Creed Page #9

68 EXT. ROCKY’S HOUSE- ASS CRACK OF DAWN 68

Rocky and Adonis walk up to the van.

ROCKY:

I’m taking you to another gym in

North Philly. Tough joint. Very

difficult. They take no crap there.

Kinda what Apollo did with me.

Rocky gets in. Adonis tries the passenger side door and it

doesn’t open. Adonis knocks on the window, Rocky rolls it

down.

ADONIS:

Can ya unlock the door?

ROCKY:

You’re gonna run. I’m antique, so

I’ll just be drivin’ along side

keepin company.

ADONIS:

How far away is the new gym?

ROCKY:

Close enough.

He fires up the engine, and starts rolling down the street.

Adonis runs along side of him.

69 INT. JOE HAND BOXING GYM- CONTINUOS 69

The gym is the roughest that we have seen so far. The GUYS

are already in there working.

We find Rocky introducing Adonis (who looks like he just ran

a marathon) to his team: JOE HAND III (50s, Black, Owns the

gym), AMIR HAND (20’s, Black, Joe’s Son same build as

Adonis), MARCEL (60s, HISPANIC, short and stocky, glasses).

They size Adonis up with excitement. Rocky points to Joe.

ROCKY:

This is Joe. We go way back. Spared

a little, fought some of the best.

Got alotta knowledge in here.

Joe shakes hands with Adonis.

JOE:

Champ told me a lot about you.

Excited to help get you ready.

(points to Marcel)

49.

(MORE)

This is Marcel, the best cut man in

Philly.

(points to Amir)

And this my son, Amir, who’s gonna

be helping you out with sparring.

Adonis shakes hands with Marcel and Amir.

70 INT. JOE HAND BOXING GYM- AN HOUR LATER 70

Rocky and Adonis work the hand bags, while Amir, Joe, and

Marcel look on. Adonis punches from a flamboyant stance,

hands low. Every so many punches, Rocky swings at Adonis’

head with the hand bags. But Adonis ducks and dodges out of

the way, leaving Rocky just missing him.

ROCKY:

Hands up... Keep your hands up!

Rocky swings on him again, fast as he can, but still misses.

Adonis smiles. Rocky stops.

ROCKY (CONT’D)

Amir.

Amir jogs over.

AMIR:

Sup Rock?

Rocky takes off the hand bags, and hands them to Amir. He

subtly leans forward to him.

ROCKY:

I’m takin a break.

(sotto voce)

Yo, Make him keep his hands up,

know what I mean?

Amir nods. And walks over to Adonis.

ROCKY (CONT’D)

Same drill, but forget gravity, and

keep em up, even higher.

They start. The pace of the drill is twice as fast as it was

with Rocky, then Amir swings, and WHAM! he catches Adonis in

the side of the face with the handbag.

Adonis cuts Amir a look.

50.

JOE (CONT'D)

ROCKY (CONT’D)

Hey! Nobody said stop and give

looks. Let’s go!

They start again, and WHAM! Adonis is caught again even

harder this time.

ADONIS:

(threatening)

Watch my eye, bruh!

ROCKY:

You supposed to watch your own eye.

Keep movin!

The drill starts again and after a few exchanges, Amir swings

once, Adonis ducks it but when he comes up he is caught by

another swing, SMACK right into his left eye.

Adonis explodes, and shoves Amir in his chest, sending him

back fifteen feet.

ADONIS:

I told you homie! Take the gloves

off!

Adonis rips off his gloves and squares up with Amir, who

stares at him like he’s crazy.

ADONIS (CONT’D)

Let’s go homie!

Amir looks at Rocky and at his Dad, and calmly takes the bags

off his hands. He hands them to Rocky.

AMIR:

Call me when this dude is ready to

train, man.

Amir heads over to the other side of the gym.

Rocky pulls Adonis to the other side of the gym.

ROCKY:

Yo, what the hell are you doing?

ADONIS:

That dude is trying to take real

shots at me, I don’t play that

sh*t.

51.

ROCKY:

Y’know, ya tell people stuff like,

don’t touch that fire, cause it

burns. And lo and behold, they do

it anyway. Guess what, some people

just gotta learn the hard way. Now

this Leo guy aint superman, but

he’s got fast combos that will

punch holes in ya face, if ya don’t

keep ya hands up!

Adonis takes this in.

ROCKY (CONT’D)

Now go apologize to him.

Adonis looks off.

ROCKY (CONT’D)

Apologize to him, now, or I walk.

Adonis takes a long beat, then begrudgingly walks over to

Amir.

ADONIS:

My bad bro, I took a nasty butt to

my eye, never healed right.

AMIR:

It’s all good, bro, happens to the

best of us. Just keep them jawns up

when you roll, like this.

Amir shows Adonis what he is talking about. Adonis mirrors

it.

AMIR (CONT’D)

And I’ll watch the eye.

JOE HAND:

You two kiss and make up?

(beat)

Now back to work!

71 INT. JOE HAND BOXING GYM- MOMENTS LATER 71

Series of shots with Rocky talking over them.

ROCKY:

Keep reversing them gears- you keep

coming forward. Be outside, then

close the gap. Be ready to jump in

his pocket!

52.

Adonis shadow boxes with Amir, both wearing hand wraps. Angle

on their feet as they step, replace and pivot with large

rubber bands binding their ankles together.

Adonis hits the heavy bag.

ROCKY (CONT’D)

Good, straighter. Work that Jab!

Every fighter must have a jab!

Stich and hook, catch a punch and

let a punch go, nail the guy...

Adonis spars with Amir

ROCKY (CONT’D)

Close that fist! Close it, good or

you’re slappin, and slappin don’t

cut it!

Adonis and Amir shadow box.

ROCKY (CONT’D)

Everything is impossible without

footwork!!! In and out, side to

side, back and forth, it’s what

will take you in for the kill, and

take you out of trouble.

Adonis punches at the mirror, 5lb dumbbells in each hand.

Adonis works the heavy bag, throwing three jabs and then a

right. Rocky and Joe look on.

JOE HAND:

Okay shape, damn fast hands. But I

don’t know what’s in here yet

(points at his chest)

Don’t know about that at all.

ROCKY:

Only one way to find out about

that.

72 INT. JOE HAND BOXING GYM- NIGHT- HOURS LATER 72

Joe, Amir, and Marcel head out, calling it a night. Rocky and

Adonis are still hard at work. Adonis throws punches at

Rocky, who wears focus mitts on each hand, and a body bag.

ROCKY:

You gotta bring it back to protect!

Bring it back!

53.

The end of round buzzer goes off.

ROCKY (CONT’D)

Nice, take a break.

Adonis is gassed. Rocky, starts to exit the ring, but starts

to feel sick. He goes over to the garbage can, and dry

heaves.

ADONIS:

Unc, you alright?

ROCKY:

I’m fine, keep working.

Adonis doesn’t. Rocky turns away from the can, and starts

back towards him and his leg seem to give out from under him.

Smack! He falls down to the ground.

ADONIS:

Sh*t!

Adonis sprints over.

ADONIS (CONT’D)

You okay?

Rocky, pissed with himself, nods.

ROCKY:

Yeah. Just a little dizzy. Comes

and goes, no big deal, really.

ADONIS:

Naw man. That sh*t didn’t look

right, we’re going to the doctor.

ROCKY:

The doctor for what?

Adonis helps Rocky to his feet with his free hand. Rocky

stands up, but his leg gives out again.

73 INT. PHILADELPHIA HOSPITAL - NIGHT 73

Rocky sits on the edge of the hospital bed in a gown. He

looks pissed off. Adonis leans up against the wall across

from him.

The door opens and DR. SHAHANI (mid 30s, Indian woman) walks

in holding a clipboard.

54.

DR. SHAHANI

Mr. Balboa! How are you feeling?

ROCKY:

Nervous. When is the doc coming in?

Adonis makes a face like he’s about to see a car accident.

DR. SHAHANI

Actually, I am the doctor.

ROCKY:

Sorry.

(to Adonis)

Doctors have changed.

She turns to Adonis.

DR. SHAHANI

And you are...

ADONIS:

His nephew. I was just here to make

sure he didn’t sneak out of the

window before you showed up.

(beat)

I’ll be outside.

Dr. Shahani chuckles at this. Rocky doesn’t. Adonis leaves

the room.

DR. SHAHANI

So what brings you in to us?

ROCKY:

Probably nothin- The kid saw me get

sick, and sorta fall a little.

Dr. Shahani nods at this.

DR. SHAHANI

Was that the first time you’ve

fallen?

Rocky shakes his head.

DR. SHAHANI (CONT’D)

Any other symptoms?

ROCKY:

Get tired sometimes, but that’s

normal in life, right?

55.

Rate this script:4.4 / 5 votes