'Against The Ropes' finally enters the ring

There's absolutely nothing on screen in Against The Ropes, a film loosely based on the life of female boxing manager Jackie Kallen, that explains why its opening was delayed so many times.

The film wrapped in 2002, and had at least three different opening dates scrapped before it finally reached the screen. Although the movie's first portion proceeds too slowly, the final half contains both entertaining action and some poignant commentary about fame, success and the toll it takes on friendship and trust.

Meg Ryan portrays Jackie Kallen as a smart, driven women aware that she knows much more about boxing than many of the men in charge. She learned the fight game as a child, thanks to her uncle Ray Ray, a boxer who took her to the gym and made her love the sport. Now Kallen is working as an assistant to promoter Irving Abel, a small-time operator who's in awe and fear of boxing manager Sam Larocca (expertly portrayed by Tony Shalhoub in a role light-years removed from Monk). Larocca rules with an iron hand, determining who will fight for championships and who will be deprived of making a living.

When Kallen clashes with Larocca, he sells her the contract of a fighter he knows is utterly worthless, thanks to a drug habit. After nearly getting caught in a street fight while trying to track down the boxer, Kallen does meet him, a very raw, undeveloped middleweight named Luther Shaw (Omar Epps). Kallen recruits some experts, most notably trainer Felix Reynolds (Charles S. Dutton) and begins developing Shaw into a polished, poised and capable fighter.

Unfortunately, Kallen also slowly becomes every bit as insufferable and egotistical as the people she initially opposed. Finally, with Shaw on the verge of winning a title, Kallen finds she's on the outside looking in, and she must reconcile with her prot