It's always interesting when a film gets universally panned by critics and yet makes a crazy amount of money at the box office. Sometimes this is because the film just had a big first weekend before anyone heard the word of mouth reviews, but sometimes it is genuinely because mainstream audiences loved it and ignored the critics altogether. The Ugly Truth is a classic example. It came out in July and got hit hard by critics, but it made almost $200 million dollars in theaters. Could it be because of the widespread appeal of stars Katherine Heigl and Gerald Butler? Or that sometimes critics can be snotty and expect romcoms to be more than they are? Whatever the reason, the film will most likely do just as well now that it is out on DVD and Blu-ray. It's not hard to understand why.
Abby (Heigl) is a control freak television producer who is intelligent, well read, elegant, and has an exact list of traits she wants in her ideal man. Her show is dropping in ratings and she may be in danger of losing her job. One night her cat flips the channel to a strange cable show called "The Ugly Truth" starring Mike (Butler). He tells women that men only care about their looks and sex, and to stop kidding themselves about the ideal man. Abby calls to argue with him, and she is surprised to find out the next day that he has been hired at her station to boost their ratings. She desperately wants to destroy this man who she thinks represents all that is wrong with the opposite gender, but he only seems to succeed more and more with every passing day.
A handsome man named Colin (Eric Winter) moves in next door and Abby knows he is The One. Mike warns that she'll never get him with her current attitude, and he makes a deal with her. If she does what he says and she gets Colin to like her, she has to be nice to him at work. If she doesn't get the guy, then Mike will quit. He sets out to teach Abby how to act and dress so Colin will like her, but naturally Mike starts to like her as well. Except he likes Abby for who she is, rather than who she is trying to be. Abby gets to know Mike more and realizes he's more than just a brutish pig, but she has the perfect man already. Why should she settle for anything else?
Article comments
1 - Nadi
Nice review..but the vibrating panties was THE BEST scene loved it. Heigl rocked it.
2 - Sahar
Sometimes, even when something has been done over and over again, it can still be redone with a little extra something. I think you nailed the review - it's a totally typical romantic comedy but written well, acted well and directed well, it gives for a safe and well known feel-good movie everyone can use once in awhile :)
Thanks for the review, it's great!
3 - Janus Maister
This movie is one of my favorites!
4 - G. Thorn
I didn't like this movie too much, but that scene with vibrating underwear at restaurant was funny as hell.