The Ugly Truth
The Ugly Truth is an ugly stain on Katherine Heigl's résume.
The Ugly Truth is a romcom lacking in both romance and comedy. It tells the story of Abby (Katherine Heigl); a single, tightly wound morning TV producer who is horrified when her boss hires a misogynistic relationship expert named Mike (played by Gerard Butler) to increase ratings on her show. The self-styled dating guru initially angers Abby with his pronouncements on the “ugly truth” about men and women - men only want sex, women only want to control men - but she soon agrees to follow Mike's dating tips in order to land her dashing (and dull) neighbour Colin (Eric Winter).
But what do you know? Mike fails to follow his own rules and starts falling for Abby. I’ve never forgiven Butler for his leprechaun-Irish accent in the syrupy P.S. I Love You and his character here isn’t exactly endearing either. It is difficult to accept that a successful woman like Abby would desperately adhere to Mike’s decidedly outdated ideas. So, much of the film feels incredibly sexist. Katherine Heigl seems poised to become the next Meg Ryan and one particular scene in The Ugly Truth is reminiscent of Ryan's famous restaurant scene from the grown-up romcom When Harry Met Sally.
However, Heigl should perhaps consider the quality of the films she is involved with in the future if she wishes to have a career that endures as long as Ryan's. The Ugly Truth is similar in some ways to hit comedies of recent years such as Knocked Up, Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Superbad in that it relies heavily on risqué behaviour and crude jokes. Unlike those films though, The Ugly Truth lacks heart.
Despite the fact that the film’s running time is just over an hour and a half, it feels about forty minutes too long. Fans of Heigl’s last romcom, the inoffensive 27 Dresses, may find themselves a little uncomfortable at some of the unforgivably crass jokes in the film that for the most part fail to hit their mark. More often than not they elicit titters from viewers rather than actual laughter.
Overall, The Ugly Truth is an ugly stain on Ms. Heigl’s résumé.
By: Lorraine O' Hanlon
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