Meg Ryan Movie:

				Salesrank: 239064
		Our Price: $38.48
		MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) Media: DVD

Editorial Review:
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

Against the Ropes [Region 2] Reviews:
Wonderful Cast, Done In by Clichéd Script...
2009-10-27 - I believe Meg Ryan had hopes for a Julia Roberts/"Erin Brockovich"-style career makeover as 'First Lady of Boxing' Jackie Kallen in "Against the Ropes", but what could have been a first-rate film biography was sabotaged by Cheryl Edwards' pedestrian script, which chose to ignore a remarkable true story in favor of overused boxing film clichés. The opening credits say it all...the film is simply 'inspired' by Kallen's life, and not 'based' on it, and Ryan, and an exceptional cast, are sadly wasted.

Making things even more disappointing is that "Against the Ropes" also offers the film directing debut of gifted actor Charles S. Dutton (who portrays trainer Felix Reynolds). Dutton has a real gift with actors, and an eye for staging fight scenes, but he is hamstrung by dramatic scenes that don't ring true, and a resolution that undoes what little had 'worked' in the film, previously.

In the 'Making Of' feature, Cheryl Edwards goes into great detail about her many hours with Kallen, and all of the fight footage and resource materials she studied, to capture both the 'essence' of boxing and Kallen's early career, saying her decision to ignore nearly all of Kallen's actual story was made to improve the 'dramatic impact'. But what she chose to ignore were the things that truly 'defined' Kallen; she was a working mother who had already carved a niche for herself as a journalist and sports publicist before she chose to fulfill a lifelong dream to manage boxers (not a single woman working as a man's lackey, who was 'gifted' a boxer and dared into managing). Yes, she was undeniably sexy, but there was much, much more to her, and while she could be self-centered, there was always a maternal instinct in her personality (which Ryan could have played quite convincingly, had she been given a chance). Edwards' 'spin' was that Kallen was a brassy, naive, easily-manipulated clothes horse who 'talked' a better case than she could actually deliver. The real Kallen COULD deliver, and that was what made her so remarkable.

The cast deserves a lot of credit, for what is watchable in the film. Besides Ryan and Dutton, Omar Epps, as Kallen's 'discovery', is simply terrific, both intimidating and sympathetic, making the most of a poorly-written role. Even better is Tony Shalhoub, playing 'against type' as Kallen's managing adversary, a loud, dangerous predator that had me remembering John Cassavetes in his prime. Shalhoub is a truly gifted actor of extraordinary range, and he nearly steals this film! While Tim Daly is wasted, as a sympathetic reporter, Joe Cortese, as Kallen's somewhat stereotypical, narrow-minded boss, and Kerry Washington, as Kallen's friend, who falls for Epps, both shine in their secondary roles.

One can only hope that a better film about Jackie Kallen will be made, someday!




Sexiest Meg Ryan movie so far
2009-03-05 - Forget all the other reviews that give you a synopsis of the movie as you can get that from the Amazon summary. If you want to see a Boxing movie, watch Rocky (I, II, III, IV, V or Balboa), although the Boxing scenes are pretty good here. If you like Meg Ryan, this is a great movie. Every outfit she wears is tight and colorful. Her voice is different from her other movies as she speaks hoarsely, which I find to be a plus. She had yet to do all that botox and/or plastic surgery to her lips so her face looks normal. This is Meg at her finest. She can really act, and look great doing it.

Hey folks! This movie is good!
2007-09-14 - 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.

An interesting AND Exciting Movie, no matter what the negatives say!!!
2006-09-19 - 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
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Love her wardrobe but not the film.
2006-07-31 - 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.