic climax to an absolute gem of a film.
The greatest sports film ever made? I think so.