Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageAgainst the Ropes (2003)
Director: Charles S Dutton
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
Of course, it's not Meg Ryan's fault. Hollywood does write the parts for women in their 40s - it just doesn't cast 'em. All of which helps explain why Ryan has chosen to iron and laminate her face in a bid to keep up with the Scarlett Johanssons. The flip side is that throughout this solid boxing melodrama, Ryan's features appear as inflexible and incapable of subtleties as the Erin Brockovich-style attire she's been squeezed into. And it isn't just the clothes. Ryan is also a hard-nosed accidental businesswoman going toe to toe in a man's world. She plays Jackie Kallen (the script is based on Ms Kallen's life story), an ambitious boxing manager who discovers hotheaded young buck Luther Shaw (Epps), softens his edges and steers him towards title glory. Director Dutton, who reserves the plum part of veteran trainer Felix for himself, dances around issues of race, sexism and organised crime without giving the impression of doing anything more than tick boxes on the way to a grandstand finish. Aficionados of boxing movies will be pleased to note the requisite mid-film montage of knockout punches is present and correct.Author: PW
Cast & crew
Director: Charles S Dutton
Producer: Robert W Cort, David Madden
Cast: Meg Ryan, Omar Epps, Tony Shalhoub, Tim Daly, Kerry Washington, Charles S Dutton, Joe Cortese, Sean Bell, Dean McDermott, Skye McCole Bartusiak full cast
Duration: 111 mins
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Has David Cronenberg turned tame?
Has director David Cronenberg veered too far from his radical and bloody roots with new film 'A Dangerous Method'?
Pop-up cinema for Valentine's Day
Side-step romantic clichés with some alternative Valentine’s viewing
The 10 worst date movies
Just in time for Valentine's Day, we present ten of the least romantic films ever made
Where to watch this year's Oscar-nominated films
Find out where to watch 2012's Oscar-nominated films in London cinemas
10 unlikely badboy biopics
Featuring Phil Collins, Jeremy Clarkson, Nick Clegg, David Starkey and a host of other unlikely subjects
What do you think?
Post your review now