X
  • 2004
  • PG-13
  • Paramount Pictures
  • 1 h 50 m
  • 2004
  • PG-13
  • Paramount Pictures
  • 1 h 50 m

Summary Meg Ryan stars as Jackie Kallen, the most successful female manager in boxing history. A smart, gutsy woman who wants to break out of a dead-end job, Kallen gets her chance when she sees Luther Shaw (Epps) in a brawl and knows he is a champion in the raw. (Paramount Pictures)

Directed By: Charles S. Dutton

Written By: Jackie Kallen, Cheryl Edwards

  • 2004
  • PG-13
  • Paramount Pictures
  • 1 h 50 m
  • 2004
  • PG-13
  • Paramount Pictures
  • 1 h 50 m

Against the Ropes

Metascore Generally Unfavorable Based on 36 Critic Reviews
36
User Score Overwhelming Dislike Based on 42 User Ratings
1.3
My Score
Hover and click to give a rating Saved

Where to Watch

Summary Meg Ryan stars as Jackie Kallen, the most successful female manager in boxing history. A smart, gutsy woman who wants to break out of a dead-end job, Kallen gets her chance when she sees Luther Shaw (Epps) in a brawl and knows he is a champion in the raw. (Paramount Pictures)

Directed By: Charles S. Dutton

Written By: Jackie Kallen, Cheryl Edwards

Where to Watch

Top Cast

View All
View All Cast & Crew

Critic Reviews

 View All
Metascore
Generally Unfavorable Based on 36 Critic Reviews
36
6% Positive
2 Reviews
53% Mixed
19 Reviews
42% Negative
15 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews

Critic Reviews

 View All
Metascore
Generally Unfavorable Based on 36 Critic Reviews
36
6% Positive
2 Reviews
53% Mixed
19 Reviews
42% Negative
15 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
75
Against the Ropes meanders until it gets to the final third of its running time, and then it catches fire.
By Roger Ebert FULL REVIEW
50
The movie is only sporadically interesting.
By Wesley Morris FULL REVIEW
42
It's a weird anti-woman message masquerading in a movie about empowerment. And there's nothing inspired about that.
FULL REVIEW
40
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.
By Scott Tobias FULL REVIEW
38
A riotously awful biopic rife with stereotypes and boxing movie cliches, Against the Ropes represents -- among other things -- a woeful turn in its star's career.
By Steven Rea FULL REVIEW
30
The film is so anemic you should probably order iron supplements with your popcorn, its plot so predictable it makes falling dominoes seem like a white-knuckle thrill ride.
By Michael O'Sullivan FULL REVIEW
25
Like the recent "Mona Lisa Smile," this tale could have been an effective feminist fable if it weren't so calculated.
By David Sterritt FULL REVIEW

User Reviews

 View All
User Score
Overwhelming Dislike Based on 42 User Ratings
1.3
12% Positive
5 Ratings
5% Mixed
2 Ratings
83% Negative
35 Ratings

User Reviews

 View All
User Score
Overwhelming Dislike Based on 42 User Ratings
1.3
12% Positive
5 Ratings
5% Mixed
2 Ratings
83% Negative
35 Ratings

There are no user reviews yet. Be the first to add a review.

Details

 View All
Production Company ATR Films, Cort/Madden Productions, MMP Erste Filmproduktions, Moviemakers Productions (MMP), Paramount Pictures
Release Date Feb 20, 2004
Duration 1 h 50 m
Rating PG-13
Genres
Tagline She gave the boxing world the one-two punch they never saw coming.
View All Details

Awards

The Stinkers Bad Movie Awards
• 2 Nominations

Related Movies

Related News

Every Zack Snyder Movie, Ranked

Every Zack Snyder Movie, Ranked

Nick Hyman

With the arrival of Zack Snyder's latest Rebel Moon chapter on Netflix, we rank every one of the director's films—from bad to, well, less bad—by Metascore.

  • movie
Every Guy Ritchie Movie, Ranked

Every Guy Ritchie Movie, Ranked

Nick Hyman

We rank every one of the British director's movies by Metascore, from his debut Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels to his brand new film, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.

  • movie
2024 Movie Release Calendar

2024 Movie Release Calendar

Jason Dietz

Find release dates for every movie coming to theaters, VOD, and streaming throughout 2024 and beyond, updated weekly.

  • movie
April Movie Preview (2024)

April Movie Preview (2024)

Keith Kimbell

The month ahead will bring new films from Alex Garland, Luca Guadagnino, Dev Patel, and more. To help you plan your moviegoing options, our editors have selected the most notable films releasing in April 2024, listed in alphabetical order.

  • movie
DVD/Blu-ray Releases: New & Upcoming

DVD/Blu-ray Releases: New & Upcoming

Jason Dietz

Find a list of new movie and TV releases on DVD and Blu-ray (updated weekly) as well as a calendar of upcoming releases on home video.

  • movie