Against the Ropes (2004)

The Rocky formula nearly wears out its welcome in Against the Ropes, a highly fictionalized feel-good drama based on the life of pioneering female boxing promoter Jackie Kallen. In an egregious effort to distill the essence of Kallen's achievement, director Charles S. Dutton (who fared better with HBO's The Corner) has strictly played it safe, delivering a foregone conclusion almost from the very first scene. Burdened with a by-the-numbers screenplay by Cheryl Edwards (Save the Last Dance), the film gets a much-needed boost from Meg Ryan, playing Kallen as a brassy, smoky-voiced dynamo, rising to the challenge when a rival promoter (played with fierce bravado by Tony Shalhoub) dares her to play hardball in a male-dominated sport. Jackie's trump cards are Luther (Omar Epps), a promising contender with untried talent, and a once-legendary trainer (played by director Dutton) coaxed out of retirement to guide Luther to the middleweight championship. No surprises here, just a handful of energetic performances, an abundance of raw ambition, obligatory setbacks, and the nagging feeling that you've seen it all before. --Jeff Shannon Amazon.com

Hey folks! This movie is good!

I first saw this movie on HBO and I was glued. It takes you by surprise!
I purchased the DVD after seeing it on TV. September 14, 2007

An interesting AND Exciting Movie, no matter what the negatives say!!!

9-18-2006

I just borrowed this movie from my city library. It seems sometimes that some people have an urge to be negative, maybe because THEY can't act! THEY can't Write! THEY can't Direct!

Meg Ryan as usual, was cute, though more mature, AND SEXY, as usual.

Omar Epps was excellent, & it was enjoyable how he eventually showed he had a heart, even though he was a former Drug Dealer whom Jackie Kallen turned around & really cared to help him show his future Championship attitude in many ways.

Charles S. Dutton, I believe is an excellent actor & did a fine job in Directing this film... Those who complained are the people who can NOT doing anything, except complain.

I was unhappy about Jackie's success going to her own head, as if SHE were the ONLY reason for "Their" Success, but quite happy when she finally saw her jerky-self-centeredness that had become her & she changed & was not afraid to apologize for her stupid selfishness.

I cheered, along with the boxing crowd for Luther, for Jackie, for Felix AND for Jackie's office friend & her TV Friend whom she had also screwed-over, but apologized to.

It does leave you with a Good feeling, whether you are a man, or a woman... You know, women should be loved for their beauty AND their Brains, as well as those who have the
"Stick-to-itiveness" qualities that Jackie, Luther AND Felix had.

I cheer them, and ALL people like them, clapping as if I were with them at the fight. AND... a HUGE BOOING of those Negative Reviewers who can do nothing else, but be negative!!!

I MUST also congratulate Tony Shalub whom has really grown into an Excellent,Quite Versatile Actor... Good job Tony!!!

I immediately contacted Amazon to look for this movie I WILL Happily add this to my 500-600 Video library collection!!!

BUY IT!!! YOU WILL BE HAPPY YOU DID!!!
J. Rodrigues
[...]

September 19, 2006

Love her wardrobe but not the film.

Against the Ropes directed by actor Charles S. Dutton looks like a fun and edgy film but unfortantely falls flat 20 minutes into the movie. I adore Meg Ryan, she is funny, sarcastic, and fearless as real-life boxing promoter Jackie Kallan but this boring film couldn't save Ryan's potential as an actress. Looks like everyone agrees with me that Against the Ropes is nothing to rave about, this film tries to be like Rocky but Rocky it ain't. Rent Raging Bull instead. July 31, 2006

An entertaining view of Meg Ryan's new image

Apparently since her failed romance with Russell Crowe during filming of the 2000 film "Proof of Life", Meg Ryan has cultivated a bad girl image. She tried with limited success to show her bad girl side in a lot of simlulated sex scenes in the 2003 flop "In The Cut". I think she has more success in the transition here playing real life boxing manager Jackie Kallen.

While the film parallels some of Kallen's activiites, "Against The Ropes" is clearly a Hollyoodized view of the boxing game and its regime. Ryan, as Kallen, finds a nobody in a local gym and turns him into a champion, all the time working against the good old boys network to get venues for her burgeoning champ -- who leaves her at the end to work for her enemy. Fortunately everything works out in the end and everyone is happy. The script at the end notes Kallen's real life achievements.

I think Ryan is much closer to achieving the second dimension of her image here than in that other movie. She dresses great all the time with trashy outfits that show off her curves. She baits men with her figure and uses it to get what she wants -- just like women do in real life. She isn't nearly as tough as Kallen but her character exhibits a sticktoittiveness that demonstrates the resolve of the real life manager.

My wife has recently taken boxing training, not to become a puncher but to keep in good shape. She works out twice a week in a gritty urban gym and hangs out with trainers and boxing managers that think their new kid is a rising star. She enjoyed this flick and saw some of life's realities in the workup to the boxing scenes.

I'd recommend this DVD to anyone that wants to see an entertaining sports management movie or anyone that wants to see Meg Ryan's development as an R-rated actress. You won't see anything as graphic as "Raging Bull" or as poetic as "Requiem for a Heavyweight" herein. But you will see a solidly entertaining movie with a feel good ending. November 28, 2005

would've made a decent TV "Movie of the Week"...

Against The Ropes isn't as awful as you might think after reading some of the reviews here, but it IS a fairly vanilla storyline that takes few risks. Considering that it deals with the world of boxing promotion, it should've been less slick and more seedy. Having said that, I liked it well enough...maybe not in a "I need to buy this DVD" kind of way, but it makes for a decent rainy day viewing, or maybe as a non-threatening date flick to check out. Meg Ryan carries the film for the most part, turning in a credible performance, not to mention showing alot of sex appeal...but without her, this movie would've gone down for the count. April 29, 2005

More reviews at Amazon.com ...