REVIEW: The Ugly Truth (2009)
The Ugly Truth
Rated: R
Runtime: 97 minutes
Starring: Katherine Heigl, Gerard Butler
My rating: 2 stars
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Did you see Hitch? Then you don't need to see The Ugly Truth.
That's pretty much all the truth you need to know about this movie. I was reassured of a few other truths, though, once this film was finished.
(1) Katherine Heigl is very attractive.
(2) Gerard Butler is the next Colin Farrel – no talent, decent looks and can pull off the smug, yet charming jackass.
(3) Anyone who wanted to see it already knew how it ends.
(4) This movie is stupid and pointless.
So why should you go see it? Because your girlfriend is dragging you to it and, if you want brownie points you will go. That truth I knew before I went to the movies.
Butler plays Mike, a chauvinist pig who hosts a morning talk show segment call “The Ugly Truth.” In it, he gives blunt, crude dating advice. His producer is Abby (Heigl). She is a completely controlling perfectionist who prints out online profiles of her next date, brings them to the date, and recites from them.
I don't think writers Nicole Eastman and Karen McCullah Lutz actually know how humans interact. Abby would be in a mental hospital and Mike would be so hated, he wouldn't have a television career.
Anyway, Abby hates Mike and Mike likes to get under Abby's skin. As a compromise, he guarantees she will get the man she wants or he will quit the morning show.
Is Will Smith around the corner?
I'm not going to get into any more of the plot because, really, who cares? The trailer should tell you enough of that.
The Ugly Truth fits into every romantic comedy stereotype and was so clearly influenced by Hitch it's almost copyright infringement.
Mike is a date doctor, essentially. His clients are his viewers. His main client in a bumbling, pathetic, yet insanely attractive TV producer. He helps her get the guy, but can't bring himself to get her. Sound familiar?
Rent Hitch. It's a better movie, better acting, better script and is simply better, better, better. And I didn't particularly like Hitch.
Then again, I won't be the deciding factor for you seeing this film. That's reserved for the girlfriend or a girls night out. Each was represented in my theater viewing. All the women laughed. The guys groaned and waited for it to end.
“Well you dragged me to The Hangover, so we should go see The Ugly Truth,” says the girl.
“Yeah, well The Hangover was awesome,” says the guy.
“You know what's going to be awesome for you? The couch,” says the girl.
“OK, we'll go see it,” says the guy.
“That's what I thought.”
And that's how The Ugly Truth will make 90 percent of its profit.
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Where it's playing:
Canton/PotsdamSHOWTIMES
Watertown SHOWTIMES
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