The Ugly Truth

Rating: 6/10 (24 May 2012)

"The Ugly Truth" The ugly truth, what we all fear. In this movie, that fear is turned upside down into a funny, romantic view that surely had many heads turning. Starring Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler, the movie brings to light what we all choose not to acknowledge, as well as what we want, and sometimes need. Other stars in the movie include Eric Winter, Cheryl Hines, and John Michael Higgins. Produced by the producers of Legally Blonde, it was written by three women, and was a big hit in theaters.
The movie begins with Abby, starred by Heigl, who is a romantically challenged woman looking for 'True Love.' She reads books like Chicken Soup for the Woman's Soul, and believes truly in a 'Prince Charming.' One night, after a horrible date, her cat accidentally turns the channel to a show dubbed 'The Ugly Truth,' where Mike Chadway, or Butler, stars in making fun of love, saying it doesn't exist. To him, love is simply an intense form of lust. He explains that men don't like women because of their minds, or their money, they like them because they're willing to spread their legs! During a 'call time,' Abby calls the show and tries to throw him off-track, saying that love does exist, and he's a sexist pig. She describes her 'Prince Charming,' who happens to not exist, and Mike hangs up on her. The next day passes, and her cat jumps out a window, which Abby follows up a tree where her new neighbor, a surgeon named Colin, is dressing. Blushing brightly, she falls out of the tree and sprains her ankle, which he tends to. The next day, Mike has been hired at her news station in Sacramento, and finds out that Abby was the 'crazy caller.' They get into a debacle and it ends up with a bet. Mike bets that Abby's man is false, and if he doesn't turn out to be false, he'll quit the show and stay out of her life forever. If not, she has to admit that he was right. Weeks pass as Abby, after a makeover by Mike, dates Colin, all the while slowly falling in love with the person she thinks is a pig. During this time, Mike appears in the morning show with Larry and Georgia, Higgins and Hines, and brings 'The Ugly Truth' right to them, explaining how Georgia 'demasculines' Larry because of her success.
There wasn't really any special effects, other than effects from the camera, zooming in and out. There are a bunch of camera changes, however. Towards the end of the movie, it gets really intense with those in the hot air balloon, where Abby, after having finally found out she's in love with Mike, is going on about how men are big chickens, while Mike is standing there, saying she's stupid not to realize that he loves her. Finally, after saying it three times, they end the scene with a kiss, and the news station caught the whole thing on camera.
My favorite part of the movie would probably have to be the times where it could happen to anybody, but it isn't usually shown on television or movies. I like how it brings a whole new look to movies in general, putting a 'real' twist in things. Nowadays movies are all about fantasy and science fiction, but this movie keeps it real, with a slight romantic twist in it as well.
All in all, I'd give this movie three stars out of five, for the new light it brings and the way the directors kept it real, showing that everyday things can, and does, happen in love. It doesn't always need to be white horses and fairies, though they are pretty nice. Just be yourself, and love will find you, this movie states, and it wears that on it's sleeve well!
~Yours, Ashley Bigler