Katherine Heigl plays Abby, a successful television producer saddled with falling ratings and a nonexistent love life. When the station manager decides to mix things up a bit by bringing in Mike Chadway played by Gerard Butler, things get crazy fast. Mike’s gimmick, “The Ugly Truth”, is a talk show that claims to tell it like it is between men and woman and he is none too fragile with his callers. In spite of his callous and obnoxious manner, callers and viewers love him. The station is keeping him unless Abby can think of a way to get rid of him. Enter Colin (Eric Winter), the doctor living next door to Abby. Mike and Abby strike a deal. If Mike can get Abby the man of her dreams by coaching her, she’ll stop fighting him and help him with the show. If he fails, he has to quit.
This is the raunchiest R-rated film I’ve seen in a long time in spite of there being very little actual nudity. After seeing the trailers, I expected a romantic comedy with an edge but this one was double-edged and dipped in gold. Many a woman in audience squealed and blushed but the theater was raucous with laughter.
One incident finds Abby cat up a tree trying to retrieve her cat. She is infatuated with the sight of her new neighbor in nothing but a towel. An accident leaves Abby dangling from the tree, screaming for help and wind milling madly. The neighbor arrives on the scene and loses his towel to Abby’s wild flailing, leaving her face to meet him in a most embarrassing way. It’s a great moment in The Ugly Truth.
In the style of Meg Ryan’s famous scene in When Harry Met Sally, Heigl gives the most comedic performance of the movie in a restaurant scene that involves vibrating panties. Meg’s performance, though still good, now pales by comparison.
This is definitely not a family movie but it is a fun movie. If your tastes run to the conservative side, it may not be your cup of tea. However if you like your romance with a twist of smut, this is The Ugly Truth is the film for you.