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Against the Ropes

Play trailer Poster for Against the Ropes PG-13 2004 1h 51m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
11% Tomatometer 132 Reviews 28% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
Boxing manager Jackie Kallen believes she and a veteran trainer can turn a young man into a streamlined prizefighter.
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Against the Ropes

Against the Ropes

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Critics Consensus

A bland, dumbed-down package of sports cliches.

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Critics Reviews

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Antonia Quirke London Evening Standard Dec 14, 2017
This is pulpy, unforgivable stuff, as ungainly as Ryan's walk in her black high heels. Go to Full Review Nell Minow Common Sense Media Sep 9, 2010
2/5
Uninspired tale feels like a made-for-TV movie. Go to Full Review Empire Magazine May 14, 2004
2/5
What could have been a gripping tale becomes hammy and overdone. Go to Full Review Debbie Lynn Elias Behind The Lens Nov 6, 2019
Kallen's story is interesting and I, quite frankly, expected something better than what we have. The raw materials are all here. They just need a little better management and promotion. Against the Ropes -- a split decision. Go to Full Review Kaleem Aftab The List Apr 18, 2019
1/5
Based on a true story? Right. This is the boxing movie at its most sentimental -- and fake. Could be a contender for worst movie of the year. Go to Full Review Michael Dequina TheMovieReport.com Dec 28, 2008
2.5/4
An inoffensively average, formulaic entertainment with a marketing-problematic point of view. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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steve d @RT35616104 Jan 29, 2023 Epps is solid but the rest is overacted poorly written and predictable. A great film can come from this story but this sure wasn't it. See more May 29, 2020 Unworthy of a star. Slow boring and predictable from beginning to the end See more May 28, 2020 Loved the movie. Thought meg ry an was great in iy See more May 30, 2019 It was a bland sort of movie where you could see the manager taking the fame over the real talent. It was time wasted that I'll never get back. See more Nov 1, 2018 The film also suffers from a split personality syndrome: it wants to tell the "real life" story (based on actual events, but heavily fictionalized) of Jackie Kallen (played in the film by Meg Ryan), the first big-time female boxing promoter, but it also wants the rousing ending of a big bout, so it dovetails Jackie's story with that of a fictional pugilist, Luther Shaw (Omar Epps), and, in the process, loses its focus. This is a good watch but don't go with your expectations sky high. See more Mar 28, 2015 Her accent in this movie drove me crazy, horrible. See more Read all reviews
Against the Ropes

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Charles S. Dutton

Director

Meg Ryan

Jackie Kallen

Omar Epps

Luther Shaw

Tony Shalhoub

Sam LaRocca

Tim Daly

Gavin Reese

Charles S. Dutton

Felix Reynolds

Movie Clips

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Against the Ropes

Against the Ropes: Official Clip - Thanking Jackie Against the Ropes: Official Clip - Thanking Jackie 2:08 Now Playing Against the Ropes: Official Clip - Drugs and Thugs Against the Ropes: Official Clip - Drugs and Thugs 2:13 Now Playing Against the Ropes: Official Clip - You Are a Champion Against the Ropes: Official Clip - You Are a Champion 2:09 Now Playing Against the Ropes: Official Clip - A New Start Against the Ropes: Official Clip - A New Start 2:04 Now Playing Against the Ropes: Official Clip - Fighting Dirty Against the Ropes: Official Clip - Fighting Dirty 1:57 Now Playing Against the Ropes: Official Clip - You Fight for Me Against the Ropes: Official Clip - You Fight for Me 2:11 Now Playing Against the Ropes: Official Clip - The First Fight Against the Ropes: Official Clip - The First Fight 2:12 Now Playing Against the Ropes: Official Clip - Let Me See Your Stance Against the Ropes: Official Clip - Let Me See Your Stance 2:12 Now Playing View more videos

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Against the Ropes

(Left to right) Charles S. Dutton as Felix and Meg Ryan as Jackie in "Against the Ropes." (Left to right) Charles S. Dutton as Felix, Meg Ryan as Jackie and Omar Epps as Luther in "Against the Ropes." (Left to right) Tony Shalhoub as LaRocca, Meg Ryan as Jackie and Juan Hernandez as Hernandez in "Against the Ropes." (Left to right) Meg Ryan as Jackie and Omar Epps as Luther in "Against the Ropes." Center) Meg Ryan as Jackie, (back left) Charles S. Dutton as Felix and (back center left) Omar Epps as Luther in "Against the Ropes." (Left to right) Charles S. Dutton as Felix, Meg Ryan as Jackie and Omar Epps as Luther in "Against the Ropes." A scene from the movie " Against the Ropes." Omar Epps as Luther and Meg Ryan as Jackie. Omar Epps as Luther in "Against the Ropes." (Center white trunks) Omar Epps as Luther in "Against the Ropes." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Boxing manager Jackie Kallen believes she and a veteran trainer can turn a young man into a streamlined prizefighter.
Director
Charles S. Dutton
Producer
Robert W. Cort, David Madden
Screenwriter
Cheryl Edwards
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Production Co
Paramount Pictures, Cort/Madden Productions
Rating
PG-13 (Crude Language|Brief Sensuality|Some Drug Material|Violence)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 20, 2004, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jun 15, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA)
$5.9M
Runtime
1h 51m
Sound Mix
Dolby SRD, DTS, Surround
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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