Rocky is shaken up after his bout with Drago, and can't stop his hands from trembling. After his examination, it is revealed that he has suffered brain damage from too many blows to the head. The doctors advise against him ever fighting again.Then bad turns to worse. Paulie loses the Balboa's money after taking a chance on some investments, and the Balboa's are forced to move back to their old stomping grounds.
Rocky is approached to commit to another fight, but he won't give in. Rocky reopens the old training gym, and begins working there. He is approached by a young fighter - Tommy Gunn - to train him. At first Rocky is reluctant, but ultimately concedes.
Rocky puts his all into training Gunn, but Rocky Balboa Jr. is not impressed. He feels abandoned and neglected, so he turns to smoking and questionable conduct (you know, hanging out with his friends at night outside of a quickie mart).
Meanwhile, Gunn is gaining momentum and is winning every fight. He is approached by some higher-ups, and makes a deal with them. It becomes apparent that Gunn is only in it for the money and women, and he abandons Rocky.
Rocky must reconcile with his son, who is desperate for attention from his father. Adrian convinces Rocky that he needs to invest in his son rather than in Gunn.
Gunn becomes the heavyweight champion, but is dissatisfied because the press is all over him. They are convinced that he never fought any fighters worth their salt, and that he hadn't paid his dues.
Gunn challenges Rocky to a fight, but Rocky won't bite. Eventually it turns into an all-out street fight between Rocky and Tommy. Rocky emerges victorious in this quarrel, and the movie ends.
Rocky V (1990) is perhaps the oddest of the bunch, and while it is still relatively entertaining, Rocky never fights in the ring. He is betrayed by the only fighter he trains. He loses his home, and everything in it. Rocky V is a story about the ups and downs of life, and in that respect quite gritty.
