It's interesting reading the IMDb reviews of this film. Essentially, some people really liked it, and the others pretty much hated it. I'm a bit of a boxing fan, and I liked it...better than most boxing films. I did have one complaint about the boxing...the rising fighter here simply had it too easy. I didn't have a problem with the boxing scenes. Boxing movies rarely...and I do mean RARELY...have convincing fight scenes. And the reason is simple -- actors can't box, and they can't make the scenes truly realistic unless they really hurt each other. This film has reasonably good boxing scenes...certainly better than most. Where I do disagree is that a rise to stardom in boxing is that easy.
However, I don't think this film was really about the rise of the young boxer. I think it was really about two things -- 1.)the relationship between the boxer and his agent; 2.)that women can't be pushed to the background. And in that, this film succeeds...to an extent.
Meg Ryan has had her share of successes and failures in her career. This was one of the failures...it flopped at the box office. Nevertheless, it did show a different side of her than many of her other films. Unfortunately, she doesn't come across as very authentic here. However, I'll give her the benefit of the doubt because I'm not sure how the real woman she was portraying may have acted. Omar Epps was, I thought, quite good here. And he and Ryan do have a certain chemistry together.
The 3 supporting actors that have the most screen time here are Charles S. Dutton, who does a fine job as a fight manager; Tony Shalhoub, who does a fine job as a jerk of a fight promoter; and Timothy Daly, as a sports reporter. Everyone else is third string, although Kerry Washington showed promise here.
I think the problem with this film is that it's a little of everything, but not enough to satisfy any one group of viewers.
However, I don't think this film was really about the rise of the young boxer. I think it was really about two things -- 1.)the relationship between the boxer and his agent; 2.)that women can't be pushed to the background. And in that, this film succeeds...to an extent.
Meg Ryan has had her share of successes and failures in her career. This was one of the failures...it flopped at the box office. Nevertheless, it did show a different side of her than many of her other films. Unfortunately, she doesn't come across as very authentic here. However, I'll give her the benefit of the doubt because I'm not sure how the real woman she was portraying may have acted. Omar Epps was, I thought, quite good here. And he and Ryan do have a certain chemistry together.
The 3 supporting actors that have the most screen time here are Charles S. Dutton, who does a fine job as a fight manager; Tony Shalhoub, who does a fine job as a jerk of a fight promoter; and Timothy Daly, as a sports reporter. Everyone else is third string, although Kerry Washington showed promise here.
I think the problem with this film is that it's a little of everything, but not enough to satisfy any one group of viewers.