Against the Ropes (2004)

Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

All that we are seeing on the screen is happening with real people, real action sequences in the background, forcing the eye to watch as if we were there.

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

It's interesting reading the IMDb reviews of this film. Essentially, some people really liked it, and the others pretty much hated it. I'm a bit of a boxing fan, and I liked it...better than most boxing films. I did have one complaint about the boxing...the rising fighter here simply had it too easy. I didn't have a problem with the boxing scenes. Boxing movies rarely...and I do mean RARELY...have convincing fight scenes. And the reason is simple -- actors can't box, and they can't make the scenes truly realistic unless they really hurt each other. This film has reasonably good boxing scenes...certainly better than most. Where I do disagree is that a rise to stardom in boxing is that easy.However, I don't think this film was really about the rise of the young boxer. I think it was really about two things -- 1.)the relationship between the boxer and his agent; 2.)that women can't be pushed to the background. And in that, this film succeeds...to an extent.Meg Ryan has had her share of successes and failures in her career. This was one of the failures...it flopped at the box office. Nevertheless, it did show a different side of her than many of her other films. Unfortunately, she doesn't come across as very authentic here. However, I'll give her the benefit of the doubt because I'm not sure how the real woman she was portraying may have acted. Omar Epps was, I thought, quite good here. And he and Ryan do have a certain chemistry together.The 3 supporting actors that have the most screen time here are Charles S. Dutton, who does a fine job as a fight manager; Tony Shalhoub, who does a fine job as a jerk of a fight promoter; and Timothy Daly, as a sports reporter. Everyone else is third string, although Kerry Washington showed promise here.I think the problem with this film is that it's a little of everything, but not enough to satisfy any one group of viewers.

This one is better than you might expect. I remember when the girlfriend chose it. 'It probably sucks but it's Meg Ryan', she said. Well it is Meg Ryan and it definitely doesn't suck. In fact it's very very good.Jackie Kallen has lived around the boxing ring all her life. The world of boxing is as chauvinistic as they come. Jackie is tired of being treated like dirt and sticks up for herself and suddenly finds herself a promoter. And through determination she makes it work.We started by watching the special features and that might be a good idea for anyone so you get a good idea of what the story's about. It's supposedly not a biopic but is 'inspired' by Jackie Kallen's life, and hopefully more so than It Could Happen To You.And the stacked deck is used throughout the movie to great effect. And Ryan carries her lines and her part excellently. She is still Meg Ryan - that's her curse, she's that good and loved - but she's also Jackie Kallen, and very convincing at it.Omar Epps should have got his name above the title too as he's also very good. And watch for Tony Shalhoub in a distinctly unsavoury role.Directed by Charles Dutton who also has a part in the movie, it works well and reaches a satisfactory climax, and you really feel it's been worth the ride - for Jackie, for Meg and the other stars and people on the project, and for you.

It would seem if this story was based on a real lady, then it would have been more interesting and not have everything fall step by step. Jackie loves boxing, works as a secretary at a boxing venue, gets a chance to manage on a bet, finds a young fighter who has potential, becomes successful, gets an ego, falls from grace, but wins the last fight in a miraculous manner. Here, the part I hated the most was Jackie determines that Luther is championship material after he beats up two crackheads. I didn't know finding a champion boxer was so easy.Ryan over acts and uses this bad accent like she's talking through her nose. I also didn't think the boxing fights were shot too well. All of the characters are cardboard cut outs, especially the rival promoter. And the standing ovation at the end for Jackie was so over-the-top. Could it get any more sappy? FINAL VERDICT: Follows a step by step story line for movies like this. There's no emotional hook and it's stereo typical as stereo typical gets.

It was so bad! The acting was pure stereotypical. The head-shakes, sighs were bad enough, we had to endure Meg's collagen lips! Is she trying to look like Angilie Jollie? The best acting came from the character of Felix. Please don't waste two hours of your life. Those two hours would be better utilized by clipping your toe nails or doing your taxes!We love Meg, but she should buy up all the copies and have them burned! The character of the "bad Boxer" was a caricature right out of 1950's "B" movies. Tony Shaloub is a great actor, playing the part of a "Made-Man" that is Puerto Rican! Are they serious? Anyone who watches the Sopranos knows that only Scicilians can become made-men!Meg: Stop taking collagen injections, go back to the cutsey genre of comedies that you are so good at!