Hollywood has been giving us romantic pictures since the very beginning, we have seen every conceivable type of story that has ever been thought of. Most of these stories are told from the women's perspective and are considered "chick" flicks by most men. Now Hollywood has turned the tables and has given us "The Ugly Truth" this is a rare movie, in the fact that it tells its tale from the man's perspective, and in this case the truth will turn match making on its head.
Abby (Katherine Heigl), is an idealistic, producer of a Sacramento morning news show with sagging ratings, her one problem in life is that she is a total control freak, she has everything planned out in advance she even has emergency plans to deal with the emergencies that pop up at work. She even has an assistant, Joy (Bree Turner) who does background checks on potential boyfriends. One night after one such date, one that fails to live up to what Abby expected, she is in her bedroom and happens across a cable access show called, "The Ugly Truth". The shows host, Mike (Gerard Butler) is the one man that bucks everything that Abby believes a man should be, Mike gives advice to men that Abby finds so offensive that she is compelled to call in and tell him. Of course she gets through and after being insulted and called almost every name Mike can think of he hangs up on her. The next evening, after returning home from work Abby has to chase her cat, climbing into a nearby tree Abby happens upon her new neighbor, Colin (Eric Winter) when the limb breaks and Abby falls she is rescued by Colin who is wearing just a towel that Abby in her fright rips off him. She thinks that things may be looking up, Colin is a doctor and had helped bandage Abby's ankle, he also gave her his card with his home number on it.
When Abby gets to work she is walking on air, of course this wont last, her boss Stuart (Nick Searcy) has just informed the team that he has hired Mike to be an on air personality. Abby and the rest of the team are offended and make this point known, Stuart has failed to mention that Mike has already been hired and is in the building. Abby and Mike are like oil and vinegar they just don't mix, but in true Hollywood cliche fashion we already know that they will end up together, this time though its fun to watch as it slowly happens. Abby is against working with Mike so much so that she hides in her closet, Stuart comes in and tells her that the shows ratings have doubled in just one show, and that they are going to give Mike even more time on air, Mike shares that slot with the stations on air talent, husband and wife anchors, Larry (John Michael Higgins) and Georgia, (Cheryl Hines) Mike tells them that they need to make love more, this immediately makes them his friends.
Mike becomes the biggest thing at the station, company CEO's fly in to take him to dinner, he is given free reign to discuss what ever he wants to talk about. As Mike and Abby reluctantly get closer Mike tells Abby he will help her make Colin her bitch or if he fails he will quit the program, Abby agrees and the ensuing mischief is some of the funniest scenes in the movie, Abby and Colin make a trip to the ballgame and they end up on the jumbotron as she is cleaning an area of his pants best left to privacy. As Abby and Colin get closer Mike notices Abby for the person she can be and begins to take an interest in her. The two grow closer and when Abby tells Mike she and Colin are going to Lake Tahoe Mike knows he is not good enough for her. Mike gets a guest spot on the Late Late show and Stuart hears he is going to sign a contract with a rival program, he sends Abby along with Mike to try to get him to turn that offer down, the two spend some quiet time alone on the dance floor that leads to even more closer time in the elevator. When Abby gets to her hotel suite Colin's knocks on the door, he is hoping to spend some time with Abby alone, meanwhile Mike has worked himself up after the kiss in the elevator and decides he is going to tell Abby that he has fallen in love with her, when he knocks on the door, Colin answers it and Mike thinking that Abby and he have planned this decides to walk away, Abby follows Mike and offers to tell Colin to leave, Mike tells her that she doesn't have to do that.
Returning back to Sacramento Abby finds out from Stuart that Mike has quit and gone to another station, Abby tells Stuart that she will find a replacement for the show and finds one that she thinks will be perfect. Jack Magnum (Adam Harrington) turns out to be a bust and when Abby climbs into a hot air balloon to do the rest of the story she begins by saying that all men are just jerks, Mike is watching and gets upset and goes to tell her she is wrong, the two end up on the balloon as it is taking off, unaware that they are still on television and they argue about how they other has made them feel. Mike tells Abby that he loves her and Abby tells Mike that she has dumped Colin, this is one of the more sappiest make ups in picture history but the movie is so good that it doesn't matter.
Heigl and Butler play so well together that they seem as if they have been doing it for sometime, their slapstick is spot on and the jokes are as funny as most you would expect in a family movie. There is nothing vulgar or offensive in this movie, a little foul language but it's something that we have all heard before. Guys you wont be disappointed if you take your date to this movie and they will laugh right along with you.
I give The Ugly Truth a 3 and on my avoidance scale a 0, this is a movie aimed at the older viewer but most younger people will find it amusing, also Gerard Butler is very cute, but I for one can't wait to see him in another action role, he has the body meant for the scenes where his shirt gets torn away.
The Ugly Truth is rated R for Sexual Content and Language
Running time is 1 hr. 35 mins.
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