Streaming on Hulu and Amazon Prime.
Metadata: 2015 | PG-13 | 2h 13m
Genre: Drama, Sports
Why did we watch it: Liz: I stumbled into Creed during a what-to-watch negotiation session with my partner who wanted "not-a-romance." And I'm glad I did! Grace: I tried to go see Black Panther the Monday night after it was released (with Liz) but the line was, literally, three blocks long. So I went home and watched the next best thing—another movie starring Michael B. Jordan and directed by Ryan Coogler!
You might also like: Assuming you've already seen Black Panther, why not make it a Coogler/Jordan trio? Their much heavier Fruitvale Station is streaming on Netflix.
Liz: Short take: Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) trains his deceased rival’s son, Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan), to compete in a pay-per-view boxing match. That’s right: I’m highly recommending that you run, don’t walk, to watch a follow-up to Rocky. For the record, I less than do not care about boxing or the Rocky franchise. By the end of this movie, I cared. I was ready to go on a weekend trip to Philadelphia to run up whatever these steps are that seem to be important. Also: Bianca (Tessa Thompson)—Creed’s witty, hearing impaired, stunning, loud-music-playing musician neighbor—is the female character we need but don't deserve.
Grace: Creed is so good, I found myself actually happy to have been turned away from Black Panther. It's much, much more than a boxing movie (not that there's anything wrong with a plain old boxing movie!). Stallone's performance as an aging and ailing Rocky will wreck your fragile heart, and Adonis's love for Bianca, amid all of the stress and violence, will give you hope that toxic masculinity is on the run. The camera shots are gorgeous, and they make the many—often brutal—boxing scenes so artistic that you'll want to watch them over and over. The good news? You can!
We both let this gem sit unwatched on our watchlists for months. Don't make the same mistake! We give it a B++++ (which is obviously higher than an A+ . . .) for Michael B. Jordan, Bianca, and Boxing.
Happy streaming!
Liz and Grace
