Mired with studio complications before arriving at theatres - its
release date was shifted late in the game not once but twice - Against
the Ropes is one of those movies that, regardless of innate quality,
never had much of a chance.
Meg Ryan is involved, and that's an
excellent start - there's no point in ragging on her tabloid-filled
lifestyle or penchant for syrupy romantic comedies: This woman is an
excellent Hollywood actress - but even a valiant effort on her part to
bring a savvy uniqueness to her role as boxing manager Jackie Kallen
in Against the Ropes falls on deaf ears.
In accordance with a
traditional Hollywood rubric, the concept behind this picture is rock-
solid. This isn't Ali - or even Rocky, for that matter - this is a
movie about the power women have to do whatever they please, glass
ceilings and male duplicity be damned. It's the kind of rags-to-riches
saga tinsel town typically loves: Smart-talking hardbody Jackie Kallen
wants to make it from the relatively amateur boxing circuit into the
big time, but not only does she need a client who'll knock the socks
off of anyone who tries to punch him back, but she has to drum up the
inner courage to take on the male establishment all by herself.
But Against the Ropes doesn't know what kind of a movie it wants to
be, and in the hands of Paramount's test screening mentality, it ends
up desperately attempting to be every movie, which, of course, sucks
it of any authentic life it may have had otherwise. Do audiences want
Meg Ryan to hook up with her star client (Omar Epps)? Or is that
interracial amore too much for a mainstream audience? Well, the
picture doesn't make an argument for either side - we get long glances
and romantic inclinations between the two (and they'd make a hot
couple), but at the end of the day, these two never get a chance to
come together.
And does Meg Ryan really need to be that tough?
The real Jackie Kallen is one of those sweet, gregarious creatures who
will charm your pants off one minute, then sign over the deed to your
house in the next, but while Ryan dresses up in slinky, alluring
outfits and throws out a couple sports-themed expletives every once in
a while, director Charles S. Dutton (yes, Roc himself) is either
constrained by studio ethic or aesthetically unwilling to add any
potentially dangerous sensibilities to Kallen's on-screen caricature.
It's a shame, too, because in the right hands, this kind of
movie would kick ass. I stand by Meg Ryan - to many she's too cutesy,
too saccharine, but I think she uses this smoochy presence as a rouse
for her secret weapon: Earnest. Whether she's trying or not, Meg Ryan
uses her romantic comedy prowess as a deflector for the impressive
natural quality she brings to her characters. She gets relegated to
matinee-idol status, but every once in a while - in The Doors or
Courage Under Fire - she sheds her skin and reminds critics (and
audiences) that she's the real deal.
Against the Ropes isn't
the real deal, though, so it's difficult to give it any kind of
praise. It's a maligned movie with hints of greatness and a shadow of
effect that gets swept under the carpet, only to be replaced by
pedestrian story structure and mundane character development. It's
happened before and it'll happen again. Welcome to Hollywood, folks!
Video: How Does The Disc Look?
This 2.35:1
anamorphic widescreen transfer is pretty darned good. Color
reproduction is is stable and clean, detail is supple, and black
levels are thorough. Edge enhancement is also minimal at best, and
there are no examples of compression artifacting whatsoever. There's a
bit of muddiness every once in a while within the visual scheme of the
movie here - mostly during outdoor sequences - but overall, Against
the Ropes looks just fine. 
Audio: How Does The Disc
Sound?
The 5.1 Dolby surround mix here is okay, if not
impressive. Dialogue has been recorded and replicated here nicely, and
the exploitation of separation in sound effects and atmospherics
(especially in surround channels) is cool. But the film's surprisingly
muzak soundtrack is mixed excessively loud and some of the more
subliminal sound effects aren't given the presence of fidelity they
need to be completely effective. Fair, but not wildly successful
Also included are English subtitles, English and French Dolby 2-
channel surround tracks, and English Closed Captions.
Supplements: What Goodies Are There?
Included on this
moderately slim edition are two featurettes - "A
Ringside Seat" (20 minutes), and "Queen of the Ring: Jackie
Kallen Then & Now" (9 minutes ) - and while they aren't
exactly definitive, they do more than a little to shed light on the
legitimate Jackie Kallen legacy and her life story's translation to
the silver screen. It is far more interesting than the flick itself.
Then we have the film's theatrical trailer, plus
spots for The Spongebob Squarepants Movie (an excellent utilization of
old Paramount footage in a new trailer, I must say), The Prince and
Me, Mean Girls, Paycheck, and The Perfect Score.
DVD-ROM
Exclusives: What do you get when you pop the disc in your PC?
There are no ROM extras on the disc.
Parting
Thoughts
Against the Ropes isn't much of a movie, but this
DVD edition could have been worse. Transfers are okay and there are a
handful of cute extras, so die-hard fans of the film will be at least
somewhat sated by this release. All others might want to give this one
a pass.
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