Against The Ropes (DVD)

This is a boxing film but a bit more than just boxing, it is also about a lady called Jackie Kallen who was the first female boxing manager. It is inspired by her story not actually her story.

It starts off in 1972 with Jackie as a child in her dads gym watching her uncle ray-ray spar, she gets on very well with her uncle and when he asks her what she is going to do when she gets older the reply is "kick butt and break hearts" ...
...and she is a pearl" I mention this as the film has a lot of one liners.

We are brought up to the present day in Cleveland and Jackie's (played by Meg Ryan) love for boxing is still there, she is working as a PA for a boxing promoter just so she can be around boxing. It is pointed out to Jackie by a friend that she should try to better herself., Jackie's reply to this is "the world is not an oyster, it is a smelly tank full ... more

This is a boxing film but a bit more than just boxing, it is also about a lady called Jackie Kallen who was the first female boxing manager. It is inspired by her story not actually her story.

It starts off in 1972 with Jackie as a child in her dads gym watching her uncle ray-ray spar, she gets on very well with her uncle and when he asks her what she is going to do when she gets older the reply is "kick butt and break hearts" uncle ray-ray tells Jackie "that the world is an oyster and she is a pearl" I mention this as the film has a lot of one liners.

We are brought up to the present day in Cleveland and Jackie's (played by Meg Ryan) love for boxing is still there, she is working as a PA for a boxing promoter just so she can be around boxing. It is pointed out to Jackie by a friend that she should try to better herself., Jackie's reply to this is "the world is not an oyster, it is a smelly tank full of dirty water and sharks, it is not that easy to swim".
She ends up buying a beaten boxers contract for a dollar from a big time promoter by the name of La Rocca (Tony Shalhoub) who doesn't take too kindly to Jackie thinking that she knows about boxing.

When Jackie goes to visit her new boxer who lives in a ghetto of Cleveland she takes her coloured friend Renee (Kerry Washington) with her who when she sees the place accuses Jackie of only bringing her as black up (yes black up, it made me giggle), this is where Jackie sees Luther Shaw (Omar Epps) and spots his raw talent.

We watch as Jackie try's to raise the money so that Luther can start to train with an old time trainer called Felix Reynolds (Charles S. Dutton) and move from fight to fight, we witness Jackie turning into someone just as bad as the people she hates, who is only thinking of herself and what publicity she can get for herself. The goal is a championship fight which with Jackie as manager seems unlikely as the champion is looked after by La Rocca the same promoter who sold Jackie her original boxer.

There are quite a few fight scenes and some gym work,. The film moves through the times from Jackie getting her first boxer followed very quickly by her next (Luther) the one that goes through the film with her. Her struggle to get herself taken seriously and make a name for herself in a mans world.

This is a very average film which is surprising considering the cast, the continuity is out at times but not so much that it ruins the film. The acting is not bad but also just run of the mill. The boxing scenes are unremarkable but Omar does do all his own fighting. The tale would have been better I feel if it had stuck to the real life of Jackie Kallen but the only thing that is used is her name and the fact that it is about boxing.
It is hard to feel for any of the characters until the last ten minutes, in my opinion there is a lack of some depth which leaves you just watching instead of really feeling the film.
There are plenty of better boxing films out there and the story is only different because it is about a women in the boxing world.

I can't recommend that you buy this film to watch but if it comes on television it could be worth a go at least you can turn over if you get bored and it hasn't cost you anything. There is one plus for the boys and that is Meg Ryan, she is looking good and wears some nice outfits, I'm sure the ladies could well enjoy watching a sweaty Omar Epps, just so it's fair!

The film is directed by Charles S. Dutton (who plays Felix) and it is his debut as a director.

The cast:

Jackie Kallen - Meg Ryan
Luther Shaw- Omer Epps
Felix Reynolds- Charles S. Dutton
La Rocca- Tony Shalhoub
Renee- Kerry Washington
Able- Joe Cortese

The running time is 106 minutes, and it is rated a 12.

The year of production is 2004

The special features are:

A ringside seat.
Which is were we meet the cast and crew and they talk us through the film, telling us how good a film it is.

Queen of the ring.
Which is about Jackie Kallen then and now and lasts nearly 9 minutes, which is nowhere near enough time for us to get to know the real Jackie.

Theatrical trailer.
Which is just that, a trailer for this very film, why you would want to watch a trailer about the film you have just watched I don't know, but I did and the continuity is out in that as well!

I got this film for £3.49 from Sainsbury's but the cheapest I've seen online is £4.73 from selectcheaper.com, you could of course save your £4.73 change it into pennies and build little pyramids for the kids to knock over and laugh hysterically as all your hard work tumbles to the floor! The choice is yours…

 

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