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Film Reviews

THE UGLY TRUTH

By • Jul 26th, 2009 •

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Butler almost made me forget a naked Leonidas. Here is the benchmark for charisma and chemistry with a co-star.

No wonder Jennifer Aniston is trying to snare Gerard Butler for all of her future movies. No matter how much Aniston is shoved down our throats she doesn’t have the down-to-earth magic of Katherine Heigl.

THE UGLY TRUTH has a few things going for it besides the terrific spot-on writing: There is real chemistry between Katherine Heigl as Abby, the producer of a morning TV show in Sacramento, and Gerard Butler as Mike, a sudden sensation on, no doubt, a public access cable TV show he calls “The Ugly Truth”.

Here is what I liked about Abby: We are shown exactly why beautiful Abby is not getting laid. She’s a know-it-all control freak. She goes out on a blind date with Jim (Kevin Connolly) and has “talking points” printed out. She had a background check done on the guy. And, she’s argumentative.

Well, for me, she’s “opinionated”, but whatever…

Mike is brought on Abby’s program to boost ratings and he does. His blunt approach to women (“Get on a stairmaster” ) is a ratings bonanza. And once Mike finds out that Abby hasn’t had sex in over a year, he decides to use her as his “I’m right” project.

Abby has a new neighbor, Colin (Eric Winter). He’s gorgeous, straight, and a doctor. With Mike’s intensive hands-on help, Abby starts making headway with Colin. Only thing is, she can’t be herself but must pretend to be a candidate-wife for Warren Jeffs FLDS.

Only women in the audience will recognize that women wrote the script: Nicole Eastman, Karen McCullah Lutz & Kirsten Smith. Coming home from her failed date with Jim, Abby does what every woman has done without exception. We see her walking to her apartment holding her high heels and wearing her ugly, but sensible, flat shoes.

What woman goes out without 2 pairs of shoes?

Mike is, of course, totally outrageous in his behavior. He has no idea what is not acceptable to say out loud. He’s the type of person who invades someone’s personal space and doesn’t know it. I introduced a new friend and colleague – I’ll call him Rob – to a retired gynecologist surgeon at a party. Rob immediately said: “So, did you perform late-term abortions?”

This exchange now has pride-of-place between us. Rob can never even raise an eyebrow to whatever I say. He freed me! And I will attempt to re-claim first place.

Mike’s advice is true, but who wants to believe that men are only thinking about sex and blowjobs? Don’t men want to hear what women have to say about North Korea’s bomb obsession and the current economic crisis?

It is Gerard Butler who has the tough role of saying the most sexist, rude and vulgar things without guile. He doesn’t wink at the audience. And when the inevitable happens he doesn’t realize that he just wants to take Abby away from Doctor Colin. Men are primeval warrior-hunters and once Mike spies the sexy doctor without his shirt on, the competition to win Abby is on.

Unless Abby can keep Mike on his toes surrounding herself with potential, highly educated suitors, she shouldn’t bet the farm on him. Then again, there’s that King Leonidas halo.

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