Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler star in this wildly funny battle of the sexes. Abby (Heigl), a successful morning show producer, is looking for a lot in a man. Mike (Butler), her obnoxious TV star, knows men only want one thing. Determined to prove that shes not romantically challenged, Abby takes Mikes advice during a promising new romance, but the unexpected results will stun everyone.
Katherine Heigl further cements her reputation as one of films most dazzling, and go-to, romantic comedy heroines. In The Ugly Truth she brings her deft comic timing and true vulnerability to a film that avoids clichés, successfully, all the way until the surprising, quiet end. Heigls partner in crime--and at first, in pure hatred--is the rakishly charming Gerard Butler. Heigl plays Abby, a career-bound TV producer, and Butler is Mike, an outrageous dudes dude whose public access show about what men want (one thing only) makes him so popular that hes hired to work alongside Abby, who naturally chafes at everything Mike stands for. Yet The Ugly Truth could not be more unpredictable, and men as well as women will like the refreshing story line and the crisp direction by Robert Luketic (Legally Blonde, Monster-in-Law). Both lead actors put their all into their performances, and the nuance and depth makes The Ugly Truth not just a great date-night film, but a testament on the primal human urge simply to connect. The Ugly Truth is more than a little raunchy, and it deserves its 15 rating, but theres hilarity in its crudeness. The supporting cast includes the delightful Cheryl Hines and John Michael Higgins as a tensely married couple forced to appear together on TV. And Eric Winter (Brothers & Sisters) is dreamy as Abbys potential love-match--as long as she doesnt have to be herself. The DVD includes mostly forgettable deleted and extended scenes, but also a gag reel that shows that the cast had every bit as much fun creating the film as the viewer has watching it. The Ugly Truth has never shined so brightly. --A.T. Hurley
Stills from The Ugly Truth (click for larger image)