The Ugly Truth
The Facts
As a producer for a live television show, Abby (Katherine Heigl) has everything under control and knows exactly what the right things to do are. As a single woman trying to find a man, though, she is anything but wise. Her control freak attitude and extreme eagerness to commit and find the perfect man tends to chase off men rather than drag them in.
When Abby’s corporate headquarters hires perverse and arrogant TV personality Mike (Gerard Butler) for a new segment called “The Ugly Truth”, Abby is in for a rude awakening. Mike’s insultingly honest comments about what men love versus what women idealize lead Abby to despise him, until she desperately needs his help.
Reluctantly, Abby makes a deal with Mike that she’ll cooperate with him professionally if he helps her secure her handsome orthopedic surgeon neighbor, Colin (Eric Winter).
After teaching her how to keep Colin interested in her, resist her urges to control everything, dress is a seductive manner, flirt, and giving her her first vibrator Mike discovers that he has successfully set up a woman he is growing to love with another man. Although he still remains to be a blunt and perverse TV personality on the show, his softer side begins to shine through off-set as he grows closer to Abby. Abby, however, is convinced that she is happily in love with her perfect man.
Who will end up with whom? And just how hilarious are the differences between men and woman when it comes to relationships and love?
Thoughts and Opinions
I’ve been anticipating this movie for quite some time because not only did it look hilarious, but I am a big fan of Gerard Butler and Katherine Heigl. Before the movie even started I felt myself getting both excited and relaxed because the atmosphere of the theater-made mostly of women-was so enjoyable. Thankfully, the movie did not disappoint.
I can’t remember a movie that has made me laugh so hard out loud in a theater. Butler and Heigl played off one another with outstanding comedic chemistry, and every joke and comment flowed so naturally. The perverted jokes and actions were perfectly executed and placed because it didn’t feel as if the writer was trying to force a joke. The jokes were just normal things you could hear any day, and it made it hilarious.
The characters were very lovable, even if they were a bit exaggerated. Abby’s perfectionist attitude is relatable, but her complete clueless-ness at romance and her desperate behavior was a bit pathetic, and occasionally overdone. Her “spazzy dance”, however, never got old because it was inserted at just the right times.
Mike was loveable simply because he was so perverse and arrogant. His nonchalant attitude towards sex was positively male, in a very stereotypical and funny way. His arrogance was fun, but he also presented a bit of vulnerability, which made him feel slightly more human and a bit less ape.
As with many comedies, the plot was not at the forefront of the movie, but that was OK because the comedy was funny enough to make up for it. The characters were enjoyable and I just couldn’t bring myself to dislike any of them-even though they were all flawed in their own ways.
Acting: Gerard Butler (Mike) proved once again that he has an amazing acting range. He’s done action (Tomb Raider: Cradle of Life and 300), a musical (Phantom of the Opera), a romance (P.S I Love You), and so much more. Apparently he is also capable of being an ass and just being a perverse comedian. He did such a convincing job at playing an asshole sex-crazed man that it’s hard to imagine him as the love-struck Phantom, or the genuine and sincere Gerry from P.S I Love You. If there’s one thing you don’t have to worry about with Butler, it’s that he will never be type-cast. He is still as attractive as ever, too, and it would’ve been nice to see him as shirtless as often as Eric Winter (Colin).
Katherine Heigl is quite beautiful, very outspoken, and also a decent actress. Her character had two extreme personalities that she had to play: an over-controlling perfectionist and the clueless ditzy girl. It was impressive to see her take complete control over a role that is so contradicting at times and truly make the character her own. She also proved she could play a comedic role-as the one who tries to ignore the jokes and be mostly serious. Her “spazzy dance” was wonderful, and was probably my favorite part of her acting.
The relationships: I don’t want to say much here or else risk ruining the ending, so I’ll just briefly discuss the two possible relationships that make up the movie.
Let’s start with Abby and Mike. Immediately you can sense the chemistry between the two, even if Abby despises Mike. The two characters make a fantastic team in terms of comedy and they are definitely opposites. Mike believes that successful relationships are impossible while Abby is convinced otherwise. Suffice to say, their interactions demonstrate the title of the movie perfectly.
Now: Abby and Colin. Colin is everything that Abby wants (he fits every item on her checklist, including loving cats). He’s attractive and friendly, and Abby falls head over heels for him way before he falls for her. The two seemingly make up an ideal pair and enjoy each other’s company all the time. Their relationship goes smoothly so long as Abby keeps pretending that she is not a control freak, but rather spontaneous.
Both relationships in the movie are wonderful in their own way. It’s hard to figure out which one to support, but in the end only one can happen.
Cinematography and Soundtrack: The cinematography for this film was…not exactly perfect. Often I found that the camera was way too close-up to the actors’ faces, which was just plain awkward. Also, the CGI animation at the final scene was laughable. Apparently the budget for this film was exhausted from paying for Butler’s Heigl’s salary because I’ve seen better uses of green screen in homemade YouTube videos.
The soundtrack for this movie was definitely enjoyable. If you’re hoping for symphonic melodies, you’ll be disappointed. The movie uses a good combination of instrumental music and popular music to tell the story. Katy Perry’s “Hot and Cold” kicks off the movie, “Pocket Full of Sunshine” by Natasha Bedinfield fills in the middles, and Flo Rida’s “Right ‘Round” finishes (no pun intended) with the credits.
Why it Got This Grade/In Summary
This movie was definitely a great laugh, and the classy perverse (I’m aware of that oxymoron) was wonderfully refreshing. The soundtrack great, but the cinematography was severely lacking at times. Your opinion of the movie is definitely based on your perception of the humor, and for me the humor was fantastic. I enjoyed the movie a lot, and advise it as a good laugh. Although it won’t win any awards, it definitely serves its purpose as entertainment, which is why I gave it an B+. I will stand by that despite some unnecessarily harsh reviews by people who think every movie should be award-worthy to get a decent review.
As I’ve said repeatedly during this review: this movie is funny. It’s a lighthearted comedy with great actors and a well written script. If you have any appreciation for perverse humor, then I strongly advise you to see this movie. And if you have a giant urge to yell out, “that’s what she said”, I encourage you to do so.