Against the Ropes [WS] DVD

Against the Ropes
Charles S. Dutton's feature-length directorial debut Against the Ropes is based on the real-life story of Jackie Kallen, a Jewish woman from Detroit who became a successful boxing manager. Played by Meg Ryan, Kallen works her way up in the world of boxing by believing in the fighting skills of Luther Shaw (Omar Epps). Director Dutton appears as veteran trainer Felix Reynolds, whom Kallen encourages to come out of retirement. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

Cast Meg Ryan as Jackie Kallen Omar Epps as Luther Shaw Charles S. Dutton as Felix Reynolds Tony Shalhoub as Sam LaRocca Tim Daly as Gavin Reese Joe Cortese as Irving Abel Kerry Washington as Renee

Crew Jackie Kallen - Associate Producer Avy Kaufman - Casting Mike Drake - Co-producer Ruth E. Carter - Costume Designer Richard Cowan - First Assistant Director Charles S. Dutton - Director Eric L. Beason - Editor Scarlett Lacey - Executive Producer Steven Roffer - Executive Producer Jonathan Pillot - Executive Producer Roy T. Anderson - Fights Choreographer Michael Kamen - Composer (Music Score) Sandra Kybartas - Production Designer Jack N. Green - Cinematographer Robert W. Cort - Producer David Madden - Producer Steven Essam - Set Designer Bruce Carwardine - Sound/Sound Designer Roy T. Anderson - Stunts Coordinator Cheryl Edwards - Screenwriter

Against the Ropes
That other 2004 boxing movie directed by an actor who casts himself as a trainer in the film, Charles S. Dutton's Against the Ropes is no Million Dollar Baby, but it does also focus on the unusual role of a woman in the world of pugilism. As played by Meg Ryan with a raspy Midwestern mill-town accent, that woman comes across as a lot tougher than her coiffed appearance would indicate, and a lot better informed about baahhxing than her male counterparts want to admit. Thankfully, she doesn't play the martyr saint. Ryan and Dutton realize that even though she's the only female representative in this male-dominated world, she can be less than perfect, and get the kind of inflated head that alienates both her boxer (Omar Epps) and the audience. Unfortunately, the film doesn't go quite far enough in documenting these human weaknesses, which leaves the audience a bit puzzled when she becomes universally vilified in the boxing community. The story then takes on many of the standard components of failure and redemption, all leading toward "the big fight" whose outcome is a tad less than uncertain. By the time the film closes with the most tired of clichés -- the slow clap that builds toward thunderous applause -- Against the Ropes has devolved into something utterly conventional. Maybe it's appropriate that a film that deals so much with dualities -- black and white, male and female -- has very few shades of gray. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
 

(no awards)

General Specifications: Language Options: English, French Subtitle Options: English Sound Processing: DDS: Dolby Digital Surround DD5.1: Dolby Digital w/ sub-woofer channel Additional Features: cc Two featurettes: "A Ringside Seat," "Queen of the Ring: Jackie Kallen Then & Now" Theatrical trailer Widescreen version enhanced for 16 x 9 TVs Dolby Digital English 5.1 surround, English Dolby surround, French Dolby surround English subtitles DVD Aspect Ratio: Aspect: WideScreen MPAA Rating: PG13 DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 110 min Part of Series: Widescreen Paramount Collection   DVD Chapters: Side #1 -- 1. Pretty Tough [5:33] 2. Stuck in the Basement [:56] 3. A Boxer for a Buck [4:34] 4. Thug-and-a-Half [1:55] 5. Raw Potential [5:16] 6. Sparring [1:22] 7. A Warm Welcome [5:38] 8. May the Best Man Win [:46] 9. New Kids on the Block [6:20] 10. Crash and Burn [:33] 11. Mano a Mano [5:28] 12. Take the Shot [6:23] 13. Ready to Rumble [1:29] 14. Switch Up [3:27] 15. Rightful Thanks [4:19] 16. End Titles [1:05]