Charles S. Dutton, Meg Ryan, Omar Epps

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 eg...( read more  read more... )regious 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

Flixster Users

39% liked it

8,855 ratings

Critics

13% liked it

128 critics

PG-13

Directed by: Charles S. Dutton

Release Date: February 20, 2004

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DVD Release Date: July 13, 2004

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Stats: 223 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (223)


  • March 21, 2008
    First, Meg Ryan is a heinously overrated actress. Stop constantly twisting your head when you speak, Meggie. Second, so the movie is about supposedly strong women rising in the world. Good. But then why is Meg so emotional in the movie?
  • March 1, 2007
    Mediocre.
  • January 31, 2007
    ok
  • August 23, 2008
    Interesting. Not original but it was okay.
  • October 20, 2009
    quite a hated movie!
    although it isnt original its not a terrible movie and is quite a good movie, it kept me entertained and interested in the movie and i thought it was pretty interesting.
    I enjoyed the story and its based on real events as well and i enjoyed the acting and w...( read more)ritting of the script i think the movie showed how men are predujice and sexist when a women does a supposed male job that no women should do, and i think it projected that across brilliantly i really enjoyed the movie.
    Meg Ryan is brilliant and so is omar epps i love tony shalhoub in this hes brilliant as the horrible trainer businessman.
    Meg Ryan pays a women whose bossed about and finally gets the chances to take on a fighter for boxing but she takes a risk with an unsuspeciting surprise that turns to be a huge bonus, but will the fame get to her and will she continue to have the fighters best interests at heart?
    Funny in places and keeps you entertained and a real good emotional journey through the life of a women who gets everything good movie!
  • September 1, 2009
    Fantastic story about one woman's rise to the top of what was once a male dominated industry!
    Her story proves that women can be just as good as men... if not better!
    She accomplished something that we should all strive for... excellence!
  • January 3, 2009
    No thankyou - Not interested
  • December 31, 2008
    Good! An average fighting scenes since I didn't expect that the last fight would end very soon as if there was no chronic bruise Omar Epps had received for the 1st 2 rounds., Although it would teach us a lesson that somewhere in the middle of our career, the track would change du...( read more)e to temptation presents to us by greediness., as we would realize afterwards that we didn't gain anything, rather, we lost everything that was important to us., that without them, we would not be complete., After thourough pondering what had happened, we would know that we have live the life we've been dreaming, only too dumbful to notice it.,
  • December 10, 2008
    no thanks not my kinda thing
  • October 6, 2008
    It;s ok. Was cool to see that the champ was from my island...was sad to see that the champ was a scared cheater that had to resort to doing those things to win. Was also sad to see that being the champ, he was knocked down in one round...

Critic Reviews


February 26, 2004
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

A miscast Ryan struggles with a Detroit accent and a script that goes nowhere. full review

February 21, 2004
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

Somewhere along the way, I found myself enjoying Against the Ropes, not in spite of my better judgment, but because something in the movie defies the whole notion of better judgment altogether. full review

February 20, 2004
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times

Ultimately, you've seen it before, and there's no reason to see it again. Let's hope the real Jackie Kallen's life is more inspiring than this. full review

February 20, 2004
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

By the end, everything that was initially serious about the film becomes silly and everything appealing about it turns sour. full review

February 20, 2004
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Meanders until it gets to the final third of its running time, and then it catches fire. full review

February 19, 2004
A.O. Scott, The New York Times

In this flat-footed feminist fight picture, Meg Ryan plays the real-life boxing manager Jackie Kallen as a kind of ringside Erin Brockovich. full review

February 19, 2004
Colin Covert, The Minneapolis Star Tribune

Almost nothing about it feels drawn from real life. full review

February 18, 2004
Nick Schager, Slant Magazine

In Charles S. Dutton's Against the Ropes, corny clichés and metaphors square off in a 12-round battle of linguistic idiocy. full review

View more Against the Ropes reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

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Against the Ropes Trivia


  • MOVIE SCRAMBLER: TAGIASN HET RSPEO  Answer »
  • i was in city of angels,u have got a mail,sleepless in seatle ,frensh kiss and against the ropes?  Answer »
  • Which of the following movies comprise Omar Epps and Meg Ryan starring together?  Answer »
  • Meg Ryan managed this actor's boxing career in Against The Ropes.  Answer »

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