DVD Reviews
The Ugly Truth
- Rating:

- Director: Robert Luketic
- Starring: Gerard Butler, Katherine Heigl, Bree Turner
- Details: US/96mins 16
There does seem to be a problem with a lot of mainstream romantic comedies these days, in that they are almost perennially slight, and lacking in the kind of obtuse gags that will pull in the male masses. The Ugly Truth is a film that is pretty much about a crass man, and a chick that falls for him, as Gerard Butler attempts to make up for that atrocious Irish accent by doing a more convincing American one, and mostly succeeds - even if the bar wasn't exactly set at a lofty altitude. Films of this ilk do rely on the charm of their central characters, and this is no different.
Katherine Heigl stars as a producer of a failing morning TV show, whose arse is on the line when ratings drop to an all time low. But work isn't the only area where she's having problems, as her love life constantly takes a back seat to her job. When her boss drafts in an abrasive, sexist cable talk show host to boost ratings, soon her work life gets a lot easier. She's also using him to help seduce her dreamy, Surgeon/Men's Health cover model neighbour - as he knows guys y'see. But, as often is the case in these types of romantic comedies, the two soon find themselves strongly attracted to each other.
There's no doubting that The Ugly Truth is an all together shabbily made film. The script tries desperately to be edgy as well as adhering to the set-in-stone rules of the genre, but often just comes off as crass. There's nothing wrong with crass, frankly, I welcome it; but it does feel unnecessarily abrasive given the tone here. As with 27 Dresses, Heigl does rise to the top, making a stereotypical character, in a clichéd comedy likeable - no mean feat. Butler too earns points for his brash delivery, and convincing performance as the misogynistic bastard... With a heart of gold.
Lacking as a cohesive package, but sporadically amusing thanks to the two leads, there's nothing here that you haven't seen in a hundred other romantic comedies already. Although not as inherently bland as the likes of Maid of Honour, this still comes up short.
Review by Mike Sheridan
Film Reviews
Green Zone

Absolutely zipping along at break neck pace from the opening frames, Green Zone is a smart, explosive and thoroughly entertaining couple of hours. Reteaming Matt Damon with his Bourne Supremacy and... [more]
Shutter Island

Saturated in ambiguity from the very first frame, Martin Scorsese's fourth movie with Leonardo DiCaprio is an exercise in dense plotting, assembled with care and infinite panache by one of the best... [more]
Old Dogs

One of the most desperate films to come out of Hollywood in some time, Old Dogs actually marks a career low for both John Travolta and Robin Williams - no mean feat when you consider some of the bile... [more]
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

This Swedish thriller, adapted by Stieg Larsson’s novel, part one of a trilogy, arrives surrounded by good buzz but its plodding pace and uninspired direction makes comparisons to a Sunday night BBC... [more]

Your Comments