Against The Ropes

Starring: Meg Ryan, Omar Epps Original UK Premiere: 2004 Dvd Release: 2nd August, 2004 Number Of Discs: 1 Format: PAL, Region 2 Encoding

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Against the Ropes is a 2004 drama movie. It was directed by Charles Dutton, in his motion-picture directorial debut. It is a fictionalized account of the American boxing manager Jackie Kallen, who was the first woman to become a success in the sport. The events in the film are not an accurate representation of Kallens career, however. For example, Kallen was married & had two children while working in the boxing profession, but in the movie the character is single. Against the Ropes was panned by critics, in part because of the resemblance to nearly all the other boxing movies, such as the Rocky series. As with other such movies, its climax is a bout for the championship. The film begins with Kallen as an assistant to the owner of a low-class boxing arena. She gets into an argument with a boxing promoter named LaRocca. LaRocca, to express his disdain for her knowledge of boxing, intemperately offers to sell her the contract of one of his boxers, Luther Shaw, for a dollar. Kallen, seeing potential in Shaw, buys his contract from LaRocca & decides to become a manager. Posters Of Against The Ropes

This film isnt really about boxing, well it is obviously but its more about someone who wants somthing badly enough that they will do everything they can to make it happen & show the world that they can really kick some ass. The person i am talking about in this story is Jackie Kallen who became the first female boxing manager & went on to become the Commissioner for the International Female Boxers Association, & the only woman to have trained champs in six different weight classes. This is her story.

Jackie Kallen has been round boxing all her life & dreams of becoming a boxing manager. However in a very sexist society where boxing is concidered a mans sport she is never given the chance. Working under a mean boxing manager with money & not much else she eventually gets tired of the disrespect he shows her & finally speaks out, resulting in her buying a boxers contract for one dollar & vowing that she will do better than her boss.

On finding out that the boxer she has brought is pretty rubbish & is on drugs she starts looking around for new talent & comes across bad boy Luther Shaw who had to learn to fight in order to survive. After much persuation Luther agrees to fight & Jackie calls upon the help of old boxing trainer Felix Reynolds to turn him into a champ. Things eem to be going alright & Luther remains undefeated however most of the media attention stays fixed on Jackie instead of the upcoming star Luther Shaw. The attention goes to her head & she reminds Luther that without her he would have nothing & would still be on the streets. Obviously he doesnt like that much & goes in search of a new manager, but with a shot at the title right round the corner will he be ready.

The acting is really good from all the cast; the beautiful Meg Ryan as Jackie Kallen who goes from being walked all over by her bosses to top of the ladder in the boxing world; Omar Epps who plays the tough bad boy Luther Shaw who is kind of saved by Jackie & offered a way out of the ghetto that he lives in; Charles Dutton who plays the retired boxing trainer Felix Reynolds who is hired to turn Luther into champ material; Tony Shalhoub as the mean boxing manager who sells a down & out boxers contract to Jackie for a buck; & lets not forget Skye McCole Bartusiak who is only one screen for the first five minutes as little Jackie but really brings a little light with her sweet little face.

There are a number of worth while extras which make this DVD more fuller & complete. There are two documentaries; one which is about the making of Against The Ropes with interviews with several of the stars in the film & some of the crew. The second documentary focuses purely on the real Jackie Kallen & her massive achievements in life. Then there is an Original Theatrical Trailer which although is not much, it is after all an extra & does give the DVD a little extra. Finally there are the usual things like subtitles for the hearing impaired & the option to have the film in another language.

Overall, Against The Ropes is pretty good as far as films go although i cant quite remember whether it made it to the box office. The fight scenes are good & Omar Epps did every single scene of the fighting & as a result got a few cuts & brusies. In one of the docmentaries on the DVD someone said that they thought that the fight scenes were better than some of the epic fight films, such as Rocky. There good but i wouldnt go quite that far. An entertaining film which should satisfy most sports fans, or if you just like true stories, you should give this a go. Worth a shot!

Meg Ryan is a blue-eyed, blonde-haired American actress. She was born Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra in Fairfield, Connecticut. She specializes in romantic comedies, but has dabbled in other film genres as well. Ryan studied journalism at New York University. She went into acting to earn extra money while in school. After a part in a feature film, Ryan, now using her new name Meg Ryan, landed the role of Betsy on the daytime drama As the World Turns from 1982 to 1984. Directors for this show especially liked working with her because she could cry on cue. After several TV film & smaller movie roles, her first full-blown hit in a leading role was the romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally. The movie was favorably received & crystallized Ryans on-screen persona as a bubbly, charming, feisty but incurable romantic, a role she has largely reprised in her biggest roles since. In 2003, she broke away from her usual roles & starred in In the Cut, an erotic crime/thriller/mystery. Many of her films of the 1990s have been hits not only in North America, but also abroad. Posters Of Meg Ryan

Editors Choice: In The Cut, Against The Ropes, Kate And Leopold, Anastasia, Proof Of Life, Hanging Up, Youve Got Mail, City Of Angels, View DVDology

Omar Hashim Epps is an American actor & musician. Belongs to a rap group called Wolfpak that he formed with his brother in 1991. Began writing screenplays at age ten. Attended Fiorello H LaGuardia High School of Music & Art & Performing Arts in New York, NY. Welcomed his first child with fiance Keisha Spivey in July 2004, a daughter named Kmari Mae. Epps was born in Brooklyn, New York. Im going to be the first black President of the United States. If Reagan can do it, I know I can. Newsday, 1999 Posters Of Against The Ropes

Editors Choice: Brother, Against The Ropes, In Too Deep, The Wood, Higher Learning, House, View DVDology

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