Against the Ropes (2004) User Reviews

Agreeable comedy-drama about boxing world with a likable Meg Ryan as an obstinate promoter

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 4 October 2007]

The movie focuses to Jackie Kallen(Meg Ryan), a Jewish girl from Detroit, a secretary plenty of wide dreams. After a stake with a famous commissioner(Tony Shalhoub)she becomes a boxing promoter of a young boxer(Omar Epps).Then she hires a retired coach(Charles S. Dutton) for training the inexperienced boxer.

Although is a fictional story is based on true events referred by United States's most noted boxing manager. In addition, are narrated her relationship with the tough boxer, her fight to survive into boxing world, a sport strongly dominated by male sex. It's developed with humor, love and a little bit of drama. The casting is frankly excellent, a sympathetic though selfish Meg Ryan, a two-fisted but sensible Omar Epps, today well known as the doctor in ¨House¨, such as Tony Shaloub by ¨Monk¨series; furthermore Jose Cortese and Tim Daly(son of James Daly and brother of Tyne Daly) as a sports reporter. The motion picture packs an enjoyable cinematography by Jack N. Greene( Clint Eastwood's usual cameraman) and catching soundtrack by Michael Kamen(Weapon Lethal, Die hard). The movie is professionally directed by usually actor Charles S Dutton in his first movie, he has followed directing television movies. Rating : Acceptable and entertaining . The film will like to Meg Ryan fans and boxing buffs but displays nice combats.

Not-very-well-written but has redeeming features

[smatysia · 6/10 · 22 July 2009]

This is a not-very-well-written film that nonetheless has redeeming features. The story arc is clichéd, (underdog succeeds against all odds, hubris sets in, everything lost, then redemption), and Meg Ryan, who I think is a better actress than some, is badly miscast here. She just can't come across as tough enough for this role. The slutty clothes her character wore, although looking very nice, didn't fit. (Even though I'm sure she was channeling Kallen) Omar Epps put in a very nice performance, and I have to compliment Kerry Washington and Charles S. Dutton for their work, although there was not enough of Washington. Also Tony Shalhoub who I haven't much cared for, shows his chops by going against type playing an imposing and menacing character. I see that Dutton directed and did well, inasmuch as I never noticed the direction. This film has deep faults, but somehow works, at least to a point. I thought it was OK.

Million Dollar Baby, Not!

[jotix100 · 6/10 · 20 March 2005]

"Against the Ropes" is not the bad movie some of the contributors to this forum seem to imply. While it doesn't break any ground in a sport that is seen here in a more glamorized way, the film presents us a woman determined to succeed at being a boxing promoter. In real life, Jackie Kallen has proved herself to be capable of handling fighters. Charles S. Dutton, an actor himself, makes the best of the material Cheryl Edwards wrote, based on the real Jackie.

Jackie Kallen is a woman who knows a lot about boxing. When she spots the amazing Luther Shaw, she is determined to take him to the top. She realizes she has a thankless job, as she enters an area in sports totally dominated by men. Jackie is not a quitter, as she proves it to the boxing world and to herself. While boxing drama has been dealt with in much better movies, we won't dwelt on it.

Jackie Kallen, is played by Meg Ryan. She is at times annoying in her determination to go against the controlling mafia-like people in the business. Omar Epps, as the boxer, appears to do a fair job as a fighter that wants to go to the top of the heap. Tony Shalhoub plays LaRocca, the man who would like to defeat Jackie and show her where she belongs, but she gets the last laugh! Charles S. Dutton, as Felix, the trainer, doesn't have much to do. Timothy Daly, is Gavin, the man responsible for attracting attention to Luther because of his friendship with Jackie.

Watch this movie with open eyes.

Only the audience is against the ropes

[Buddy-51 · 7 November 2004]

Though ostensibly based on a true story, 'Against the Ropes' is pure movie hokum from start to finish.

Jackie Kallen made a name for herself as one of the few successful female managers in the history of professional boxing. In the movie's prologue, we meet Jackie as a young girl so obsessed with the sport that she spends her off hours at the gym helping her dad train her uncle, a fighter who died very early in his career. Years later, Jackie, on a dare, agrees to manage her own player - if only she can find a talent who will be willing to put his life and his career in the hands of an untried but determined woman. She alights on Luther Shaw, a drug-dealer-with-a-heart-of-gold whom she picks up in the nearby projects. Luther is, for the most part, a fictional character, a composite, we're told, of several of the fighters Kallen led to victory in the ring.

Regardless of how much of this is fiction or nonfiction, 'Against the Ropes' fails to generate any heat either as a character study or as a human drama. We're supposed to find all this interesting simply because Kallen is an attractive woman trying to prove herself in a man's world. Yet, the story is hackneyed, the dialogue corny, the characters and their conflicts trite and underdeveloped. The Cheryl Edwards screenplay is so sketchy and poorly articulated that we often don't understand why characters are behaving the way they are, particularly when it comes to the rough-and-tumble relationship between Jackie and Luther. One moment they are getting along swimmingly, and the next Jackie is strutting around blowing her own horn while Luther sits pouting in the corner. Whole episodes, which could have gone a long way towards explaining the characters' motivations, seem to have been dropped from the finished product at the last minute.

Kallen is obviously a change-of-pace role for Meg Ryan who generally plays the innocent ingénue lead in romantic comedies. Yet, despite the fact that she is a trifle more serious here and even gets to work with an accent (the mark of any 'serious' performer looking to buck up her credentials), the movie itself is so lacking in tension and grit and so determinedly upbeat and optimistic that it really doesn't give the actress a whole lot of opportunity to truly stretch those acting muscles. In fact, in the final scene, the film turns into little more than a vanity production for the waning star. Omar Epps fares a bit better, turning in a performance of strength and dignity, though the script lets him down by failing to develop his character to any appreciable extent.

The one fight scene is only moderately well executed and comes way too late in the film for anyone interested in the sport to still be hanging around ringside at that point. In fact, no one comes even close to scoring a knockout blow in 'Against the Ropes' - not Ryan, not Epps and certainly not the audience. 'Against the Ropes' is a sucker punch all the way.

An Erin Brockovich Boxing Movie

[christian123 · 3/10 · 20 November 2004]

Meg Ryan plays a Jewish woman from Detroit who strives to become a successful boxing manager despite facing many obstacles, including an unscrupulous boxing promoter, played by Tony Shalhoub. Against the Ropes looks at the relationship between Kallen and her first professional boxer, played by Omar Epps.

Against the Ropes is your typical Lifetime movie of the week feature that somehow made it to theaters. It had nice intentions but the film is not very good or strong. The story is very uninspired and it reminded me of Erin Brockovich. Against the Ropes tried too hard to be like Erin Brockovich and other boxing films without really being its own film. Also, most of the film is pretty dull and there are no real good performances. Meg Ryan is okay as Jackie Kallen. She was a little weak in the dramatic scenes and sometimes her emotions felt really fake. Her outfits were really trashy and this took away from her already less than stellar performance.

Meg Ryan is paired up with Omar Epps and he gives a decent performance. However, his chemistry with Meg is really weak. This hurts the film a lot since the whole movie was basically their relationship. Tony Shalhoub gives an okay performance but there really wasn't a lot for his character to do. Charles S. Dutton gives an okay performance as Felix. Again, there really wasn't much for his character to do. Dutton also directs the film and he does an okay job. He could have developed the characters a little more and he could have done a better job at capturing the relationship between Jackie and Luther. The film is very predictable and very simple. The boxing scenes are good but they pale in comparison to other boxing films like Rocky. In the end, this really is a weak film that's not worth watching. Rating 4/10

Don't hate the player hate the game.

[elaija · 7/10 · 23 November 2005]

Meg Ryan pulls a great performance as the underdog of this movie. Playing a real person is never easy and being a woman in boxing holds as much discrimination on its own without adding that she works it with sex appeal. You can't hate a story when it comes from true events and both Shaloub and Ryan pull off their characters with finesse. Don't hate her because she's not in her much loved romantic comedy persona; love that she pulled off the Midwestern girl honoring her father's memory and her uncles love with dedicating her life to boxing. Comparing Omar Epps to Tom Hanks is so inappropriate in this film. There is never meant to be a love connection between Epps and Ryan. It's more of a mothering relationship; the son she never had and the mothering he never received. You are either going to love or hate this movie. Be assured you'll watch it till' the end and will have an opinion one way or the other.

Um......

[mlionfire · 1/10 · 9 March 2006]

I sat through all of this... and I have to say that it is another colossal and predictable waste of celluloid... Mz. Ryan is terribly miscast and nowhere near tough enough for this type of role... and that lace-up leather number she has on really accentuates the worst of her physical stature... I wish I could say something good about this movie... Meg Ryan has given us some pretty good movies in the past, but I can't seem to find any redeeming qualities... The whole thing needs a remake, with a different cast, as I believe that Jackie Kallen's story is valid to boxing history and should be told...

I thought that Tony Shalhoub, the actor who is Jackie's rival (also plays Monk on TV)has turned in a sight better performances than this before... sorry, but this is one dog of a movie you should avoid...

At Least as Good as "Erin Brokovitch"

[Bob-45 · 7/10 · 20 September 2004]

Having intensely disliked the last four or five Meg Ryan movies, I looked upon viewing "Against the Ropes" with some trepidation. After all, the movie had received terrible reviews, both with the critics and with the members of the IMDb. While boxing is my favorite spectator sport, I don't like it enough for "Pay for View" or HBO. So I went into the movie knowing nothing of Jackie Kallen or the accuracy of the film. Maybe that's why I enjoyed "Against the Ropes" so much. I could appreciate the work Ryan, Omar Epps, Charles Dutton, Timothy Daly and, especially, Tony Shaloub were putting on the screen. That Dutton directed particularly impressed me. He handles actors and the camera very well, has a very good eye for screen composition and color. Ryan's Midwestern accent is at least as plausible as Kurt Russell's in "Miracle," and "Against the Ropes" is a more entertaining movie. However, the best acting plaudits go to Tony Shaloub as the weaselly fight promoter. Those only familiar with Shaloub's work on "Monk" or "Wings" are going to see a completely different side of him. Shaloub is menacing without the use of violence; that's not as easy to do as some people might think. The ensemble acting here is even better than "Erin Brockovitch," another sanitized story, so I fail to see why that movie was praised and this one panned. Despite the Hollywood touches, this movie is less predictable than either "Brockovitch" or "Twelve Monkeys," which both received much better reviews.

"Against the Ropes" motivated me enough to read Jackie Kallen's biography.She's a hottie like Ryan, no surprise since that was necessary to get any attention at all in a "man's sport". she's also 57 (so much for the childhood scene, dated "1972" in the beginning) and was a successful fight analyst before she became a manager (so much for the secretary bit. She's also Jewish, three of her gentile champions paraded around the ring with trunks emblazoned with the star of David. Now THAT'S the story I would have liked to have seen. Nonetheless, as presented, "Against the Ropes" is worth at least a "7".

Wallows in Lameness

[jwerwin80 · 1/10 · 21 February 2004]

This was a huge, huge disappointment. It's a lot like a weak boxer. The story starts strong, but about halfway into things it loses it's legs. They should have thrown in the towel during the final act, because this movie was not holding itself up.

It's bad enough that the story has nothing to do with the real life of Jackie Kallen, these characters have nothing to do with reality at all. Even as a piece of fiction, I couldn't buy what they were doing. The characters black and white, good and evil, and there's nothing complex about them. This movie doesn't try to challenge you to think at all. Tony Shaloub plays a thinly veiled Bob Erim caricature who is always evil. He's never nice to anyone. Omar Epps plays a thinly veiled James Toney, minus Toney's uncontrollable temper, and with a much higher IQ. Epps' character Luther Shaw is just a kid who's had a run of bad luck and needs a chance. He's a hero. Ryan is also someone who just needs a chance. He and Ryan's characters have to learn to trust each other, believe in themselves, and have enough heart to follow their dreams. In this world, good always triumphs over evil and people always get their dreams.

Here's how Kallen describes the movie on her own site:

"The true story of boxing manager Jackie Kallen - dubbed the First Lady of Boxing - a former Detroit TV personality, publicist, and suburban mom, who broke into the predominantly male boxing community and guided the careers of several fighters, including champions James Toney and Thomas Hearns. Kallen later went on to become the commissioner of the International Female Boxers Association."

This movie is an insult to the sport of boxing. When you think about how low boxing has sunk recently, anything that insults boxing has to be absolutely awful. The big fight sequence at the end of the movie has to be one of the worst boxing scenes in the history of the movies. Think of the ridiculous boxing sequences in the later Rocky sequels, and then imagine trying to make them even more absurd. The characters do nothing but take cheap shots and then smack each other with devastating blows squarely on the jaw.

The saddest thing is the real story of Jackie Kallen would have made a great movie. Meg Ryan portrays her as a spinster working as a secretary for a boxing promoter in Cleveland. The real Jackie Callen was married, had a son, and was the publicist for the Kronk gym in Detroit. Callen's first big fighter, James Toney, was from Ann Arbor. The script doesn't even set the story in Michigan where things really happened.

In this world there's no Don King, no mafia, no sleezy gamblers ... it's just not the real world of boxing. There's also no controversial fight between James Toney and David Tiberi. In the real world, so many people felt the scoring of that fight was so wrong that the fight must have been fixed. That decision (for Toney) launched an investigation into boxing by the US Congress.

For her part, Meg Ryan offers no surprises and just plays another blonde who smiles a lot. Really, this is a role that should have been played by Marg Helgenberger of CSI. Ryan is too innocent. Helgenberger would have brought credible toughness and credible sexuality to the role. Charles Dutton is always amazing, and Omar Epps looks like an up and coming action star, but the script isn't up to their talents. Tony Shaloub also does a lot with a poorly written character.

If this movie really had told the real story of Jackie Kallen, it would have been worth seeing. Instead it tells a predictable fictional story about unoriginal characters that lack believable human traits.

Don't bother.

interesting and entertaining but not very believable

[triple8 · 6/10 · 24 December 2005]

SPOILERS THROUGHOUT:

Against The Ropes wasn't terrible, at least not for me. I actually enjoyed parts of it and though boxing movies aren't really my thing this is a movie that one can be drawn into if they let themselves. It's got an interesting plot and complex characters. And it's got Meg Ryan in the lead role.

That to me, is part of what took away from the movie. I'm not a huge fan of Ryan but have liked her in certain movies. The problem here is just that she just isn't very believable in the role. That's not a dig at her acting, she was fine, but I just always knew I was watching Meg Ryan portray a boxing promoter. Not the perfect fit role wise.

Also of annoyingly note worthy mention was Ryan's wardrobe. Why was there such an emphasis on the clothing? The emphasis on wardrobe didn't help the believability factor. This movie at times seemed less like a biography/boxing movie then a showcase for Meg Ryan's outfits and for her to break out of the romantic comedy role.

The ending was as feel good as you could get. I actually admit I liked it, but when Ryan walks into the ring for the pep talk, yeah though one may respond to it emotionally it just doesn't come off as terribly realistic. Anyway....

This wasn't a movie I had any desire to turn off in mid stream but it isn't a movie that I'd say is a must see or anything like that. Kudos to Ryan for playing against type though and Against The Ropes, with all it's flaws can hold your attention. My vote's 6 of 10.

This movie couldn't decide what it was.

[nancyldraper · 4/10 · 17 September 2018]

This movie couldn't decide what it was. It's not a bioPic. As Kallen, herself, said, "The character is named Jackie Kallen and she sounds like me but they changed so much of the story that it wasn't me... it's just a little confusing to be the actual subject of a movie and yet have it not follow your life enough that you can't recognize yourself." It's not a Rocky story, rising from nothing to champ, because it can't decide who is Rocky - is it Jackie or Luther? It's not Meg Ryan's usual RomCom, although it flirts with the idea in some scenes. And, finally the boxing has no authenticity (the last fight is a joke). The problem with trying to span so many genres it ends up failing in them all. What a waste. I give this film a 4 (poor) out of 10. {BiographyX, RomanceX, Boxing DramaXXX}

Surprisingly Entertaining

[quik_123 · 8/10 · 20 February 2004]

I watched an advanced screening of Against the Ropes last night. I wasn't expecting much and I had seen some negative reviews on here already. But upon seeing the movie, it was actually pretty good. It had its funny moments and the story started off well. I think it suffered towards the middle when the story switched to Kalleen's addiction to the spotlight. I thought it made the story a bit boring and would've liked to have seen it concentrate more on Omar Epps and Meg Ryan's relationship and title conquest.

Overall, it was a decent movie and the crowd actually was into it and enjoying it. I was entertained. ***out of ****

Underrated film...misunderstood what the focus really is

[vincentlynch-moonoi · 7/10 · 22 July 2013]

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.

Against One's Better Judgment

[broadway5 · 1/10 · 4 February 2004]

I had the bad experience of viewing this mess at a screening. The movie was to have been released quite awhile ago---for everyone's sake it should remain on the shelf. The better choice would be for it to go directly to video--that way one can rent it---burn it and return the ashes to the video store. This would prevent others from wasting their money. The movie is a true story about a woman who is a manager of boxers----is that important for people to know!!!This is not one of Meg Ryan's better roles--she is the only recognizable one in the movie--everyone else appears to be a wannabe!! Save your money or if you insist on going then check your brain at the concession stand and pick it up when leaving the theatre.

Against the Ropes...A movie to remember

[Mbj2much4ya · 24 February 2004]

I had the pleasure of going to the premiere for Against the Ropes in LA on February 11, 2004. I thought the movie was excellant. I am Charles Dutton's neice, and a very big fan of Omar Epps. The movie was very well written, and directed, and the cast did a fantastic job. Meg Ryan definately played her part, and made it be known that there is no such thing as "a man's sport". I give the movie, it's writers, directors, and it's cast 2 thumbs up. This will definately be a movie that I will purchase on DVD when it comes out.

Omar Epps looks like a woman on the box cover

[caspian1978 · 4/10 · 15 July 2004]

A movie with its moments, most of the moments being bad, bad, bad. The Studio shelved this un-winner for a few years for good reasons, they did not know if an audience for this movie existed. At times, the direction of the film created some nice visuals but nothing else. A lot of the cutting between scenes jumped without any story between more scene to another. Kind of jumpy and fast, the movie tries to find its story somewhere at the half way point, and doesn't mind it. Meg Ryan once again proves herself by doing another different film that leaves the audience still guessing. Giving up her innocent / beauty roles for the more serious, she tries to jump back into comedy to try her beauty and charm again. The only problem is that the audience gave up going to see her role in those movies to see her as a serious actress. Much like Omar Epps looking like a woman on the poster and cover of the movie box, this movie makes you turn your head to one side like a confused dog.

cliché formula

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 30 April 2017]

Jackie Kallen (Meg Ryan) grew up in the boxing gym. She's working for fight promoter Irving Abel (Joe Cortese) in Cleveland. Manager Sam LaRocca (Tony Shalhoub) has a big title fight. The sexist Sam ridicules Jackie. After the fight, he dismisses her and sells her the contract of the loser. She and secretary Renee (Kerry Washington) visit her fighter only to find him doing drugs and getting beaten by criminal Luther Shaw (Omar Epps). Jackie signs Luther to a contract and recruits trainer Felix Reynolds (Charles S. Dutton). Gavin Reese (Tim Daly) is a sports TV personality.

This is a fictionalization of the real female pioneer, boxing manager Jackie Kallen. The writing is filled with clichés and old boxing formulas. I'm not really put off by it but there isn't anything new in this. I do like Meg Ryan and Omar Epps' connection. They are able to fill the standard characters with solid emotions. Otherwise, I would have liked to see more of the real story in this real person's journey.

Worst fight scenes ever

[TheShiff · 1/10 · 9 February 2005]

The boxing scenes in this movie make it unbearable to watch. There is no point in a movie about a woman who wants to be a boxing manager. Where's the real plot? You would think the movie would revolve around the boxer himself and not his manager. There is nothing exciting about this movie, and no suspense. I originally started watching because i thought I would see meg ryan in skimpy boxing shorts or something similar. What i seen was her standing near a ringside yelling at a lightweight boxer called Luther. They try to glorify this how? They could have at least made it a heavyweight bout. The fight scenes at the end is of the lowest quality. For hockey fans, This movie is like watching the AHL from an assistant coaches position... I mean sure there is no NHL right now, but there are still Rocky movies... go rent one of those instead. This movie is horrid! And then they applause Meg near the end for managing Luther to the title... who cares! she didn't even do anything! Not recommended at all. I love the big glorified ending "Jackie became the best female boxing manager of all time"... WOW, really, who cares?

A PLEASANT SURPRISE

[iohefy-2 · 7/10 · 18 February 2004]

I went to see this movie not expecting to much, and was pleasantly surprised. After seeing Meg Ryan in her last movie I felt this was reason to feel this way. As I said it was very entertaining and the fight sequences were excellent. This is worth the price of admission. It is a sleeper.

Simply awful

[doppler-4 · 2/10 · 18 August 2004]

What a complete waste of talent... a poorly written, thin story that might have... well... been a contender.

My honest advice is do not watch this unless you have a strong drink in one hand and the other ready to hit your remote's fast-forward button.

Meg Ryan has a terrible time getting into Jackie Kallen's character and struggles to bring any depth to the part. Omar Epps blows her away in the acting department, but that doesn't say much. Charlie Dutton is Charles Dutton, but the script seems to hang them all out to dry.

The only thing that was good was the print I saw had excellent color balance.

Underrated

[jpintar · 6/10 · 13 July 2004]

Against The Ropes is an underrated movie about a female boxing manager.

Meg Ryan seemed like the last choice to play this role, but she is good as a woman who is trying to manage a champion fighter. Omar Epps is very good as her arrogant protegee who wants to a boxing champion. The always watchable Charles S. Dutton, who also directed, is also good as his trainer. It is based on a true story, but the film does feel like a Hollywood story. That is the problem with the movie. It is extremely predictable. You know where this movie is going before it gets there. That said, I did enjoy this movie enough to recommend it. I like the actors and the characters they play. This is not a great movie, but it does earn a 6/10 from me.

100% formula

[moonspinner55 · 4/10 · 22 September 2005]

Sloppy, sentimental boxing comedy-drama is based on successful female boxing manager Jackie Kallen's tough rise to the top ('loosely inspired' seems a more appropriate term). Meg Ryan plays Kallen with a streetwise edge in her voice and is appropriately cast, but her outlandish wardrobe certainly belies the salary of a glorified secretary, and Tony Shalhoub embarrasses himself as a 'Godfather'-styled kingpin of the boxing mecca (he dresses and talks like John Gotti, but only seems to have one client). Charles Dutton directed, and his own performance as the veteran trainer (yet another cliché) is at least warmly thought out--ironically, it's the best acting here. "Ropes" is a lackluster film, put together and distributed as if nobody involved had a hope in hell for it. The boxing scenes are slapdash, with Ryan walking right across the ring at one point to deliver a last-second pep-talk to Omar Epps, the kind of conspiratorial speech that is older than dirt (why doesn't she just say, "Win one for the Gipper"?). Omar's rise to success is swifter than a bad odor, which is pretty much what this misfire leaves in its wake. *1/2 from ****

Great boxing movie

[canadian_huevos · 8/10 · 7 June 2005]

This is one of the few great boxing movies out there. The fighting actually looks as if it could be in a real ring as apposed to many of those other fight flix out there. Meg Ryan is still absolutely gorgeous at her age and pulls of the role wonderfully. This is a movie that you will be able to watch several times and still get some enjoyment out of it. I love the fact that although this could be considered a "girl-power" type of movie that it appeals to the male crowd and does not come across as man-bashing. I had to purchase this movie as soon as it came out because it got me pumped to go out and try for anything. This movie has slight humorous undertones, however, in my opinion it will appeal much more to a crowd that is seeking a drama. A must see!

A Star - Boxer - Is Born ?!

[elshikh4 · 6/10 · 25 February 2009]

I love (Meg Ryan), but not some of her movies lately. Here, the problem is in the script. It's solid, but totally not a new one or trying to be (At least a star like Ryan should have known better!). There was an intention for making a movie about North America's most famous female boxing promoter (Jackie Kallen), however with non factual story. So when they select of all the themes a fictional one that's close to (A Star Is Born)'s formula, then I must feel so bored before getting to veto powerfully!

I hate to say it, but the whole thing seemed predictable. I waited for different details for the characters, or the events, to just find different outfits for (Ryan)! Not to mention, weak points; for instance the separation between the 2 leads was done so strangely and for trivial matters, therefore moments like seeing (Ryan)'s character at the arena in the last match, with greeting her respectfully from the honest report's character, was overdone, too emotional in the wrong place, and looked like a ghost for counterpart moment in (The Natural - 1984)! And I thought that (Ryan)'s apology and encouragement speech later could've been something less blabber or totally wordless; meaning more cinematic, less weak. For instance, she raises a board with Go and Win written on it, then (Omar Epps) heeds her surprising while she looks at him crying regretfully. Or anything else what we saw!

(Tony Shalhoub) did it good, but I felt that he wasn't scary enough in the first place. (Epps) is so aggrieved; the movie dealt with him the lousy way Jackie did at one point, making all the show about her only! (Kerry Washington) is a real talent, but seriously how to talk about her since originally there isn't saturated or satisfactory anyone or anything in this script!

Director (Charles S. Dutton) handled it fine, though had to make video clips at places since the script gave him nothing unique to do, just a middling material. You can say that the last 10 minutes was the only too fine sequence. The music was good but at few moments. The sensitivity itself wasn't well made inasmuch as abbreviated.

It looked like "the movie of the week" stuff while it's a Hollywood movie with big star. To be fair, it's not bad at all, but surely lacked what could make it distinct, original, and sentimental. Still the best about it is (Ryan)'s presence all the time, while your assured feelings that her eyebrows and her lips look weird, her voice suddenly changed into husky, her age became older than her characters, and that there is something not right about this phase of her career. Dear (Meg), I still love you, please choose better next times.

Finally, I can't hold it: on the top of its soundtrack, you'll find "Out of Touch". As a description for the movie itself, I couldn't agree more!

Tame Sports Drama

[florafairy · 5/10 · 10 February 2004]

I saw the film at an advance screening (wouldn't have otherwise, not bring a sports movie fan), and, in the movie's defense, it delivers exactly what the trailer promises: a by-the-book, All-American underdog sports drama ostensibly from a feminist perspective. Disappointingly, it fictionalizes the character of Kallen to such an extent that only her name remains as a kernel of truth-- supporting characters, settings, chronology, and especially the real challenges that Kallen overcame have all been pared down to fit the same mold that "Seabiscuit" and "Miracle" came from. It's so predictable that one might think that the real Kallen would have been offended by the Lifetime Movie-of-the-Week treatment of her colorful life, but as she was an active executive producer, I guess we can assume she enjoyed Meg Ryan's gravelly-voiced, fiendishly asexual interpretation of herself. (For the record, the real Kallen was a mother experienced in sports journalism when she became a boxing manager, not the downtrodden spinster secretary as shown in the movie). Omar Epps gives a thoroughly credible performance as Kallen's first middleweight, and Charles S. Dutton, as the trainer brought out of retirement to coach him to victory, trots out the familiar trope with an easy self-assurance. Tony Shahloub is perfect as the slimey, chauvenist boxing promoter determined to see Kallen fail. For all its treacly dialogue, the movie's fight scenes look very realistic, for what that's worth. That is pretty much the only innovation in this by-the-book movie which feels like something Katherine Hepburn would have made sixty years ago.