Raw and Awkward: The Ugly Truth
Posted on: February 6, 2010
Yes, the truth is never pretty. To note from here on, it is only going to get uglier. Brace yourself.
In summary, The Ugly Truth chronicles the bickering of producer Abby (Heigl) and Mike (Butler). An unlikely pairing which will send a cosmic imbalance. However, as more opportunities allow for Abby and Mike to spend time with one another, they will discover that polar opposites do, in fact, attract.
Spoilers ahead!
So much of Katherine Heigl is reminiscent of her days at Grey‘s, a mean and fiery Izzie attitude which is an outright challenge to Gerard Butler’s stubbornness as Mike. For a moment, I saw Alex’s bad boy stance imprinted on Mike. Oh dear.
Maybe Gerard Butler’s muscular build got me a little doubtful of his portrayal as a hard-hitting, misogynistic individual. After all, my thoughts were running amock and frankly towards his time in 300. I never watched 300, but I thought he was going to charge at Abby with a spear and shield in hand if she continued contemptuously narrowing her eyes at him.
Not to mention his talkshow, The Ugly Truth.
Did anyone find the set (above) strange and unfitting? I mean, who arranged for such a stand-up comedic set which holds nary a semblance to the theme of his talkshow? (Low budget? Low profile?) Plus, did anyone see how strangled and unconvincing his performance was at downplaying the opposite sex? It was as if he tried a little too hard memorising his lines and it was showing. Obviously.
Ok, he could have been pro-women and insulting them with wit caught him off-guard.
Forgiven.
Moving on, the two who would very much love to hate each other ended up working in the same TV station. On top of that, Mike is working under Abby. Predictably, he overwrites her every order while she, trying her best not to cower under his whim and fancies, takes a swipe at him whenever convenient. Eventually, his segments brings her news program to a record show rating.
In utter disbelief, she approves of his blatant truth and willingly collaborates with him.
Now is the time when the leading couple unknowingly grabs hold of opportunities and spend more time with one another than with their wandering eye and future spouses. In another bout of predictability, Abby seduces Mike without knowing. He does not cave in just yet, but helps her with snagging her hot neighbour, an orthopedic surgeon.
Red hot mess.
More mishaps and comedic moments ensue and finally, the big reveal. Just when Abby was to take a step further with her hot boyfriend-neighbour Collin, the TV station where Abby is working in is in danger of losing Mike to another. Furious, the head of the station sends for Abby to persuade Mike to stay.
That fateful weekend (you know you have this in your romantic comedy forecast) led to Abby falling for Mike. Again, there’s the mating dance in the middle of a sweating and crowded dance floor and a couple of drinks to cloud your judgment. Painfully the couple splits moments after and Mike moves on to a career advancements.
As quickly as the writers put the two bickering persons together to ignite a predictable romance, they have pieced together a disappointing ending which yes, saw the writers quickly reuniting them.
Though one thing remained true to the ending: Relationships are the stuff of lust.
I rate this a 6/10. Fabulous soundtrack to salvage the rampage of cliches, but that is as far as it goes.
Ally 
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