Stew 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!

Andy (film-critic) It is embarrassing to see Hollywood have their hands so deep into a project that you can already tell how the film will end before you even finish watching the opening credits. You could even possibly tell how the film will end, and how most of the main conflicts will be resolved, from a true Hollywood preview. This is exactly the case with Against the Ropes. While Meg Ryan thinks that she may be shedding her romantic-comedy skin for something a bit more roughly, what actually is demonstrated is that Ryan is willing to do any feel-good project. There was nothing gritty or real about this film, and in fact, should be labeled as a fantasy story. With the fading accent that Ryan produces only brings smiles to most faces, the fact that nothing truly bad happens on her road to achieving greatness in a male dominated world is pathetic. The writer of this film, same writer as Save the Last Dance, doesn't give any honest response to Ryan on her journey to the top. The fighter never looses a fight and Ryan is never stopped from being the best, she continually has one good thing happen to her time after time. To me, this builds for a true-Hollywood story that promises never to change or to bring anything tempting to the screen.I honestly could picture this film as a very gritty portrait of a woman trying to compete in a man's world, but instead what was actually shown to me was this laminated piece of fake history that was promoted as the story of Jackie Kallen's life. There was no dark seedy underbelly to this story, except for when Ryan moseys her way into the ghetto. In quite possibly one of the most racist scenes of the film, Ryan clichés her way into the world of this fighter that is black therefore from the streets. I know that they were trying to build the background to where this unstoppable boxer could come from, but to me it has all been done before and better. I thought that the filmmakers even glossed over the ghetto to bring us into this dramatic light. It was not a believable story, and ultimately that is what hurt this picture.Outside of this laminated world created, there were just so many loose ends that were not even attempted to be closed by anyone in the film. Tim Daly's character was the most simplistic character I have ever seen in a film causing the mere minutes he was in this film to be some of the most catastrophic and confusing ever. Was he in love with Jackie? Did he still hate her at the end? What was he doing most of the time? Then there was actor/director Charles S. Dutton who played double duty in this film and gave us nothing new with his character. Cliché after cliché, Dutton played the exact same boxing coach that has been done time and time again. Does every boxing coach need to be gruff and large? Apparently, when you are in Hollywood, the answer is "yes". The only person that gave some decent effort in this film was Omar Epps, whose voice was completely covered by Ryan's lacking appeal. You basically had to look at Epps during this entire film because Ryan's performance gave you splitting headaches. This than caused several problems throughout the film, especially the ending. What happened at the end? I can't even count on one hand the number of questions that I had and why, oh dear me why, Hollywood created this glossed ending that resembled nothing of real life, but was destined to give the audience something to tear up about. GET OVER YOURSELF Hollywood. If you want to make a good movie, you must show realism, not everyone clapping at the end. How many times in real life does this happen? Either way, it was despicable and nothing sort of general.Overall, this film was a waste of time. If you have seen one sporting film, you have seen Against the Ropes. If you have seen two sporting film, then I am sorry for you. Sport genres are my least favorite and this is yet another glowing example of why. Cheap characters coupled by a story that seemed more like fairyland instead of reality brought this movie down quite a distance in my book. What is even more appalling is the fact that Jackie Kallen looks nothing like Meg Ryan. Apparently, the studios needed someone that would attract people to the film because the STORY ITSELF cannot carry on its own, so Ryan was called in to change her image and bring out the worst of the story. I continually kept a keen eye on this movie just to see if Tom Hanks would make an appearance as her dad, possibly another boxer or just some random moment to revitalize the Ryan/Hanks appeal, but alas, it never occurred. It would have helped the film in the long run, but instead we found cliché after cliché was the stronger approach. I am not suggesting this film at all unless you are a die-hard Meg Ryan fan, and even then I think you will be disappointed.Grade: ** out of *****

thomascapital 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!

Colette Corr Against the Ropes is very loosely based on the life of Jackie Cullen, boxing's most successful female promoter ever.Meg Ryan is Jackie, who's struggling as PA to a boxing venue owner, despite her family connections and knowledge of the sport. When she gains a dud boxer after a wager, Jackie encounters the talented Luther (Omar Epps) and enlists retired trainer Felix (Charles S Dutton, who also directed) to get Luther match-ready.Although Meg Ryan does well enough with Cheryl Edwards' hackneyed script, the real Jackie Cullen seems to be a far more interesting character. Not enough attention is paid to developing the other characters either, though Jackie and her protégé Owen build a good rapport. There's also a gaping plot inconsistency: why would Jackie go back to temping in administration when she owns her own boxing studio? However, the fight scenes are well choreographed and the highlight of the film. **/*****