Summer Review #2 -- The Ugly Truth

The battle of the sexes has been favorite romantic comedy fodder ever since Tracy first laid eyes on Hepburn, and here it is again, at the extreme of extremes. This time, the battle turns into war and, lest I should sound like a tagline for a non-existent 300 sequel, let me assure you that it is nowhere as bloody; however, there is no doubt in my mind that this kind of conflict is always messier. TV producer Abby (Katherine Heigl) has no luck in love, mostly due to her own neuroses. She does not demand perfection; she merely wants a certain type, likes, dislikes and habits that can be found on a list she brings to dates. Yup, Abby is a low-maintenance gal if ever there was one. After an awkward conversation with sexist cable host Mike Chadway (Gerard Butler), she discovers that he is her network's newest employee, brought in to revive ratings with his show, in which he dishes on men and women using terms straight from your nearest cave and crude innuendos that would put strip clubs to shame. Witnessing her troubles, Mike offers to help Abby seduce her newest crush and, after spending some quality time with her former nemesis, she starts seeing him in a new light. The movie is brimming with clichés -- cynical female protagonist, idealist best friend, money shots of scenic weekend getaways -- and the only way I can try and justify their presence is by considering the possible aim of the three women screenwriters to turn these stereotypical concepts upside down and maybe even lampoon them, which never happens. The movie starts out with so many over-the-top scenes, that satire appears to be the only direction the movie can take, but the writing just lingers on, piling on slapstick and tacking on a recycled ending. The good aspect of the movie is the leads' amazing chemistry, which is a rarity in recent romcoms, and which manages to shine through the often tepid writing and acting. Heigl has already shown comedy potential with the otherwise bleak 27 Dresses, but she does not possess that effortless effervescence that Meg Ryan and Julia Roberts, to name obvious examples, are famous for. She does her best, but tries too hard; still, she is very adept at physical gags and has flair for self-deprecating fun. Butler displays good timing and raw charm, but I do wish he would get a chance to flaunt his talents in a more sophisticated genre movie. Nevertheless, the two actors are the best part of the film, with Butler's manly charisma complimenting Heigl's prim-and-proper-and-prissy demeanor. They are the ones who make the characters' misadventures endearing, leaving us wanting a screenplay that does justice to their genuine connection. As it turns out, the truth is not very ugly, and is actually a pretty funny affair; however, it is tarnished by witless jokes and sporadic truisms, not relying nearly enough on the already hilarious basics of the battle before going into a full-fledged war.

6/10