Against the Ropes

This is pulpy, unforgivable stuff, as ungainly as Ryan's walk in her black high heels.

Uninspired tale feels like a made-for-TV movie.

What could have been a gripping tale becomes hammy and overdone.

Meg Ryan is busily torpedoing any respect she might have accrued

This movie lacks any complexity. Dutton opts instead to embellish the story with boxing clichés.

Kallen's story is interesting and I, quite frankly, expected something better than what we have. The raw materials are all here. They just need a little better management and promotion. Against the Ropes -- a split decision.

Based on a true story? Right. This is the boxing movie at its most sentimental -- and fake. Could be a contender for worst movie of the year.

An inoffensively average, formulaic entertainment with a marketing-problematic point of view.

It's hard to expect anyone to infuse much passion into a "by-the-numbers" boxing movie which telegraphs every punch.