Review: The Ugly Truth (2009)

[Steve Rhodes]

THE UGLY TRUTH
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2009 Steve Rhodes

RATING (0 TO ****):  * 1/2

The ugly truth is that Gerard Butler's fingers-across-the-blackboard 
performance makes THE UGLY TRUTH painful to endure.  Butler plays Mike, a 
scruffy, disheveled guy with a filthy mouth who dishes out lots of 
scandalous and vulgar advice to women on a public access channel.

If Butler was the film's star rather than its costar, the movie would be an 
instant candidate for my worst of the year list.  Almost every time he 
spoke, I was ready to run screaming out of the theater, especially since he, 
along with most of the actors in the movie, spoke with the rapidity of a 
recent graduate of a speed speaking course.  It's one thing to be obnoxious, 
but it's a different matter entirely if it is done in triple speed.

Thankfully Butler does share top billing with a more appealing actor, 
Katherine Heigl (the probably not really dead, dead woman from "Gray's 
Anatomy").  As Abby, Heigl is not at the top of her form, but she is 
light-years better than Butler.

The plot has Abby, the producer of a Sacramento morning news program, being 
forced against her will to hire Mike, since the news ratings of her program 
are sagging.

The film's premises are filled with only-in-the-movies moments.  Can you 
imagine any character that Katherine Heigl plays really needing help in the 
dating department?  Nope, neither can I.  And, if you can believe that, 
would you buy that she would accept it from a pathetic guy like Mike?  Nope. 
And in real-life, do you buy that a character like Mike could turn out to 
have a heart of gold and be a great father figure to his nephew?  Nope 
again.

As much as I hated this film through most of it, I've got to admit that 
between its numerous groanable minutes were several jokes that were 
extremely funny.  Between teeth grinding moments were several big laughs, 
with the biggest coming in a dinner party where Abby accidentally has on the 
remote controlled vibrating underwear that Mike gave her as a gift. 
Farfetched?  You bet, but in the context of an off-the-wall comedy, it 
managed to work particularly well.

If you are dead set on seeing THE UGLY TRUTH, wait for the DVD, when you can 
be firmly in control of the fast-forward button, which you'll be hitting a 
lot.

THE UGLY TRUTH runs a long 1:41.  It is rated R for "sexual content and 
language" and would be acceptable for teenagers.

The film opens nationwide in the United States on Friday, July 24, 2009.  In 
the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the AMC theaters, the Cinemark 
theaters and the Camera Cinemas.

Web: http://www.InternetReviews.com
Email: Steve.Rhodes at InternetReviews.com

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