Against the Ropes (2004)
Average Rating: 4.2/10
Reviews Counted: 131
Fresh: 16 | Rotten: 115
A bland, dumbed-down package of sports cliches.
Average Rating: 4.3/10
Critic Reviews: 36
Fresh: 6 | Rotten: 30
A bland, dumbed-down package of sports cliches.
liked it
Average Rating: 2.8/5
User Ratings: 9,860
My Rating
Movie Info
Charles S. Dutton's feature-length directorial debut Against the Ropes is based on the real-life story of Jackie Kallen, a Jewish woman from Detroit who became a successful boxing manager. Played by Meg Ryan, Kallen works her way up in the world of boxing by believing in the fighting skills of Luther Shaw (Omar Epps). Director Dutton appears as veteran trainer Felix Reynolds, whom Kallen encourages to come out of retirement. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi
Watch It Now
Cast
-
Meg Ryan
Jackie Kallen -
Omar Epps
Luther Shaw -
Charles S. Dutton
Felix Reynolds -
Tony Shalhoub
Sam LaRocca -
Tim Daly
Gavin Reese -
Joe Cortese
Irving Abel -
Kerry Washington
Renee -
Gene Mack
Luther -
Holt McCallany
Doherty -
Skye McCole Bartusiak
Jackie Kallen (younger) -
Tory Kittles
Devon Green -
Sean Bell
Ray Ray -
Tamara Hickey
Megan
ADVERTISEMENT
All Critics (139) | Top Critics (39) | Fresh (16) | Rotten (118) | DVD (16)
A miscast Ryan struggles with a Detroit accent and a script that goes nowhere.
Top CriticWhat could have been a Working Girl hoot gets mired in redundant assertions of Kallen's feistiness.
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.
So anemic you should probably order iron supplements with your popcorn, its plot so predictable it makes falling dominoes seem like a white-knuckle thrill ride.
A boilerplate melodrama whose good guys and bad guys are so baldly drawn they could have been conceived by Friz Freleng.
Bathos wrapped in a formulaic screenplay bolstered with cliches, not only about the boxing world but about tough women and the men who hate them.
Uninspired tale feels like a made-for-TV movie.
An inoffensively average, formulaic entertainment with a marketing-problematic point of view.
It's hard to expect anyone to infuse much passion into a "by-the-numbers" boxing movie which telegraphs every punch.
Against the Ropes may not deliver a knock-out, but it does land some pretty good blows.
It's one thing to make a predictable Hollywood movie. It's another thing to make a predictable Hollywood movie based on a fascinating life.
What could have been a gripping tale becomes hammy and overdone.
Meg Ryan is busily torpedoing any respect she might have accrued
Audience Reviews for Against the Ropes
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
Discussion Forum
There are no discussion threads for Against the Ropes yet.
What's Hot On RT
Movies Directed by Tyler Perry
Blockbuster news and reviews
Ellen Page in an intriguing new thriller
A gallery of classic books on film
Featured on RT
- Total Recall: Movies Directed by Tyler Perry 49
- Parental Guidance: The Great Gatsby, Jack Reacher, and Safe Haven 6
- Video Interview: Aftershock Producer Eli Roth 3
- Ray Harryhausen: 1920-2013 33
- Digital Multiplex: Cloud Atlas, Pulp Fiction and more 4
- RT on DVD and Blu-Ray: Jack Reacher, Mama, and Upstream Color 34
- Box Office Guru Wrapup: Iron Man 3 Soars Above the Rest 64
Top Headlines
-
Baz Luhrmann Wants DiCaprio for Hamlet
1
-
Bryan Singer Shooting X-Men: Days of Future Past in 3D and Simul-Cam
0
-
Avatar Sequels Shooting in 2014
3
-
Shane Black Confirmed for Doc Savage
0
-
Warner Bros. Plans New Dungeons & Dragons Movie
5
-
Adam Scott in Talks for Hot Tub Time Machine 2
0
-
Summit Already Thinking About Divergent Sequel
2
Fresh Links
Featured
10 Best Movie Trilogies
Pretty self-explanatory here; HitFix offers up their favorite trilogies of all time.
10 Jilted Movie Grooms
Feeling a little sappy? Here are 10 movie grooms who were left at the altar.
Weirdest Movie Siblings
From Twins to The Royal Tenenbaums, Moviefone explores cinema's oddest siblings.
50 Youth-Gone-Wild Movies
TimeOut lists the best movies about youth and rebellion.
30 Greatest Rock & Roll Movie Moments
Rolling Stone boldly proclaims the rockin'-est moments in cinema.
Promos
Follow RT on Twitter!
Spice up your feed with hourly Tomatometer updates!
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 writting 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!