A fictional story inspired by North America's most famous female boxing promoter, Jackie Kallen. Her struggle to survive and succeed in a male dominated sport.
Director:
Charles S. Dutton
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Title: Against the Ropes (2004)
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2 nominations.
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Meg Ryan | ... | Jackie Kallen | |
| Omar Epps | ... | Luther Shaw | |
| Charles S. Dutton | ... | Felix Reynolds | |
| Tony Shalhoub | ... | Sam LaRocca | |
| Tim Daly | ... | Gavin Reese | |
| Joe Cortese | ... | Irving Abel | |
| Kerry Washington | ... | Renee | |
| Sean Bell | ... | Ray Kallen | |
| Dean McDermott | ... | Pete Kallen | |
| Skye McCole Bartusiak | ... | Little Jackie | |
| Juan Carlos Hernández | ... | Pedro Hernandez (as Juan Hernandez) | |
| Holt McCallany | ... | Doug Doherty | |
| Tory Kittles | ... | Devon Green | |
 |
Gene Mack | ... | Kevin Keyes |
| Beau Starr | ... | Corcoran | |
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Plot Summary
|
Plot Synopsis
See All (95) »
Storyline
A Jewish woman from Detroit who became a boxing manager, guiding several major careers. This film focuses on her relationship with one boxer (Epps), who's reportedly a composite of several including Toney, McKart and Hearns. Kallen eventually left her husband of 30 years, and moved to Los Angeles, becoming the commissioner of the International Female Boxers Association... Written by austin4577@aol.com
Plot Keywords:
cardboard cutout | watching oneself on television | watching television | boxer | boxing |Taglines:
She gave the boxing world the one-two punch they never saw coming.Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
Rated PG-13 for crude language, violence, brief sensuality and some drug material | See all certifications »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See more on IMDbPro »
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Details
Language:
EnglishRelease Date:
20 February 2004 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
The Jackie Kallen Story See more »Edit
Box Office
Budget:
$39,000,000 (estimated)Opening Weekend USA:
$3,038,546, 22 February 2004Gross USA:
$5,884,190Cumulative Worldwide Gross:
$6,432,551Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Color:
ColorAspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1
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by Jackie Wilson and Alonzo Tucker
Performed by Jackie Wilson
Courtesy of Brunswick Record Corporation
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
Charles S. Dutton and Holt McCallany both starred in Alien 3 as convicts on Fiorina 161 See more »Goofs
When Luther is having dinner with Jackie, he picks up his napkin twice. See more »Quotes
Jackie Kallen: All that plastic. It's a wonder she doesn't melt in that spotlight.See more »
Soundtracks
Baby Workoutby Jackie Wilson and Alonzo Tucker
Performed by Jackie Wilson
Courtesy of Brunswick Record Corporation
See more »
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Sloppy, sentimental boxing comedy-drama is based on successful female boxing manager Jackie Kallen's tough rise to the top ('loosely inspired' seems a more appropriate term). Meg Ryan plays Kallen with a streetwise edge in her voice and is appropriately cast, but her outlandish wardrobe certainly belies the salary of a glorified secretary, and Tony Shalhoub embarrasses himself as a 'Godfather'-styled kingpin of the boxing mecca (he dresses and talks like John Gotti, but only seems to have one client). Charles Dutton directed, and his own performance as the veteran trainer (yet another cliché) is at least warmly thought out--ironically, it's the best acting here. "Ropes" is a lackluster film, put together and distributed as if nobody involved had a hope in hell for it. The boxing scenes are slapdash, with Ryan walking right across the ring at one point to deliver a last-second pep-talk to Omar Epps, the kind of conspiratorial speech that is older than dirt (why doesn't she just say, "Win one for the Gipper"?). Omar's rise to success is swifter than a bad odor, which is pretty much what this misfire leaves in its wake. *1/2 from ****