The Red Right Hand
  www.theredrighthand.co.uk





THE UGLY TRUTH
The Truth Is Out There

Director
Robert Luketic

Starring
Katherine Heigl
Gerard Butler
Eric Winter
Bree Turner

To call a film predictable and formulaic is of itself considered predictable and formulaic these days. It's not that critics are running out of terms or expressions, there's simply an abundance of trite trash being released at present. Granted, The Ugly Truth is crass, vulgar and sexist (to both sexes) but somehow, due to a considerable amount of blunt and earnest honesty it seems to redeem itself before completely undermining said effort with a rather rushed finale.

Poorly marketed as a chick-flick, this Romantic Comedy is in fact a bit of a half-way house release; simultaneously catering to the soft, delicate pining of the female requirements in a rom-com whilst infusing large helpings of direct, immature humour for the males. As stated, the plot is rather predictable, feeding off the Cyrano De Bergerac formula: arrogant prick teaching a fop how to woo a welp, only to find himself under loves influential sway. In this case, our mentor is the socially-crass cable TV star, Mike [Butler] and our student, the highly strung producer, Abby [Heigl]. The plot flow and progression never really ventures into unfamiliar territory and refuses to deviate from what is expected but I actually think this worked in its favour. That may sound a bit mad but the really radical element lies in the so-called 'truths' populated throughout the screenplay; I believe it is this strange mix of formulaic rom-com and overtly direct humour that makes this a strangely accessible couple's film.

The problems largely stem from poor marketing - this film is being sold as a sappy romantic comedy about leopards changing spots but this couldn't be further from the truth. By the time the film comes to a close (albeit a rather strange close), it has become clear that it's not about changing either sex but understanding what they want and what makes them tick - which I have always thought a primary key to a successful relationship. So, once you've come to terms with what this film is and what those involved have set out to achieve there's one last hurdle to negotiate: the vulgarity. Yes, this movie deals with harsh (possibly somewhat skewed) realities that a great deal of cinemagoers are going to disapprove of. The audience at my test screening seemed to respond incredibly well but British audiences are usually less prudish than Americans, so that's not saying a great deal.

So, where's the problem? I've sold this film as an underrated, amusing comedy that deserves a chance and one should try to ignore the dirty words; essentially The Hangover meets He's Just Not That Into You, right? What's to complain about? It's a difficult point actually. The production values are all commendable, the acting is generally praiseworthy and the score is forgettable but forgivable. My main point of complaint...? The story. Yes, the reason I hammered this film so heavily was the abysmally sparse and flimsy plot that we were forced to endure. Sure, there were funny moments but all-in-all no one really cared for the reason or cause because it was simply playing to the next setup. Had this movie's writers focused as heavily on the plot and back-stories as they had the various moments of male/female friction, The Ugly Truth would have been a substantially improved release. An upcoming feature that looks like it might possibly nail this combination would be The Invention Of Lying.

Release Date:
14th August 2009

The Scene To Look Out For:
Not all men are chauvinists and not all women are neurotics - this is the 'ugly truth' that is continually addressed; essentially, men and women instantly peg and mark-off one another based on certain checklists. Having said that, this film is littered with sincere moments that really sell our lead characters. A prime exemplary moment for me, was the baring of the soul before snapping back to form. Basically, Mike has been interviewed on national television and stumbled slightly when facing a query of 'who was she... who was the girl who messed you up?' Enjoying a celebratory drink, Abby confronts Mike and enquires as to the girl's identity. Mike shows an ounce of humanity after a solid hour of misogynistic ranting and explains that "it wasn't one girl, more a parade of co-dependent women, unfaithful women, depressed women, narcissistic women, phoney women and women who just didn't like me." I was frustrated that the moment was undercut by a flipping dance scene (primarily because I can't dance) but that's a personal complaint. Anyway, my reason for highlighting this particular scene was to point out the film's most poignant message: we're all damaged by the relationships we've been in, not been in, observed and longed for. A truth that's not necessarily ugly but a little neglected.

Notable Characters:
Each character could clearly be categorised as one of two clear cut types: Gerard Butler & Katherine Heigl or everyone else. The supporting cast, although reasonably talented and entertaining are somewhat flat and underused. So that leaves us with our two leads and to be fair both offer amusing performances. The only one that I thought showed greater range was Butler, simply because of the amount of completely derogatory, alpha male moments that were necessary to portray and still come off as a likable character - not easily achieved.

Highlighted Quote:
"No emotional gesture, no matter how grand, will ever beat a complete checklist"

In A Few Words:
"The real ugly truth is that it will make you laugh at things you shouldn't laugh at and agree with things you shouldn't agree with. Having said that, it's still far from perfect"

Total Score:
6/10


Matthew Stogdon