I guess I’ve made my point enough with romantic comedies. I just don’t get why major studios continue to push for films that continuously get panned by critics. Joining the romantic ranks of Sandra Bullock and Matthew McConaughey, perhaps trapped forever in this dreck, is Katherine Heigl. I thought she was terrific in Judd Apatow’s Knocked Up and was hoping she would follow it up with something just as good. Instead she calls out Knocked Up as being “sexist” and then takes the romantic comedy bait by starring in 27 Dresses. I resent Ms. Heigl’s comments about Knocked Up. She’s in a movie that was pretty much the comedy of 2007 and ruins her appearance in it by calling it sexist. She claims that the women in the movie were portrayed in a negative, bitchy light and the men were much more positive. Actually no, how can the men in Knocked Up be portrayed as anything good when they are pothead losers who run a porn site? You’re dead wrong, Katherine. Dead wrong! Now you’re scraping the bottom of the barrel with 27 Dresses and following it with The Ugly Truth. Congrats to you. At least Gerald Butler can say he’s been in some good stuff.
"Has anyone ever told you you were sexy?"
Heigl plays Abby Richter, a producer who runs a morning TV show. She doesn’t have the best dating skills and she is sickened when her station hires an obnoxious guest pundit, Mike Chadway (Gerald Butler, 300). Chadway is known for his male driven show, “The Ugly Truth.” On the show, he claims that he has great insight into women and makes crude insults about them. Naturally, Abby hates him and would be willing to do anything to bring him down. She is further sickened when the station’s ratings soar when he’s on the air. When Mike realizes Abby is trying to date surgeon Colin (Eric Winter, “Days of Our Lives”), he gives her advice in the dating game. Abby blows Mike off, but realizes he’s very convinced in what he says. Mike and Abby strike a deal. If Mike’s male expertise doesn’t work for Abby, he will quit. When she does go on dates with Colin, Mike acts like a spy to consult her on what she’s doing wrong, but as she begins to fall in love with Colin, Mike is quickly drawn to Abby.
The movie also co-stars Cheryl Hines (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”) and Kevin Connolly (“Entourage”). Robert Luketic directs The Ugly Truth and he’s previously done 21 and Monster-in-Law (another atrocious romantic comedy). The screenplay was written by Nicole Eastman (debut) and Karen McCullah Lutz & Kristen Smith (The House Bunny).
"Did you just hit on me in the last caption, because I don't like that."
I’m sure this will do well in a hit-starved July, but I look forward to it taking on Apatow’s Funny People a week later. It’ll get crushed. That’s the ugly truth.
The Ugly Truth opens July 24th.
