Psychology of a Hero: ROCKY and Healthy Masculinity

How do you respond when life gets tough? Who are your role models for healthy masculinity?
Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright are breaking down 8 lessons for healthy masculinity through Rocky Balboa. Like Aragorn, he displays healthy masculinity, but he’s also humble, tender, strong, and teachable. They discuss how Rocky is a classic underdog story and probably the first to do it well. The character means a lot to Jonathan because of the valuable lessons about love, family, grief, and getting back up when life knocks you down. The training montages and frolicking in short shorts are a bonus.
Support us!
Patreon: / cinematherapy
Merch: store.dftba.co...
Internet Dads Popcorn: ctpopcorn.com
Cinema Therapy is:
Written by: Megan Seawright, Jonathan Decker, and Alan Seawright
Produced by: Jonathan Decker, Megan Seawright, Alan Seawright, and Corinne Demyanovich
Edited by: Trevor Horton, tzhediting.com
Director of Photography: Bradley Olsen
English Transcription by: Anna Preis
Connect with us!
Website: www.thecinemat...
Discord: / discord
Instagram: / therapy_cinema
TikTok: / therapy_cinema
Twitter: / therapy_cinema
Facebook: / therapycinema

[@Thundercloud94]

My dad stood in line for hours to see Rocky in theaters when he was 11 years old. Decades later he and I saw Creed together, and the ending of that film when Adonis and Rocky climb the iconic steps together had my dad sobbing. That was one of the few times I’ve seen my old man cry. I love Rocky.

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

That's beautiful. Thanks for sharing!

[@amandamcquade1272]

Rocky was the only movie I ever saw in a theatre with my Dad. I'd seen it with my friend, and I knew he would love it, if only I could talk him into going with me. Amazingly, Yes! That winter, he was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS) and he died two and a half years later, in 1979, at home. My Mom and I took care of him, with home healthcare nurses... Talk about taking the hard hits life hands out, and keeping going forward...love you forever, Daddy!

[@saifalam2030]

My dad was also 11 when rocky came out

[@MonkeyJedi99]

After the first movie came out, so many of my high school friends tried drinking raw eggs. I didn't, because I got to see their reactions.

[@terrancat]

I so want to be able to cry in front of my nephews but the only things that make me cry is anime and Cinema Therapy. But they're dubs and I'm not having that.

[@sam-ff8fk]

1. Rocky competes with himself 2. Tenderness is manliness 3. Shares credit and gives praise 4. Accepting influence 5. Unafraid of affection with other men 6. Shows kindness and respect 7. Speak the truth boldly with love 8. Own and correct your mistakes

[@LordVandor1]

Gigachad mentality

[@fwwaller]

All the ways these things can go wrong. 1.You won't make any progress if the goals you set for yourself are unrealistic or your version of competing with yourself is barely putting any work in and doing slightly more each time. 2.Life is tough a lot of the time and you have to be tough too, and people, men AND women, will punish and shame you if you open up too much, so this is also dangerous 3. Give praise to people who deserve it, not the ones who just do standard shit. 4. people can be wrong and you can be right, seriously think about the input others give you before put it into practice, don't just do it just because you want to be nice 5. give affection to those deserving of it, doing it with those undeserving can lead to bad consequences, affection is vulnerability, and people can use vulnerabilities against you. 6. Again, show it to those deserving of it, people getting undue respect and kindness can take advantage of you in horrible ways. 7. sometimes you have to let other people figure their shit out themselves, and just being open and honest with them won't do it. 8. Assess if something is actually your fault before you try to own and correct it.

[@Dre-yd2xh]

Tenderness has nothing to do with being manly, thats just what a *good person* , man or woman does

[@fwwaller]

@@Dre-yd2xh not outright, tenderness is something the person should earn, if you’re just tender outright the person can use that against you, you need to have boundaries

[@Dre-yd2xh]

@@fwwaller it still doesn’t change the facts that being *manly* is irrelevant to tenderness

[@trinaq]

I admire that Rocky isn't afraid to be emotional, to cry or to overtly express his feelings to the people he loves, while having a traditionally masculine demeanour. Emotions are not a sign of weakness, but a show of strength.

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

Heck yeah!

[@ultimatebishoujo29]

I admire that too

[@badaboum2]

A thing I find interesting and that the video doesn't really talk about, is that he wasn't always like that. In the first movie he hides often his emotions under "it don't bother me none", until Adrian allows him to feel confident that they're valid.

[@tsdk107]

​@@badaboum2 And that further reinforces the point of accepting influence that they did discuss. It's pretty great.

[@joshdelagarza231]

I think that’s a misread of his character though. Yes Rocky has feelings, but he doesn’t overdo it. There’s really only four instances of him being truly “emotional”. His blowup at Mickey in the first movie, which was years of bottled resentment. Crying when he won the championship, when Mickey died, and speaking about his loss of Adrian. You can maybe count his argument with her when he admits to feeling fear but he quickly overcomes that. He controls his emotions, and that’s his strength. His unbreakable spirit.

[@mdmyer]

My favorite quote from the series is directed at Paulie. “Nobody owes nobody nothin'. You owe yourself. Friends don't owe! They do because the wanna do.”

[@andrei283]

Woah

[@andrei283]

I just realized what Donnie goes through in the 3rd creed film is what Paulie just said he felt that he owed dame Something just cause they're homies when in reality he doesn't owe dame shit

[@Vincent.E.M.Thorn.Author]

I'm surprised you didn't mention the backstory behind the first film, since at least Alan usually knows some interesting trivia and this really ties in to the spirit of the character. Stallone wrote Rocky when he was dirt broke and struggling, but passed up some good money for the screenplay because he wanted to act in it, but no one would give him the chance. But Stallone believed in what he had and what he could do, so he kept fighting for it. It came to the point that he had to sell his dog so he could have something to eat. Then he finally gets the deal that allowed him to act as Rocky, the movie happens, and the first thing he does when he gets paid is reunite with his dog. That first Rocky film was a true passion project that he believed in with his soul.

[@recoveringsoul755]

That's awesome

[@TheKrispyfort]

The story behind the story is always better

[@penname8441]

+

[@Zeithri]

++

[@mishthemaverick8607]

Yes! I love the story behind the story

[@oliverwilhelm6171]

I love that in the end of Rocky 2, he goes out of his way to thank his opponent, too. He stood in the ring against him pummeling him, and there's still that solid sportsmanship.

[@Xiassen]

It really drives the point home that it's never was him vs Apollo to Rocky and there's no hard feelings, contrasted with Apollo's reaction over the first fight

[@moonbeamsun9066]

One thing I like about Rocky is that when he found confidence in himself, Adrian found confidence in herself. She was told growing up that she wasn’t beautiful and I believe one of the reasons she rejected Rocky at first was because she didn’t believe he ever actually liked her. She let Paulie push her around and berate her a lot. But when Rocky and her started a relationship, she realized that she had self worth. That gave her the courage to stand up to Paulie and learn that she deserved to be treated well. That’s what makes her running into the ring and telling Rocky she loves her in the end of the first film shows up how much she’s changed. The Adrian in the beginning of the film wouldn’t have done that. And Adrian also helped Rocky as well. While Adrian made the choice to change and Rocky was not all to do with that change (I’m not implying that at all. It’s possible to gain confidence and make positive changes to yourself without needing someone else), it shows how when we’re in love with someone and in a healthy relationship, it can help us out for the better.

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

That's a really great explanation!

[@Bleuryder]

I also love that Adrian helped him confront his very real fears regarding boxing, would call him out when just wasn't right and how they both simply brought out the best in each other. I honestly LOVE them as a couple. From minute 1.

[@reaganharder1480]

Healthy couples better each other. Sometimes you don't even realize the problems you have until someone calls you out on it, and when you're in love with that person, it's a lot easier to not get defensive and actually listen to their criticism.

[@MonkeyJedi99]

I also, with the hindsight of age and growing wisdom, appreciate that Adrian was played by an actress who was not "classically" beautiful, but instead an everyday average-looking woman.

[@youngafromanthepoet]

Beautifully expressed! You got me ready to have a Rocky movie marathon 🎬🎞🍿🥤! Stay blessed 😁

[@TRainbowPitt]

Something else that I've always loved about the series is that Rocky (and also creed) are also never shown as womanizers or even interested in the idea which given the fame/rich theme would've been very easy to get into. They're respectful and thoughtful about their relationships just as much as everything else

[@CraigKostelecky]

Though the Creed movies are the direct result of an affair that Apollo had, so maybe this point should have just been made about Rocky. Edit: I realize you were possibly talking about Adonis and not Apollo.

[@TRainbowPitt]

@@CraigKostelecky yes I meant creed as in the creed movies not Apollo, should've made that more clear

[@thecensoredmuscle563]

Except for creed, they unfortunately made Apollo a womanizer. But the Rocky movies, neither Rocky nor the antagonists were womanizers. They all had a goal, and cared about the reputation of themselves.

[@groggy34]

I also loved that because it tells you that Rocky never got into boxing for that and always had one goal in mind since marrying Adrian which was to make his and Adriana’s life better with his success. He always put being able to provide a number one priority

[@draco747]

@@thecensoredmuscle563 I don’t think that means Apollo didn’t care about his reputation at all (if that’s what you’re getting at, correct me if I’m wrong) he just likes to appeal to a certain crowd. In his extreme patriarchy it showed.

[@excessivelyfangirlingbookw3339]

I love that Rocky had such a huge impact on audiences that even years later people who don’t even know the story are familiar with the music.

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

The music itself is powerful!

[@Xehanort10]

@@CinemaTherapyShow Not only the main theme and Eye of the Tiger but Burning Heart too.

[@danielland3767]

​@@Xehanort10 I still sing Eye of The Tiger to myself and my 8yr old daughter & 5yr old son at karate lol

[@seankim1592]

For me, it's the theme "Final Bell." It's so iconic that sometimes out of nowhere, the theme lives in my head rent free. It just sounds so powerful and uplifting.

[@iambutter2784]

So when my wife and I were struggling with some issues with our marriage, stress with work, and having moved to a new area, I sat down and showed her Rocky giving his speech to his son and told her that we can do this together because we could take the hits life threw at us. That quote has become our family motto.

[@ramonabdiel10]

W Family 👑

[@groggy34]

That’s so sweet. Love that

[@Overseer2579]

That’s so sweet. Glad it helped y’all work through your marital stress

[@christophergarrett7082]

He's one of the best role models ever. That's why I love rocky cause he reminds you that it doesn't matter if you win as long you show up and try your best. Not to mention he's really kind and is there for people

[@ultimatebishoujo29]

I agree with you

[@thedeepfriar745]

The dialogue between Rocky and Mick in the first film is masterful. there’s so much of that tough guy facade between the two that hides so much subtext of the pain and the rejection that they’ve both faced. And that mask drops a little bit when Mick finally admits, “I’m seventy-six years old.”

[@noneofurbusiness5223]

@TheDEEP Friar Yes + Burgess Meredith was under appreciated.

[@Xiassen]

There's a lot that people don't see if they dont understand subtext. Male communication is more complicated and rich than people give it credit for

[@ignisincendia9430]

@@Xiassen it has to be society teaches us to be men you can't talk about your emotions you bury them down, there has to be sub text for men to communicate on a deeper level otherwise it's just talks about cars, sports, women and beverages.

[@fleshhammer656]

​@Ignis Incendia I don't think it's taught, it's ingrained in us. I was encouraged to speak it out all the time, but I didn't feel comfortable with it, took me a long time to get over.

[@katemaloney4296]

Rocky quoted the best life advice ever: "Nobody is going to hit you harder than life, and it will drive you down to your knees and keep you there if you let it."

[@kamentrainerhorn2073]

“But, it ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can GET hit and keep movin’ forward, how much you can TAKE and keep movin’ forward!”

[@TheVioletMaze]

As a mom raising a son, healthy masculinity is very important to me. I haven't seen Rocky, but I think I will with my son and bring up some of these themes you've talked about.

[@painunending4610]

Trying to lecture your kid is only going to make him not want to listen to you As a young man if my mother did that to me, I would think she was forcing her values on me Let you kid find their own path

[@landofthehazymist]

@@painunending4610 that applies with daughters too. kids in general

[@CalSkywalker]

Masculinity is masculinity.

[@erinpixton432]

I’m a 43 year old woman who doesn’t love sport/action movies, but I love the Rocky movies (especially the early ones). Thank you for doing this video, it was great, and I totally cried…..a lot!

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

Thanks for watching and sharing the love of Rocky!

[@shadowbeast2276]

They have a truly powerful message for everyone

[@trinaq]

Likewise, I'm not the biggest watcher of sports films, there's so much heart in the earlier films.

[@shadowbeast2276]

@@trinaq and alot of it gets applied in the ROCKY BALBOA film.

[@meganjaime7728]

My little sister love’s Rocky she thinks he’s very cool. She even named her dog Rocky. He’s really a great character for everyone. Very inspirational and very likable. 😊

[@tylerhill2202]

The relationship between Adonis and Rocky and how he showed Donnie what it means to be a man reminds me of Zuko and Iroh from Avatar the Last Airbender, which is also another great example of healthy masculinity.

[@DeepFriarShow]

Truly a great take on rocky. We hear so much about toxic masculinity, the best remedy is a good example of positive masculinity. This is so needed in today’s toxic climate.

[@thecensoredmuscle563]

No such thing as toxic masculinity anyways, there is such thing as toxic traits though. And that applies to men and women.

[@DeepFriarShow]

@@thecensoredmuscle563 Anything to sound oppressed eh?

[@axios7603]

indeed we need more positive masculinity in today's world very much needed 🙏

[@thecensoredmuscle563]

@@DeepFriarShow yep, that's pretty much why the term toxic masculinity was created. It is a term feminists came up, so that they can pretend to be oppressed.

[@DeepFriarShow]

@@thecensoredmuscle563 Women have been oppressed. For hundreds if not thousands of years… Regardless did you even watch the video? It’s a very positive take on masculinity and handles the subject well.

[@djdegracia02]

The proposal scene is so sweet and cute. This huge boxer that towers over Adrianne being shy and awkward around the woman he's in love with - that gap in expectations is just so charming and cute. I love it!!

[@kazumajay]

Yes, yes, finally. I've been waiting for this. Rocky is the character we are all inspiring to be in life. I'm forever grateful to Sylvester Stallone for creating Rocky. That man taught me to be a good man in life. Words aren't enough to bless that man. Thank you, Jonathan Alan, and crew for making this video 🙏

[@trinaq]

Agreed, Ricky is Sylvester Stallone's most iconic character, rivalled only by Rambo.

[@vitoravila9908]

This video is amazing! We hear all the time about “toxic masculinity “, and that’s good, but too little about HEALTHY masculinity…I see a lot of young men struggling to find their identity and purpose, and I feel that videos like these are excellent for providing relatable exemples

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

Thanks so much!

[@painunending4610]

Notice how actual real life men don't want toxic or healthy masculinity, they want to be themselves

[@victordoroshin6562]

Stallone never getting an Oscar for playing Rocky and not being able to get the rights for his own character is criminal.

[@hello-gx6oi]

Wait what?

[@robofistsrevenge3288]

The rights thing does suck, but he _did_ get an Oscar for playing Rocky in Creed. Better late than never I say.

[@victordoroshin6562]

@RoboFist's Revenge he got a Golden Globe. Sly was nominated for an Oscar, but Mark Rylance won that year.

[@CorinShadowblayde]

I love your channel, guys. As a kid who grew up feeling like a loser who is now a fighter, a coach, and a father this is my favorite episode so far of Cinema Therapy. Thank you so much.

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

Our pleasure. Thanks for watching!

[@lau4545]

My boyfriend just recently made me watch the entire Rocky series with him - I had always refused to watch it because I thought it was just a "stupid boxing movie" 🙈 Well, I was very wrong, and I was so surprised at how much I loved his character. I also really appreciated his positive, strong, yet realistic relationship with Adrian (Adrienne?) throughout the whole series. Also his dorkiness that just makes him so likeable while being a badass. In Rocky, Sylvester Stallone just created such a timeless role model through and through!

[@johnwalker1058]

Same, I initially just thought it was gonna be some dumb, cheesy boxing movie before the first time my dad showed it to me, and hoo boy did I realize how wrong I was!

[@ridney5887]

Rocky being a sweet, earnest dork is what makes him an incredible character, and I wish more films would embrace that!

[@MascaraMorada]

I think I'll have to give a shot since I unfortunately associated this movie with my abusive father, who loves the series. But heating about all the positive examples gives me hope.

[@michaelmcdoesntexist1459]

Es una pena que asocies una saga tan buena y tan... bueno, positiva, a tan malas experiencias. Es la razón por la que yo nunca he podido disfrutar a los Beatles (mi padre los amaba y dejémoslo en que no era una buena persona). Espero que algún día puedas darle oportunidad a Rocky, es todo un viaje de crecimiento personal.

[@MascaraMorada]

@@michaelmcdoesntexist1459 Muchas gracias, aprecio su entiendimiento. Por tal vez, va a ser posible cuando me salgo de esta casa y puedo estar impaz sola

[@curestarlight3023]

One time I walked in when my Dad was watching Rocky Balboa & he asked me to watch the scene of Rocky’s speech to his son. My Dad knows I struggle with anxiety & he wanted to encourage me to keep fighting the fight even when it’s beating me down. I’ll always be grateful for his belief & assurance.

[@SirGrimly]

The lesson taught by the character of Rocky is an impactful one and definitely one that I resonate with personally (as it is also the underlining lesson of Dragon Ball) "One does not strive for victory over an opponent... one strives to avoid defeat by one's own self." - Master Roshi

[@ultimatebishoujo29]

This is so true

[@whathell6t]

@SirGrimly That’s weak compared to the excellent philosophies of Kentaro Muira’s Berserk. Rocky has the same struggle with Guts the Black Swordsman. Son Goku doesn’t have that nor do I want him to face that.

[@SirGrimly]

@@whathell6t The story of Guts is NOTHING like that of Rocky lol Guts' story has never been about self improvement... it's about acceptance and gaining a will to live. Guts, for most of the story, has been walking towards what he believes to be his inevitable death and is learning the valuable life lessons of love, grief and, more importantly, to fight even in the face of hopelessness. Where has Rocky's story is all about self improvement and learning to humble himself. These are themes are projected all through out the story of Dragon Ball through Goku and his training from Master Roshi. The only difference is that Rocky has a curved character arc (meaning he is learning the theme of his story over the course it) where as Goku has a flat character arc (meaning he enters the story already knowing the theme of his story and teaches it to other characters). Berserk's themes are nothing like that of Rocky or Dragon Ball and to call one weak compared to the others is an insult to all three stories.

[@whathell6t]

@@SirGrimly Have you actually read the manga? The whole point of the development of Conviction Arc was Guts owning his mistakes and decides to take care of Casca, stopping his revenge.

[@SirGrimly]

@@whathell6t Yeah, owning up to his mistake and putting life before his pursuit of death. Self improvement is not a core value in Berserk like it is in Rocky and Dragon Ball (hell, the example you used is that of Guts putting other people before himself, which is also a good lesson to learn... but not in any way associated with self improvement).

[@Surllio]

I find the parallel between Stallone and Rocky interesting. By the time you get to 3, Stallone is fully into the macho 80s and has transformed himself and the series. It's not until you get to 5 that Stallone takes a step back and realizes he had fallen into the trappings of success. So he dialed everything back. Balboa is extremely introspective of life.

[@ramiron4109]

I cried more this episode than any others. It's so beautiful seeing a man be a good person. A REAL person. I haven't seen much of that from anyone in my life other than my internet dads. This is who I strive to be

[@MoonlitShoreWalk]

I get where you're coming from; I didn't grow up with great role models either. In my life, Jesus has been the *best* example of healthy masculinity - protector, provider, loving Father, caring friend that sticks closer than a brother, always there for me. I can't recommend Him enough 😄

[@wolf2966]

Is one of those men Andrew Tate if so I’d like to have a discussion with you that maybe you should know about

[@painunending4610]

You don't see other people as REAL people. kinda weird bro ngl

[@draco747]

@@painunending4610Because not everyone is real, just a slabs of meat with nothing truly humane inside, just there to be there.

[@fatethegemini]

As a male kindergarten teacher, this video was super impactful. I'm really glad y'all decided to do this one together 💪🏿

[@youssefnakhli8996]

Jono, you're not the only one. Rocky is THE best (cinematic) character ever created. I was genuinely waiting for you guys to do Rocky and I never thought that you'd actually do it but I'm happy it happened.

[@t.v.rockwell4504]

I love how even Rocky does change throughout the series, he's always the same guy in the core. He's a shy, goofy, lovable man who loves people and boxing.

[@Overseer2579]

That’s what great characterization is, in my book. They make a big overall change throughout their arc, but at their core they are still fundamentally the same person they were at the start

[@msmcl71]

my father always described this series as a hidden chick flick, which i definitely understand where he got that from, considering that the boxing is not the purpose of the film. also awesome job edititors like usual!!

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

That's an interesting take. Thanks! Our editors are the best!

[@JonathanDecker]

Some of you asked for my thoughts on Rocky's seduction of Adrian in the first film, so here goes. I'm speaking to my own opinions, not presuming to speak for anyone else on the CT team here. It's that film's only major flaw, in my opinion, but it's also more nuanced and complicated than it appears to modern eyes. The fact is, he should have respected her boundaries. Full stop. I hope and believe Stallone would write that scene very differently today. That said, there's a worthwhile discussion to be had about the interplay between the in-story context, the era in which the film was made, and the larger message that scene sends. To be clear, I'm not justifying the scene. But I'm also not willing to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Some personal context: in college I took a women's studies course because I wanted to understand experiences outside of my own. It was my first deep dive into feminism. I learned a lot from my female professor and female classmates about the false dichotomy women have been placed in for thousands of years: "virgin or wh*re." Asserting oneself sexually means being seen as the latter, so woman have had to feign disinterest in sex and allow men to take the lead in order to maintain their virtue. For example, the song "Baby, It's Cold Outside" plays differently to our ears today because "no means no" is more firmly (and rightly) established as our cultural value. So today that song sounds like a woman drawing a boundary and a creepy man stepping over it. But in the 1940's, when that song was released, it played completely different. Why? Because it wasn't considered "proper" or "ladylike" for a woman to assert herself sexually back then. Not saying the song is about sex per se, but it IS at the very least about staying late or staying overnight at a man's house. The song is meant to be flirtatious and coy. She's "playing hard to get," but the implication is that she actually does want to stay. Today we would expect her to say either "I'd love to stay" or "I want to leave" and mean exactly what she says. And yes, that's how it always should have been. But it wasn't. And in the context of the 1940's it's a fun, even cute, song no matter how awful it sounds to some today. Of course, this whole dynamic has contributed to men being socialized to believe that "no actually means yes" or "she really does want you, you just have to try harder." In our James Bond episode we rightly roasted the sexism and misogyny of the early films, yet those also featured a similar dynamic. And Rocky the film, unfortunately, was influenced by that same social more and then fed back into it. (To be clear, Rocky is a much more positive role model than 007. I'm just saying, same era). In the context of the film, some people find the seduction scene to be creepy, others think it's sweet. I find it to be both, again, in the context of the film. I'll address the wider message in a moment. In the film, Adrian likes Rocky. He's kind to her. She's afraid that he's going to break her heart, that his kindness is a front to have sex with her, and that he's not for real. Of course, HE knows that he's in it for real and he wants her to trust him. He says as much when he's remembering the moment in Rocky Balboa (2006). He wants to take care of her and treat her well. He invites her in. She says that she should go home. He presses, but doesn't force. He leaves the door open for her and goes inside, much like Jennifer Connelly does for Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick. He leaves her there to make her choice. Adrian could leave at this moment, but she chooses to go inside. This is crucial, because it signals to the audience and to Rocky what she actually wants. Of course, she's free to change her mind, and he should respect it if she does. Once inside the apartment he definitely turns up his awkward verbal seduction attempt. She draws clear boundaries. He presses. I understand what the film is TRYING to say. Adrian wants to be with Rocky, but she's also afraid. Afraid that it's improper. Afraid of what her brother will think. Afraid that Rocky will "use her and lose her." Again, HE knows that he's not going to hurt her physically or emotionally, but she doesn't know that. He sees her as shy (which she is) and needing encouragement to live life (which she does). She goes to leave. He corners her and puts his hand on the door, asking her to stay. He gently asks her to take off her hat and her glasses. He tells her she's beautiful. She replies "don't tease me," and he tells her that he means it. She's so accustomed to Paulie telling her she's garbage that she's confused when Rocky sees her differently. It's a sweet moment in a creepy scene. He tells her he'd like to kiss her, but that she doesn't have to kiss him back if she doesn't want to. Interpreted one way, that line sounds terrible, like he's just going to have his way with her no matter what. But I think what he actually means is that he doesn't want to obligate or pressure her to kiss him back, and if she doesn't willfully reciprocate then he'll back off. Why do I think this? Because when he actually does kiss her, he starts on her cheek, not on her lips, and then he stops and pulls back. He's clearly checking to see if she's going to respond positively or not. He's betting that she actually DOES want to be with him, but if she doesn't move to kiss him back then he would stop and take her home. That's my read on it based on everything we know about this character. He's kind. He's got integrity. He's respectful. He looks out for people (like little Marie). He doesn't use force or hurt people outside of the boxing ring. But Adrian DOES move to kiss him on the lips when he stops and pulls back, showing that this is what she wants. So he kisses her. He was pushy and disrespectful before, but once they actually kiss he's very respectful about it. He takes it very slow, like he's checking moment-by-moment to make sure not to go further than she wants to. When she gets more passionate, so does he, and vice versa. He's responsive to her cues. End scene because this is a PG-rated film. While it may work for the characters, the message it sends to the viewer is indeed a harmful one: "A woman who says no likely means yes. You just need to try harder. It's okay to pressure her and corner her; she'll thank you later." That's the message for men. For women, the message is "if you say no and he pressures you, it's okay to give in because he'll likely end up to be a decent guy who treats you well." That's what happens in the movie. It's usually not what happens in real life. I don't really blame young Stallone for it. I blame the social mores of the era he grew up in. Perhaps I'm tolerant and forgiving because, for my part, I certainly used to believe what I now consider to be stupid ideas from growing up in the 80's and 90's. I couldn't see them at the time because neither I nor society had evolved past them yet. As for the characters, Rocky and Adrian are both about thirty years old. So they were born in the 1940's and were teens in the 1950's. Yes, the sexual revolution happened in the 1960's, but these characters are Catholics who hold to traditional gender roles. I'm not knocking Catholics (I actually love the faith aspect of Rocky), I'm just stating the facts of the case. Adrian asserting her sexuality as the aggressor would have been unthinkable for her. Rocky would likely see it as his role to give her permission to explore that with someone who cared for her. And young Stallone the writer was from an era where sweet women like Adrian weren't overtly sexual. Again, the "virgin or wh*re" dynamic. I don't agree with it. I'm not making excuses for it. But it is the way things were. Paulie reflects this dynamic when he drunkenly flips out after learning that Rocky and Adrian are sleeping together. "She's busted!" he exclaims. Rocky, for his part, displays a slightly more progressive take on it when he defends Adrians honor by holding Paulie back and staring him down. Adrian may no longer be a virgin, but she's still virtuous. She's still good. For Rocky, it was about love, not sex. She's not diminished for being sexually active. He sees her worth. I don't like the seduction scene. But, like "Baby It's Cold Outside," I also don't think it was meant to play the way it appears to modern audiences. Part of me would prefer a healthier scene. Like maybe Rocky and Adrian date longer before he invites her in. She expresses that she wants to be with him, but is scared he'll break her heart. He respectfully tells her that he won't, that this is real, and that he's willing to wait if that's what she wants. She chooses to trust him and to sleep with him. That would be a healthier dynamic and a more empowering scene. But I have to ask: would it have been true to the characters at this point in the story? Is Rocky mature or smart enough yet to have that conversation? Does Adrian have enough of a voice yet to speak this? Maybe. Maybe not. I don't like the scene. I do appreciate what it was going for when it comes to the characters' emotions and journeys. I just don't think it nailed it. The messaging is murky at best, very harmful at worst. But it doesn't ruin Rocky and Adrian for me. They're still my favorite cinematic love story, especially if you take the rest of the series into account. As a married couple they're second-to-none. Rocky II, Rocky III, the Rocky IV director's cut (the only version to watch) and Rocky Balboa especially give us such a wholesome, healthy dynamic. She's dead in Rocky Balboa, but that entire film is a love letter to her. It's all beautiful. Consent is key. No means no. That scene isn't great. Rocky and Adrian, though, still very much are. That's my opinion. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk. What are your thoughts?

[@kylerivera3470]

So basically it was good for its time and just didn't age well? That's kinda fair. I'm sure that a lot of the things that we currently think of as healthy and moral interactions will be seen as crude and discriminatory a few decades down the line. I think of it being similar to all those stories that try to predict what technology will exist in the future. It's impossible to know about what hasn't happened yet. Of course, this sort of thing is different from something silly like predicting future technology, but as long as it was good for its time, I think it deserves a pass. As long as people remember that its an old movie and that some of the lessons will be outdated, then it really shouldn't be an issue.

[@JonathanDecker]

@@kylerivera3470 Well said!

[@coeusdarksoul2855]

To the credit of my parents, back in the 80s and early 90s my parents would talk to me & my brother after scenes like this and say close to that & go into "It's a movie, it's not real life, and that's not how you behave in real life." so even now it can be used as a teaching moment of an example of not to do.

[@JonathanDecker]

@@coeusdarksoul2855 that's how I approach movies with my kids. My dad did a similar thing for me with old Bond movies. I still love James Bond movies, but I never considered him a role model.

[@CraigKostelecky]

To me that scene does still work, but *only* because Rocky's intuition was right and Adrian lacked the confidence in herself to believe that Rocky was attracted to her. I fully believe that no words would have broken through Adrian's walls, but the physical intimacy did. She wanted to be desired, but didn't think that anybody could due to Paulie's abusive treatment towards her. However, if Rocky had read the situation wrong and continued his advances, then it's a very different situation. And the reality is it's almost impossible to tell the difference from an outside point-of-view. I do believe you're right that if Stallone wrote this today, it would have been very different. Edit: I wrote that after reading just the first little bit of your post and have since gone back to read the whole thing. Like Jonathan said, you have expressed this VERY well. You took a very complicated situation and examined it from all angles.

[@Itzasmores_]

Thank you for doing this one. I've always loved how he was never a jerk. Always had good intentions. A scene that always makes me smile is how he rejects Adrian's advances in the first movie. He can tell that her feelings get hurt and so he goes to reassure her. He's always telling Adrian how great she is. He never puts her down.

[@herman1182]

Guys, you always do this to me. Was having some problems with my toughness to everybody... Was not being kind as I like to be, was kind of a stone cold guy... This, as many other times, helped me reconnect with myself, so thank you guys, you are awesome!😘

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

You're so welcome! :)

[@williamrusso3130]

I don't think I've ever had a movie resonate with me the way the original "Rocky" has. It's my go-to film when I'm feeling unmotivated. It has that magical aura about it.

[@hopelessromantic131]

These movies have been a thru-line for me in my life. I'm female and yet I love these movies. Rocky Balboa is in my opinion one of the most captivating and legendary movie characters in film history. He is so well written. Even if some of the latter movies in the franchise are subject to the politics and trends of the day, the true heart always shines through. Not to mention the Creed films have been such a masterful addition/sequel/continuation of the series, I truly believe it is hands down one of the best film franchises we will ever see. I am glad these movies played over and over again on tv as I grew up. There are days where I have to remind myself of Rocky's speech to his son in 6, "Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place and I don't care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody ain't gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!" Those words will forever live with me.

[@davedoodledude]

As someone who’s never been a boxer, these movies are the single most motivating series I’ve ever watched. I can’t watch these movies and not want to immediately train or just try harder at anything and everything. Love this franchise

[@the_UF365]

If you look into the comment section underneath the scene of Rocky talking to his son about life, I'm going to quote user Teru, "I applied to more than 100+ companies for a job, and I got rejected from all of them. I was depressed and lost all of my confidence, but this video helped me so much to push myself forward during that time. And I recently got a job offer - I'll value this video and quote forever in my life." Rocky appeals to people because he's tough, honest and vulnerable when life gets him down instead of self destructive and mean.

[@kamentrainerhorn2073]

Not only did you have me at healthy masculinity (something that I’m actually learning about right now), but you just took the greatest film series of all time and made it even better for me.

[@pyronuke4768]

I agree. I am so sick of being told that, since I'm a caucasian man, I'm inherently toxic and the cause of all society's problems. It sent me into a spiral of depression that I've only recently been able to pull myself out of thanks to self-help books and videos like this one.

[@kamentrainerhorn2073]

@@pyronuke4768 That sucks, dude. As someone who himself is trying to understand what it means to be a man, I must say that it's pretty lousy when people treat you like some sort of disease or like you're always in the wrong about stuff, even when it's got nothing to do with you. I'm glad that crap didn't beat you. Keep up the good work, friend!

[@themysticwarriorgal9465]

@@pyronuke4768 mmhh

[@pyronuke4768]

@@kamentrainerhorn2073 thanks. It's still a work in progress, but I'm slowly and surely making my way through it. Good luck to you too.

[@painunending4610]

Healthy masculinity isn't really real. Masculinity isn't real. It's a social construct with no definition. It's a useless term and we're all better off binning it and just being who we want

[@Speciimenn]

My dad was too excited for Creed 1 to come out, but never got the chance to see it. It was one of his favorite movies, so I grew up watching this a LOT. I ended up taking the same lessons of masculinity from my father as you talked about in the video. This was really refreshing to watch and gave me a good cry. Thanks a lot, cinema therapy!

[@dr.disappointment8400]

Dude I’m crying reading this. I’m so sorry for your loss.

[@Kayleska]

I had no idea about the tender side of this character. I had never seen the films myself (just snippets) but I got the impression from the scenes everyone always brings up that it is a motivational film that preached a nuanceless picture of masculinity. I'm surprised to see so much expression of Rocky being so gentle; since when I saw bits of the movie as a child I was afraid of him due to my association big = scary. I wish I had seen it in full growing up. It would have been an introduction to healthy masculinity that I only otherwise encountered in my adulthood.

[@Schu0086]

When it comes to the Rocky theme, I think there’s an emotional catharsis when Rocky has this interaction with Adonis. You have that tension and pain of what he said previously which rejected the meaningful nature of their relationship, and here Rocky has resolved it and he is agreeing to fight - while also accepting Adonis as part of his family and someone worth fighting for. So he’s not Rocky, he’s a Creed, but he’s also now a Balboa and the spiritual successor to Rocky’s legacy. It’s his mantle to carry now.

[@jharmo2]

I have been waiting for this one. Rocky is the embodiment of endurance and courage. He's the one movie character that genuinely inspires me.

[@filmtoppings]

Loved how you guys connected the movies to your personal lives and experiences, was beautiful to hear.

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

Thank you so much!

[@sbentsen2714]

Where I lose it is when he sees Paulie when he's painting and start talking about "the stuff in the basement" 🥺😭 so so good 🙏🏼

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

Heartbreaking scene. Stallone is so good there.

[@sheilawillis2430]

This series of movies is one of my favorites. I love how Rocky can honestly admit his mistakes and genuinely hopes others will learn from them.

[@Adurnis]

I really liked Rocky VI/Rocky Balboa. It felt like a thoughtful, passionate examination of identity in ageing. I watched it in conjunction with Indiana Jones IV and was really impressed with Rocky’s maturity over the frantic “I still got it!” energy of Indy’s last outing. I so appreciate y’all bringing in the “keep moving forward” scene!

[@adammitchellclark5127]

I remember watching this either while I was taking a course in adult development and aging or shortly before it. I recommended it to my professor who hadn't seen it because it focused on aging with dignity and self-determination as an older adult. It's also just a great movie, in general.

[@fernsehfreak12]

Thank you so much for this episode! I remember watching the movies with my father on TV, and we would always start cheering for Rocky. No matter how many times we watched them. My father died three years ago after he lost the fight to cancer, and I almost completely forgot about these movies. I'm going to watch them again, maybe one day with kids of my own and start cheering again. So thank you for this episode and reminding me of these beautiful memories. ❤️

[@justinedanielle6352]

Honestly, I would love another 40 or 50 years of Cinema Therapy please! Also loved this episode! It was needed!

[@swatisaini6447]

Right? There are soooo many movies pending

[@neosunrider]

You made me tear up watching this, but I actually cried at Rocky's speech to his son. I needed that. I feel like that's what my dad has been trying to say to me.

[@snack_bar2474]

I need to binge them… thanks. My dad would be proud of the man I have become. I miss him everyday.

[@emilyminchew6131]

This Rocky cinema Therapy is my favorite, out of all of the episodes!

[@justinpratt1622]

This freaked me out! I’ve been watching you guys weekly for months, and this weekend I had a wild hair to watch all of the rocky movies. I finished Rocky Balboa last night, and this is what I woke up too! Kinda creepy but also I haven’t clicked on a video faster 😂

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

What a wonderful coincidence!

[@xjoemallardx]

Well Creed 3 is coming out this week.

[@81stdelii]

BRO SAME

[@colt1903]

I've never seen a Rocky movie except for "Rocky Balboa." I'd seen and read stories where major characters were based on or inspired by Rocky's character, but never any of the actual story of Rocky itself. That one movie made me fall in love with the character, and even though to this day I still, sadly, haven't been able to see any of the other movies, that one has stuck with me for over a decade, even though I've only really seen the whole thing once. That's a big deal. Big accomplishment.

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

Well, you've seen my favorite one, but I love the whole series.

[@emilyminchew6131]

This Rocky episode is my favorite Cinema Therapy!

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

Thanks for watching!

[@allyhvis6046]

I haven't seen any of the Rocky films but I'm looking forward to this video! On the first glance, the Rocky movies look so motivational so perhaps I'll watch them after all. 😊 God knows I'll need all the motivation I can get for studying biochemistry.

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

You gotta do a Rocky style studying montage!

[@Bleuryder]

If you're like me, and you get emotionally invested in movies then I highly recommend. I screamed, cried, cheered and now it's honestly one of my fave movie series. Hell, the soundtrack alone is worth watching.

[@xjoemallardx]

It's a love story - Sylvester Stallone

[@davidspurlin8462]

The first video of yours that I ever saw was the one about Aragorn versus Toxic Masculinity. I gotta say that I'm proud of you guys for making really quality and helpful stuff for so long. Thank you.

[@sarahkoren7294]

Another great one. Being from Philly, this always resonated with me. But Rocky's getting up no matter how many times he is knocked down, resonates even more. I love that Rocky is the example of healthy masculinity. Jono and Alan's observations, as always, are right on point.❤️

[@ithinktheyfoundme]

I wasn’t a big fan of any of the Rocky movies, but the analysis that both you two gave is so beautiful that I will rewatch this movie with a fresh set of eyes and appreciate how brilliant it is

[@jongon0848]

I actually had this discussion with some friends of mine when we were discussing healthy masculine characters in film. Of course Rocky was my first choice, we also brought up Luke Skywalker, Furious from Boyz N The Hood, and Rick O' Connell from The Mummy.

[@Laurelin70]

Well, Rick starts as the usual "macho" character. It's just after knowing Evie that he becomes more respectful.

[@michelottens6083]

Both those characters do take quite a while to not be toxic, though. With O'Connell having to learn to be more humble, earnest and accepting of help. And Luke Skywalker very much moaning, then brooding his way through two and a half movies. Then for a brief moment he redeems himself and his dad, but then disastrously fails to show his students the empathy they need, then only briefly becomes a less bitter retiree when Rey shows up to pull him back, and then as a ghost he's right back to bemoaning his fate until his old teacher's ghost literally knocks some sense into him.

[@painunending4610]

Oh great more unrealistic ideals and archetypes men can't live up to. Exactly what we need...

[@Laurelin70]

@@painunending4610 Being accountable, emotionally open and caring, willing to change and to accept others' (women's) advice, for you are so unrealistic needs? If you can't live up to such needs, maybe you should question yourself as a human being, not as a man.

[@painunending4610]

@@Laurelin70 What a nasty thing to say. Be a better person Claudia

[@RoseCentaur1916]

OMG! Jonathan! That is a spot on Stallone impression!

[@artifundio1]

Thank you very, very much!! I can tell you enjoyed making this as much as your audience watching did. 👏👏👏

[@zekeavery6526]

I'm so glad you guys did this! Rocky, and Creed to an extent, is my grandfather's favorite movie series. When I was like 7-9 my grandfather showed them all to me over the course of a weekend. A great character portrayed in a simplistic story but done so well that it is an instant masterpiece. Thank you for shining some light on it and you guys keep doing what you're doing

[@Stark-Raving]

I have loved Rocky's speech to his son since the first time I saw it, and it's something I come back to often. I've been through a lot in life, the passing of my half sister when I was 10, ten major surgeries before I turned 18, struggles with mental health and addiction, and a two week hospital stay because of those struggles. That speech sums up my approach to life, it doesn't matter if you take one step forward a day or a hundred, all that matters is you get up and keep moving forward.

[@elanawills2364]

I cried three times watching this video . The whole Rocky franchise is just *chefs kiss*. Lemme go watch them

[@Rakshiir]

It is hard to nail a character that is a badass, that isn't afraid to show emotions but doesn't feel to emotional. Rocky can be emotional and tender, but is also tough when it matters, he doesn't talk overly about those emotions - just enough. Great writing to be honest. Often we end up with a character that is either to far on one side or the other.

[@samuelrobles3737]

His quote to his son helped me become my own man while at the same time recognizing everything my father had ever done for me.

[@essahsaeidi5543]

props to your EDITORS, who are now capable of making me cry with the opening montage before we even hit the cinematherapy logo and intros. its beautiful!

[@kiya1809]

Ive truly never had the urge or want to watch any Rocky movies until now. Lol you guys always end up being my introduction to so many beautiful movies. I love it!

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

We love to hear that! Thanks!

[@patrickorourke41]

I absolutely love Rocky Balboa! He is without a doubt one of the greatest movie characters of all time. There is SO MUCH to unpack about why Rocky displays a lot of healthy masculine traits. For one, he knows what his mission and purpose is in life: He’s a fighter. That’s been his identity since the first film. Being a fighter both inside and outside the ring shows that no matter how tough his life is, he refuses to give up. Like Stallone says, “Keep punchin’!” I love that Rocky can be a tough guy, but deep down inside he’s not afraid of being vulnerable. It’s like what Brene Brown says: “There is courage in vulnerability.” That scene in Rocky III where he tells Adrian he’s scared showed that Rocky is like us, he can be afraid. What makes him different is that he walks through that pain to get to where he needs to be. Most importantly, Rocky always did what he did for his friends and family. I love that he is selfless and thanks everyone who helped him on his journey from underground fighter to 2x Heavyweight Champion of The World.

[@mark.daniel]

You guys need to do more character voices for the credits again because Alan and Jono talking as Rocky was THE BEST.

[@makotoyamakami]

Greetings from Brazil, where we are (once more) trying to make people (men) understand that the traditional views of masculinity are toxic, dangerous, violent. I watch most of your videos and this one really got me as a so needed breathing spot. Rocky is one of the most captivating characters in movie history and I had never thought of him as a role model for healthy masculinity. And now I love him even more.

[@johnwalker1058]

Previously, I only ever saw the Rocky movies as sports-themed motivational stories like Miracle (the hockey movie) for example. I never really noticed the gentle masculinity Rocky displayed in these movies until Decker pointed them out in this video. Thank you Jonathan Decker (if you ever see this comment) for showing me another dimension of these movies to appreciate!

[@robinkendallNP]

That is a scary good Stallone impression! This is fantastic, thank you guys so much!! And another trivia bit... apparently Stallone ran track in high school so he had extra fun on Rocky 3 for the beach run😄 and in rocky 4 they had a great talk at the beginning that shows how rocky is only competing with himself

[@CraigKostelecky]

The Rocky impressions from both of you at the end are pure gold.

[@MrFailMouse]

The summary at the end is so perfect in describing healthy masculinity… 👏👏 Great video guys

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

Thanks for watching! :)

[@pyronuke4768]

I needed to see this video. I've been in a depressed state for a while now, and a part of it is because I've seen so much in the media telling me that, because I'm a white male, I'm inherently toxic and the cause of all society's problems. And the only way out is to accept all these movements and turn myself into a complete beta male. I'm a sensitive guy, and seeing these subliminal undertones everytime I turned around really did a number on my psyche. Recently self-help books and videos have been helping me out of my mental gutter. Thanks for making this video. It's message of ''it's ok to show weakness and still traditionally masculine'' really brightened up my day.

[@carlus05]

Love this episode, thanks guys! The story behind Rocky is also beautiful. Thank you Stallone! And yes, we need more movies with him as a director and writer.

[@Maskmaker2307]

1. Rocky competes with himself 2. Tenderness is manliness 3. Shares credit and gives praise 4. Accepting influence 5. Unafraid of affection with other men 6. Shows kindness and respect 7. Speak the truth boldly with love 8. Own and correct your mistakes

[@mantis638]

The way you describe Rocky’s journey oddly reminds me of Scott Pilgrim vs the world. In that film, the whole journey was focused on dating Ramona. All the lies, the half victories, and other struggles were to have his princess in the castle. Even the super weapon he used was the sword of love. It wasn’t until he learned to be self confident that he finally become a hero to himself and to the people he is with. I know the concept of self confidence and masculinity has been covered multiple times, but I thought these themes were echoed pretty well there.

[@readMEinkbooks]

We saw Rocky 2 in Zimbabwe when it came out. There were people sitting on the stairs in the cinema (a fire hazard nightmare) but it was standing room only. The atmosphere was electric. In the last fight scene, everybody was on their feet, screaming and shouting at the screen, "GET UP! GET UP!" When Rocky won, the place erupted! It was the best night at the movies EVER!

[@kibble24]

I'm a late bloomer trans guy and have done SO MUCH thinking about toxic masculinity and healthy masculinity, especially when I was reconciling with who I am. I really love y'all's videos touching on healthy manifestations of masculinity in pop media. I hope you make this a whole series. It's such a complex and compelling subject.

[@wolf2966]

@@thehumanbackpack6374be nice this isn’t a Matt Walsh comment section

[@wolf2966]

I wanna see him address toxic masculinity especially with the whole Andrew Tate fan base out there I want to know how we as men should address it and transform ourselves away from that mindset

[@kibble24]

@@wolf2966 oh, absolutely. Agreed.

[@thehumanbackpack6374]

@@wolf2966 Andrew promotes men to be the best version of themselves in in all areas of life. So jut beause he isn't promoting the modern way of men being fat, weak, effeminate, simps doesn't mean he's a bad person.

[@serbu4169]

@@thehumanbackpack6374 you’re weird

[@sunnytheo]

Can I just say that found y’all’s channel a few months ago right around when I started cognitive processing therapy for my ptsd. Seeing two men have such a genuine caring friendship discussing incredibly important things like healthy masculinity has been so healing as I work through all my stuck points related to men and my safety around them. Happy to be doing the work to heal and get to listen to such important conversations ☺️

[@InkyDustMan]

I watched the first Rocky movie not long ago. Honestly, I didn't know if I would even like the movie before watching it, I had seen clips, heard how it effected others, even watched this episode, yet I still didn't know if I could truly connect with it with how old it was, and how simple it seemed. I regret not watching it sooner. It's the kind of movie that you can only truly understand by experiencing it yourself, alone, and no amount of other people telling you will ever be able to match it. I've been going through, to put it bluntly, the worst year of my life so far, I've had almost all my optimism beaten out of me with a metaphorical emotional sledgehammer, and I've had moments where the only reason I'm holding on is because of a vague idea that maybe if I keep going, things might not be as bad in 10 years or so, even if I have absolutely no idea where I may be in 10 years. Watching this movie, not the whole series, but just this first one, in my own experience, there's something that is so unfiltered and raw about how real it is. There are no villains. There are no big twists. There's just life, and there's just people living it... I'd seen the Rocky run before, it never really clicked with me, but watching the movie unfold, I began seeing the full picture. I won't spoil it, because I think it's best if you go watch it yourself, as nothing I can say, and even no amount that our favorite movie dads can say or show can do it justice, and that says A LOT. Probably the most impactful moment to me in the entire film, was actually the very first clip they show. "It really don't matter if I lose this fight. It really don't matter if this guy opens my head, either. 'Cause all I wanna do is go the distance. Nobody's ever gone the distance with Creed. And if I can go that distance... You see and that bell rings, and I'm still standing... I'm gonna know for the first time in my life, you see... That I weren't just another bum from the neighborhood." I haven't done much that I'm proud of in my life, and right now even after a year I still don't know if I might have lost the most important person in my life over some bad calls...I have no way of truly knowing since I don't know how they feel since they wouldn't be able to tell me even if they did still care... But I wanna go the distance...and I wanna prove to myself, and to them, and to...really everyone, but especially myself... That I'm not just some bum taking the easy way through life. And hearing that same thing expressed in Rocky, is one of the most "It hurts in all the right ways" moments, I've ever experienced during a movie, or anything really. I will end with this. I have been hit with the biggest loss I've ever had the past year, I've hit rock bottom multiple times this year to the point that I think I may have left a crater that has made it slightly deeper than it was before. I don't know if I can say that I'll come out of this on top, it's too early to say. But for better or worse, I'll keep getting back up, no matter how many times I get knocked down and I feel like things are hopeless and there's no one to help me. I will get up, and go that distance, even it takes going through hell with broken legs to do it. Because the essence of Rocky, is not just the underdog that wins, it's the underdog that refuses to lose, that refuses to give up no matter what. Where even if winning isn't a possibility, losing will never be an option. I go on for my dogs, my family, my friends, and a girl that I hold dear who may or may not still be waiting for me in New York. If you read this and are having a hard time like me...or even if you view this as the new normal... No matter how hard it is, keep going... Win or lose, life is tragically short, make the most of it even in the hardest of times, so that no matter what, at the very least, you can take pride in knowing that you put everything you had into this life. It's all we got.

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

Well, now I'm crying. - Jonathan

[@InkyDustMan]

@@CinemaTherapyShow Well, now I'm smiling because I didn't think anyone would read this, let alone one of my inspirations for considering studying psychology formally. I don't know if you'll have time to read this reply, but you and Alan, and the rest of your team are personal heroes of mine in this point in my life, and even before it. I don't think I'd have anywhere near the same level of emotional skills I have now, if it weren't for you. Thank you for your time, have a great day, and if the girl I consider the love of my life were here (we're separated due to her...less than supportive and healthy family), I'm sure she'd be almost as happy as I am. Not to ruin the moment, but I can't thank you both enough for covering a key movie that is very important to both of us when you did "Wolf Children", with no expectations attached, while I have the chance, as a fellow movie lover, I would also recommend "I want to Eat Your Pancreas", weird name, but a heart touching movie that I think has a lot of emotional value in it. Again, no expectations, I hope you have a great day, I know I will after this, thank you for your time! ^-^

[@TrevorEditor]

Reading comments like this is the reason I love working on this show. Thank you for sharing your struggles. Keep getting back up, keep moving forward. That's how winning is done.

[@saifalam2030]

I think anyone cross age 18 or 19 and saw some hardship can relate to Rocky and I learned a lot from Rocky when I was struggling few years ago. Thanks Mr Stallon. And Great Video guys

[@melaber77]

I love that you’re looking back at older films, please keep it up!!!

[@Justanotherconsumer]

Many things have not aged well.

[@Manaung]

You are the therapy I didn't know I needed. I'm 35 this year and think I will watch Rocky again and again till I die.

[@teatime9583]

I would love to see you guys do the dead poets society. It’s such a classic and even tho I’m gen z I find it so touching and so complex. I would love to see your take on all of it. Anyways loved the vid ^^

[@hawleygirl]

I’m not even through the intro and I’m crying 😭 Rocky is THE best trilogy and will always be my favorite. I was born in the 70s and had the privilege growing up on these films. I agree 100%: the message of these films is YOU are your biggest opponent. It’s getting back up after life hits you, over and over. 🙌🏻 And Rocky and Adrienne are the best on screen romance. They bring out the best in each other. I will die on this hill. ❤❤❤

[@aude4747]

I remember I watched the first and second Rocky on TV, I was just zapping and it was on. I thought «meh, I might as well watch this, it’s a classic apparently ». I was surprised with how emotional and human it felt ! I was expecting awesomeness and fights and I got it, but in such a relatable way. I think that also might be why I started to read the webcomic « The boxer ». To anyone liking Rocky, the Boxer is an amazing story with impactful drawings and remarkable characters. Love on you all

[@kristenpearson2044]

I just have to say. These movies ... your target audience is here to say we love them. I introduced my husband to this channel. And he convinced me we had to watch the Rocky movies a few months ago because we are Adrian and Rocky. (He owns a dojo and I manage a pet store ...) Thank you for speaking to this amazing series. It's a beautiful example of healthy masculinity.

[@bookmasterharry4432]

I just realized that Red Riot from My Hero Academia May have been inspired by Rocky Balboa because he LIVES this type of masculinity and even his villains respect him! Heck, even his superpower is built around the idea of its not how hard you can hit but how hard you can get hit! Just something I wanted to say.

[@derrickhaggard]

Best example of this of this is during the battle against Rappa and Tengai when it seems like Rappa is going to finish off Fatgum before the pro hero can unleash all the damage taken back as a powerful punch and Kirishima steps in to take the punches and successfully gives Fatgum enough time to channel all that stored energy the damage he took into the punch that successfully breaks Tengai's shield and KOs both villains heck during his amazing speech he even admits that he earlier made the same mistake as Tengai which was underestimating Red Riot and his as Fatgum put it chivalrous spirit.

[@bookmasterharry4432]

​​@@derrickhaggard Yes! Exactly.

[@strawb3rryr33f]

Yup!! Kirishima is awesome!!

[@gasser55t]

Thank you so much for doing this. I lost my wife 3 years ago during childbirth. She was my "Adrian." This was our movie. Her name was debbi, and she was a registered nurse. Loosing her almost killed me. My daughter survived and helped heal my hurt enough to survive myself. She is my miracle. It's still a fight every day to keep going. It's never easy. I'm just more dedicated to healing myself these days. This is just the beginning, though. I still have one hell of a mountain to climb.

[@riverdasgard860]

This whole episode was wonderful (thank you, Sophie, for the close-up of them muscular thighs, btw), but your bit at the end, reading the patron names, was just so wholesome and cute. I love seeing the bits of your friendship that you guys share with us. You two are also perfect examples of healthy masculinity.

[@raxxie]

the amount that I needed the Rocky speech today... wow. Gotta get back up and move forward

[@ultracuteful]

Living for Rocky forever

[@fernandorivera9701]

That intro had me tearing up.

[@adeptusmedicus]

What a great video, never considered a lot of these points in Rocky so got new love for these movies. Thanks again guys.

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@mjtdacoolest96]

Thank you for covering this. The character of Rocky is an inspirational vessel for all of us going through life. He is the quintessential underdog and everyone should be able to relate to him. That’s why he has a statue at home right next to those steps. He is the Everyman. We all are. Hug your loved ones and show them these movies

[@LadyTyger51ne]

How are you two just magic together? I love your content so much. 💜 Rocky might be a cheesy and awkward character sometimes but you can never deny he’s got heart.

[@CinemaTherapyShow]

He's got a big heart. Thanks for watching!