Against the Ropes: Difference between revisions
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'''''Against the Ropes''''' is a 2004 American [[sports film|sports]] [[Drama (film and television)|drama film]] directed by [[Charles S. Dutton]] | '''''Against the Ropes''''' is a 2004 American [[sports film|sports]] [[Drama (film and television)|drama film]] directed by [[Charles S. Dutton]] and starring [[Meg Ryan]] and [[Omar Epps]]. The story is a fictionalized account of boxing manager [[Jackie Kallen]], the first woman to achieve success in the sport. Kallen has a bit part in the film playing a reporter. The film was shot primarily at the [[Wolstein Center]] in [[Cleveland]], [[Ohio]] and [[Hamilton, Ontario|Hamilton]], [[Ontario]] at the [[Copps Coliseum]]. | ||
''Against the Ropes'' was released in the United States by [[Paramount Pictures]] on February 20, 2004 and received negative reviews from critics. It grossed $7 million against a budget of $39 million. | |||
==Plot== | ==Plot== | ||
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{{cast list| | {{cast list| | ||
*[[Meg Ryan]] - [[Jackie Kallen]] | *[[Meg Ryan]] - [[Jackie Kallen]] | ||
**[[Skye McCole Bartusiak]] as Little Jackie Kallen | |||
*[[Omar Epps]] - Luther Shaw | *[[Omar Epps]] - Luther Shaw | ||
*[[Tony Shalhoub]] - Sam LaRocca | *[[Tony Shalhoub]] - Sam LaRocca | ||
*[[Tim Daly]] - Gavin Reese | *[[Tim Daly]] - Gavin Reese | ||
*[[Kerry Washington]] - Renee | *[[Kerry Washington]] - Renee | ||
*[[Joseph Cortese]] - Abel (Credited as Joe Cortese) | |||
*[[Charles S. Dutton]] - Felix Reynolds | *[[Charles S. Dutton]] - Felix Reynolds | ||
*[[ | *[[Holt McCallany]] - Dorsett | ||
*[[Tory Kittles]] - Devon Green | |||
*Juan Carlos Hernandez as Pedro Hernandez (Credited by Juan Hernandez) | |||
*Sean Bell - Ray Kallen | *Sean Bell - Ray Kallen | ||
*[[Dean McDermott]] - Pete Kallen | *[[Dean McDermott]] - Pete Kallen | ||
*[[Tory Kittles]] - Devon Green | *[[Tory Kittles]] - Devon Green | ||
*Gene Mack - Kevin Keyes | *Gene Mack - Kevin Keyes | ||
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==Reception== | ==Reception== | ||
===Box office=== | ===Box office=== | ||
''Against the Ropes'' was a [[box office bomb]], grossing only $6,614,280, with an estimated budget of $39,000,000. It opened up at No. 8 at the box office, grossing $3,038,546 in the opening weekend. The film was released on February 20, 2004 to 1,601 theaters (widest release) gathering an average of $1,897 per theater. The film closed its box office run after seven weeks, gathering a total of $5,884,190 from the domestic market and $730,090 from overseas for an international total of $6,614,280.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl2923464193/|title=Against the Ropes|website=[[Box Office Mojo]]|access-date=February 27, 2021}}</ref> | ''Against the Ropes'' was a [[box office bomb]], grossing only $6,614,280, with an estimated budget of $39,000,000. It opened up at No. 8 at the box office, grossing $3,038,546 in the opening weekend. The film was released on February 20, 2004, to 1,601 theaters (widest release) gathering an average of $1,897 per theater. The film closed its box office run after seven weeks, gathering a total of $5,884,190 from the domestic market and $730,090 from overseas for an international total of $6,614,280.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl2923464193/|title=Against the Ropes|website=[[Box Office Mojo]]|access-date=February 27, 2021}}</ref> | ||
===Critical response=== | ===Critical response=== | ||
The film | The film was poorly reviewed by critics. It received a 11% approval rating on [[Review aggregator|review aggregate]] [[Rotten Tomatoes]], based on 132 reviews with an average rating of {{RT data|average}}, summarizing it as "a bland, dumbed-down package of sports cliches."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/against_the_ropes|title=Against the Ropes (2004)|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|publisher=[[Fandango Media]]|access-date=June 2, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927083255/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/against_the_ropes|archive-date=September 27, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], it holds a score of 36 out of 100 based on 36 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable" reviews.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/against-the-ropes|title=Against the Ropes|website=[[Metacritic]]|publisher=[[CBS Interactive]]|access-date=February 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200821131834/https://www.metacritic.com/movie/against-the-ropes|archive-date=August 21, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> | ||
[[A. O. Scott]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' commended the performances for displaying "flashes of idiosyncrasy and flair" despite the "pedestrian script" but was critical of the film overall for having various "inspirational sports-movie clichés" and "competence that is more flat-footed than inspiring" in both the drama and boxing scenes.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/20/movies/film-review-fearlessly-going-where-the-punches-are-flying.html|title=Film Review: Fearlessly Going Where The Punches Are Flying|last=Scott|first=A. O.|author-link=A. O. Scott|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=February 20, 2004|access-date=February 28, 2021|url-access=limited|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927083239/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/20/movies/film-review-fearlessly-going-where-the-punches-are-flying.html|archive-date=September 27, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> Marrit Ingman of ''[[The Austin Chronicle]]'' found Ryan "predictably fine" in the "plum role" of Jackie Kallen but criticized Dutton and Edwards for relying too much on "the well-worn underdog formula" when telling her story and not focusing on more "meatier" issues outside of the movie's text.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/events/film/2004-02-20/197377/|title=Against the Ropes - Movie Review|last=Ingman|first=Marrit|newspaper=[[The Austin Chronicle]]|date=February 20, 2004|access-date=February 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210228043129/https://www.austinchronicle.com/events/film/2004-02-20/197377/|archive-date=February 28, 2021|url-status=live}} {{Rating|2|5}}</ref> Scott Tobias of ''[[The A.V. Club]]'' wrote that: "True to form, ''Against The Ropes'' favors a much tamer version of the real thing, never getting into the deep fissures that led to the real-life Kallen's long estrangement with Toney. Right up to the ludicrous finale and an even more improbable denouement, everything rings Hollywood-false. More galling still, the filmmakers' inventions take the zing out of the facts."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.avclub.com/against-the-ropes-1798199403|title=Against The Ropes|last=Tobias|first=Scott|newspaper=[[The A.V. Club]]|publisher=[[The Onion]]|date=February 17, 2004|access-date=February 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210228042229/https://film.avclub.com/against-the-ropes-1798199403|archive-date=February 28, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> Nick Schager of ''[[Slant Magazine]]'' criticized the film for being a "lackluster melodrama" with a script containing "corny clichés and metaphors" that uses prejudice to add color to their story, concluding that: "While Dutton's fight scenes are directed with reasonable panache, the rest of the film's visuals are so blandly static that one can imagine the ease with which ''Against the Ropes'' will be pan-and-scanned for television."<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/against-the-ropes/|title=Review: Against the Ropes|last=Schager|first=Nick|magazine=[[Slant Magazine]]|date=January 23, 2004|access-date=February 28, 2021}} {{Rating|1.5|4}}</ref> | [[A. O. Scott]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' commended the performances for displaying "flashes of idiosyncrasy and flair" despite the "pedestrian script" but was critical of the film overall for having various "inspirational sports-movie clichés" and "competence that is more flat-footed than inspiring" in both the drama and boxing scenes.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/20/movies/film-review-fearlessly-going-where-the-punches-are-flying.html|title=Film Review: Fearlessly Going Where The Punches Are Flying|last=Scott|first=A. O.|author-link=A. O. Scott|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=February 20, 2004|access-date=February 28, 2021|url-access=limited|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927083239/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/20/movies/film-review-fearlessly-going-where-the-punches-are-flying.html|archive-date=September 27, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> Marrit Ingman of ''[[The Austin Chronicle]]'' found Ryan "predictably fine" in the "plum role" of Jackie Kallen but criticized Dutton and Edwards for relying too much on "the well-worn underdog formula" when telling her story and not focusing on more "meatier" issues outside of the movie's text.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/events/film/2004-02-20/197377/|title=Against the Ropes - Movie Review|last=Ingman|first=Marrit|newspaper=[[The Austin Chronicle]]|date=February 20, 2004|access-date=February 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210228043129/https://www.austinchronicle.com/events/film/2004-02-20/197377/|archive-date=February 28, 2021|url-status=live}} {{Rating|2|5}}</ref> Scott Tobias of ''[[The A.V. Club]]'' wrote that: "True to form, ''Against The Ropes'' favors a much tamer version of the real thing, never getting into the deep fissures that led to the real-life Kallen's long estrangement with Toney. Right up to the ludicrous finale and an even more improbable denouement, everything rings Hollywood-false. More galling still, the filmmakers' inventions take the zing out of the facts."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.avclub.com/against-the-ropes-1798199403|title=Against The Ropes|last=Tobias|first=Scott|newspaper=[[The A.V. Club]]|publisher=[[The Onion]]|date=February 17, 2004|access-date=February 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210228042229/https://film.avclub.com/against-the-ropes-1798199403|archive-date=February 28, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> Nick Schager of ''[[Slant Magazine]]'' criticized the film for being a "lackluster melodrama" with a script containing "corny clichés and metaphors" that uses prejudice to add color to their story, concluding that: "While Dutton's fight scenes are directed with reasonable panache, the rest of the film's visuals are so blandly static that one can imagine the ease with which ''Against the Ropes'' will be pan-and-scanned for television."<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/against-the-ropes/|title=Review: Against the Ropes|last=Schager|first=Nick|magazine=[[Slant Magazine]]|date=January 23, 2004|access-date=February 28, 2021}} {{Rating|1.5|4}}</ref> | ||
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* {{mojo title|id=againsttheropes|title=Against the Ropes}} | * {{mojo title|id=againsttheropes|title=Against the Ropes}} | ||
* {{rotten-tomatoes|against_the_ropes}} | * {{rotten-tomatoes|against_the_ropes}} | ||
{{Charles S. Dutton}} | |||
{{DEFAULTSORT:Against The Ropes}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Against The Ropes}} | ||
[[Category:2004 films]] | [[Category:2004 films]] | ||
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[[Category:2004 directorial debut films]] | [[Category:2004 directorial debut films]] | ||
[[Category:2004 drama films]] | [[Category:2004 drama films]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:2004 American films]] | ||
[[Category:2000s English-language films]] | [[Category:2000s English-language films]] | ||
[[Category:2000s sports drama films]] | [[Category:2000s sports drama films]] | ||
Latest revision as of 12:11, 28 December 2025
Template:Use American English Template:Infobox film/short descriptionScript error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "[". Against the Ropes is a 2004 American sports drama film directed by Charles S. Dutton and starring Meg Ryan and Omar Epps. The story is a fictionalized account of boxing manager Jackie Kallen, the first woman to achieve success in the sport. Kallen has a bit part in the film playing a reporter. The film was shot primarily at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio and Hamilton, Ontario at the Copps Coliseum.
Against the Ropes was released in the United States by Paramount Pictures on February 20, 2004 and received negative reviews from critics. It grossed $7 million against a budget of $39 million.
Plot
Script error: No such module "Unsubst". At a young age, Jackie Kallen learns about boxing with her father and uncle in a small gym. Later, she becomes assistant to a Cleveland boxing promoter. Her boss then begins doing business with Sam LaRocca, a sports manager, during a middleweight championship fight.
Challenged after the contest to demonstrate an understanding of the fight game, she proceeds to embarrass LaRocca, who then offers to sell the loser's contract to her for the price of one dollar. She accepts, only to discover upon visiting the fighter in his home that he is addicted to drugs and enmeshed in a dangerous and self-destructive lifestyle.
Enter Luther Shaw, a small-time hood. Kallen watches in horror and fascination as Shaw pummels the former middleweight champ. She offers to manage him professionally. Shaw is at first hesitant, but eventually signs on with her.
Because of LaRocca's influence, Kallen can't find Shaw a fight anywhere in Ohio, so the two are forced to go on the road until Shaw makes a name for himself. Jackie begins to get swept up in all the attention she gets for being the first female boxing manager. Her attention eventually shifts from Shaw to her own media persona as her fighter's number of wins continues to climb.
Finally realizing that she is not paying enough attention to her only client, Kallen agrees to sell Shaw's contract to LaRocca on the condition that he be given a championship fight. LaRocca agrees, setting Shaw up for a shot at the title before he could be ready. Kallen arrives at the fight and stands in Shaw's corner as he pulls off an upset and wins the championship.
Cast
Reception
Box office
Against the Ropes was a box office bomb, grossing only $6,614,280, with an estimated budget of $39,000,000. It opened up at No. 8 at the box office, grossing $3,038,546 in the opening weekend. The film was released on February 20, 2004, to 1,601 theaters (widest release) gathering an average of $1,897 per theater. The film closed its box office run after seven weeks, gathering a total of $5,884,190 from the domestic market and $730,090 from overseas for an international total of $6,614,280.[1]
Critical response
The film was poorly reviewed by critics. It received a 11% approval rating on review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes, based on 132 reviews with an average rating of Template:RT data, summarizing it as "a bland, dumbed-down package of sports cliches."[2] On Metacritic, it holds a score of 36 out of 100 based on 36 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable" reviews.[3]
A. O. Scott of The New York Times commended the performances for displaying "flashes of idiosyncrasy and flair" despite the "pedestrian script" but was critical of the film overall for having various "inspirational sports-movie clichés" and "competence that is more flat-footed than inspiring" in both the drama and boxing scenes.[4] Marrit Ingman of The Austin Chronicle found Ryan "predictably fine" in the "plum role" of Jackie Kallen but criticized Dutton and Edwards for relying too much on "the well-worn underdog formula" when telling her story and not focusing on more "meatier" issues outside of the movie's text.[5] Scott Tobias of The A.V. Club wrote that: "True to form, Against The Ropes favors a much tamer version of the real thing, never getting into the deep fissures that led to the real-life Kallen's long estrangement with Toney. Right up to the ludicrous finale and an even more improbable denouement, everything rings Hollywood-false. More galling still, the filmmakers' inventions take the zing out of the facts."[6] Nick Schager of Slant Magazine criticized the film for being a "lackluster melodrama" with a script containing "corny clichés and metaphors" that uses prejudice to add color to their story, concluding that: "While Dutton's fight scenes are directed with reasonable panache, the rest of the film's visuals are so blandly static that one can imagine the ease with which Against the Ropes will be pan-and-scanned for television."[7]
However, the film did receive some positive reviews; Roger Ebert gave it 3 stars out of 4, remarking:
- "It works near the end of "Against the Ropes," a biopic about Jackie Kallen, who was (and is) the first female fight promoter in the all-male world of professional boxing. It works, and another cliche works, too: the Big Fight scene, right out of "Rocky" and every other boxing movie, in which the hero gets pounded silly but then somehow, after becoming inspired between rounds, comes back and is filled with skill and fury."[8]
See also
References
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External links
- Template:Trim/ Template:Trim at IMDbTemplate:EditAtWikidataScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:WikidataCheck
- Against the Ropes at Box Office Mojo
- Template:Trim Template:PAGENAMEBASE at Rotten TomatoesTemplate:WikidataCheck
- Pages with script errors
- Pages with broken file links
- Pages using infobox film with flag icon
- 2004 films
- 2004 biographical drama films
- 2004 directorial debut films
- 2004 drama films
- 2004 American films
- 2000s English-language films
- 2000s sports drama films
- American films based on actual events
- American biographical drama films
- American boxing films
- English-language biographical drama films
- Films about women's sports
- Films directed by Charles S. Dutton
- Films scored by Michael Kamen
- Films set in Cleveland
- Films shot in Cleveland
- Films shot in Hamilton, Ontario
- Films shot in Toronto
- Paramount Pictures films
- Sports drama films based on actual events
- English-language sports drama films