This is a romcom made very much in the ribald spirit of lad-centric comedies such as The Hangover, and it makes a refreshing change. Sappy, it ain't.
The Ugly Truth (2009)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:152
Fresh:22
Rotten:130
Average Rating:3.8/10
Consensus: Despite the best efforts of Butler and Heigl, The Ugly Truth suffers from a weak script that relies on romantic comedy formula, with little charm or comedic payoff.
Rated: 15 [See Full Rating] for sexual content and language.
Genre: Comedies
Theatrical Release:07-08-2009
Synopsis: The battle of the sexes heats up in Columbia Pictures' comedy The Ugly Truth. Abby Richter (Katherine Heigl) is a romantically challenged morning show producer whose search for Mr. Perfect has left... The battle of the sexes heats up in Columbia Pictures' comedy The Ugly Truth. Abby Richter (Katherine Heigl) is a romantically challenged morning show producer whose search for Mr. Perfect has left her hopelessly single. She's in for a rude awakening when her bosses team her with Mike Chadway (Gerard Butler), a hardcore TV personality who promises to spill the ugly truth on what makes men and women tick. --© Sony Pictures [More]
Starring: Gerard Butler, Katherine Heigl, Cheryl Hines, Bonnie Somerville
Starring: Gerard Butler, Katherine Heigl, Cheryl Hines, Bonnie Somerville, Bree Turner, Vicki Lewis
Director: Robert Luketic
Director: Robert Luketic
Screenwriter: Nicole Eastman
Studio: Sony Pictures Entertainment
Reviews for The Ugly Truth
Surprisingly sharp and sassy, this romcom for grown-ups is like many a romantic dalliance – the thrill of the chase is more fun than the catch.
This fails to achieve anything special or spectacular and what we're left with is a rather run-of-the-mill, albeit more raunchy and definitely enjoyable, tale of opposites attracting.
Legally Blonde director Luketic keeps the film light and frothy, and the script (penned by three women) isn’t afraid to flavour the romance with a little raunch.
By the end, you actually want these two cardboard cutouts to get together.
The ugly truth about The Ugly Truth is that it exposes the absolute contempt the genre once again displays for its women characters.
For a mostly female rom-com audience, Butler simply grins like a chimp on heat.
The ugly truth about this limp misfire is that its plotting springs not from a lack of imagination, but from a lack of respect for light romance and the audience. It's only a "chick flick" and we're only sentimentalists – so who cares?
If one were to take a buzzsaw to The Ugly Truth, its arterial spray would drip down the wall to form the coagulated word 'generic'.
We’re left with a few giggles and the option to be offended by the gender stereotypes – if we can be bothered.
What I hated most of all was the script , which smears these so-called insights into the sex wars with pointless (and witless) crudity. More depressing still, it’s written by three women.
Everything about The Ugly Truth is so laboured and predictable that it feels as if a computer programme must have been involved in its creation.
There is, in fact, a spark of chemistry between Heigl and Butler: it's testimony to the ineptitude that the film itself acts as such a wet blanket.
There hasn't been be a more loathsome, depressing or woman-hating movie this year. This is a new low in romantic comedy.
While [Heigl] and co-star Gerard Butler give good performances, the film's the same predictable fluff we've all seen before - and seen done better.
The ugly truth about this insipid romcom is that Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler are entirely wasted.
It’s not as risqué as it wishes it were, nor as likable as it should be. Butler’s rarely been better-cast, but the material’s too patchy to support him .
A comedy so utterly mechanical that you can smell the grease lubricating the nuts and bolts.
Tedious, painfully unfunny romantic comedy that fails thanks to a smug, unnecessarily smutty script.
In the age of neurotic screen hygiene each film must have an anti-Messiah who takes on the dirt of all. Elsewhere, wit-free dialogue combines with dust-free scenery and foible-free characters.
Latest News for The Ugly Truth
July 31, 2009:
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Time for the weekly update, folks. As always, thanks to everyone who has submitted reviews and helped contribute to the show. Every week, we continue to bring you a lively,... More...
July 30, 2009:
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July 27, 2009:
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July 23, 2009:
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