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"THE UGLY TRUTH"
(2009) (Katherine Heigl, Gerard Butler) (R)

Alcohol/
Drugs
Blood/Gore Disrespectful/
Bad Attitude
Frightening/
Tense Scenes
Guns/
Weapons
Moderate Minor Heavy Minor Minor
Imitative
Behavior
Jump
Scenes
Music
(Scary/Tense)
Music
(Inappropriate)
Profanity
Mild None None Minor Extreme
Sex/
Nudity
Smoking Tense Family
Scenes
Topics To
Talk About
Violence
Extreme None Minor Heavy Minor


QUICK TAKE:
Romantic Comedy: Due to her chronic problem of finding a boyfriend stemming from her control issues, a morning TV talk show producer reluctantly accepts dating advice from the new guest commentator, a cable show host who delivers blunt commentary about women not understanding men's basic sexual needs.
PLOT:
Abby Richter (KATHERINE HEIGL) is the producer of a morning TV talk show on KSXP in Sacramento. With the help of her assistant, Joy (BREE HINES), she tries to keep her show's married hosts, Larry (JOHN MICHAEL HIGGINS) and Georgia (CHERYL HINES), happy despite the latter's prima donna persona and her husband's sexually frustrated life.

Abby isn't much happier in her love life, due in part to her control issues, and is thus appalled when she happens to come across a cable access show called "The Ugly Truth." Its host, Mike Chadway (GERARD BUTLER), delivers blunt commentary on why he thinks women have problems landing and keeping men, basically stating that they don't recognize their basic sexual needs. While it wouldn't seem it could get worse than her taking the bait and calling in, only to have him put her in her place, it does the next day.

And that's when she learns that he's been hired by her boss, Stuart (NICK SEARCY), for segments he hopes might boost the show's sagging ratings. Abby is upset by this development, not only because it's her show, but also because deep down she realizes Mike might be right about the whole man/woman romance issue.

Since she's found herself attracted to her new neighbor, orthopedic surgeon Colin (ERIC WINTER), she reluctantly agrees to follow Mike's advice. From that point on, she must contend with her disgust toward him and his beliefs, while he finds himself amused by her issues, with both eventually realizing there might be a spark developing between them.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?
If they're fans of anyone in the cast, romantic comedies or R-rated, sexually related comedies, they just might.
WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R
For sexual content and language.
CAST AS ROLE MODELS:
  • KATHERINE HEIGL plays a TV producer with control issues who bristles not only at the thought of Mike and his views on men & women, but also at the discovery that they'll have to work together. She just wants to be happy in her regular and romantic life, and thus reluctantly agrees to let Mike be her dating mentor so that she can land Colin. But she finds herself conflicted when she develops feelings for Mike. She uses strong profanity, drinks, and fools around with both men, including having sex with Mike.
  • GERARD BUTLER plays the highly opinionated host of his own cable access show about dating. He ends up as a segment guest on Abby's show, and shocks her and others with his blunt view of men and what women need to do to attract and land them. He uses strong profanity, drinks, and has sex with Abby.
  • JOHN MICHAEL HIGGINS plays the sexually frustrated co-host of the morning talk show who's upset that his wife (and co-host) hasn't had sex with him in months. With Mike's advice, that changes, and he and his wife repeatedly fool around, flirt and once again appear happy.
  • CHERYL HINES plays his wife and co-host, a prima donna type TV personality who similarly isn't happy about their lack of a sex life, although that changes as detailed above.
  • BREE HINES plays Abby's assistant on the show who lives vicariously through her boss' dating life. She makes some crude sexual gestures.
  • ERIC WINTER plays Abby's new neighbor, an orthopedic surgeon who eventually becomes her boyfriend. He drinks some.
  • CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

    HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE


    Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
    Then read OUR TAKE of this film.


    (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).


    OUR WORD TO PARENTS:
    The following is a brief summary of the content found in this romantic comedy that's been rated R. Profanity consists of at least 8 "f" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Sexually related dialogue (including some that's explicit) is present in many scenes, as is sexually related material and behavior (including an unintentional, played for comedy female orgasm in public). A sexual encounter is partially seen as is brief partial nudity, some other fooling around, and footage of chimps mating.

    Drinking occurs in various scenes and there's a brief drug reference, while other behavior might be enticing for some kids to imitate. Some crude humor is present, as are bad attitudes, although everything's played for intended humor, and there's brief tense family material, also played for laughs.

    Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.


    ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE
  • We see a wine bottle in a cooking segment of the TV show, and after that's done, the chef and Larry both take swigs from that.
  • Abby's date orders a scotch on the rocks, but she states his profile indicated he liked red wine.
  • Abby states that one of her attributes she likes in a man is that he likes red wine.
  • When Abby says they'll do a story on the mayor, Mike chimes in that it won't get ratings unless they get him to "bang three crack whores and a German shepherd."
  • Mike listens to his answering machine messages, with one female caller saying he knows what happens when she drinks tequila.
  • We see champagne on a table in a set for a TV show.
  • We see a large beer ad at a baseball game.
  • Abby, Mike, Colin and others have wine with dinner in a restaurant where others also drink.
  • Colin and Abby have wine by a creek.
  • Mike has a beer and Abby has wine or a drink in a bar where others also drink.
  • People have drinks in a club.
  • Abby has a drink, Mike has some of that, and then orders the same for himself.
  • Colin arrives at Abby's hotel room with a bottle of champagne. It spews on him when he opens it, while she guzzles down her glass of that.
  • A balloon pilot offers Mike and Abby some champagne, but they're too busy fighting (verbally), so he just has some himself.
  • BLOOD/GORE
  • Upset that Mike has been added to her show, Abby comments on all sorts of things she hopes happens to him, including a rat defecating on his ashes.
  • Joy states that Mike was once arrested for urinating out of a moving vehicle, adding how difficult that is, with Larry agreeing.
  • After Abby tells Mike he can't use any scatological terms on the TV show, he jokes that his job demands will be scatological.
  • When Abby mentions that Colin is an orthopedic surgeon, Mike states that means he had to stick his finger up someone's butt in school and then refers to him as "butt boy."
  • Mike states that men's self-improvement ends with toilet training.
  • DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE
  • Although played for comedy, some viewers may be offended by Mike's various comments about women needing to play down to men's baser and basic sexual needs in order to attract and then land them as dates and beyond.
  • About what Abby wants in a man, Mike decides that means she's a lesbian (meaning her desires are more often associated with women).
  • Mike uses terms such as "hag," "Shrek," "You're a dog" and "Lassie" referring to Abby and other women (on his show, on a phone call).
  • Mike tells Abby she's a psycho-aggressive control freak.
  • A TV personality tries to be scandalous by saying he's slept with 137 women, adding "most of them conscious." He then adds that just because a woman says no doesn't mean she really means that.
  • FRIGHTENING SCENES
  • Scenes listed under "Violence," "Blood/Gore" and "Jump Scenes" may be unsettling, suspenseful or scary to younger viewers and/or those with low tolerance levels for such material.
  • Abby climbs her tree to try to retrieve her cat. While up there, she looks into the next building and sees the buff Colin in just a towel. Just then, the tree branch she's on breaks, with her falling a bit and then ending up hanging upside down (played for comedy and she's okay as Colin comes to her aid).
  • GUNS/WEAPONS
  • A TV personality makes a gun gesture with his hands as his signature move, with Abby telling him, "Lose the F-ing gun."
  • IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR
  • Phrases: "Looking chaos in the eye and telling it to F off" (said just like that), "Nobody wants to f*ck it," "What the f*ck?" "F*ck it," "F*ck no," "Lose the F-ing gun" (said just like that), "That sh*t ain't cheap," "Psychobabble bullsh*t," "No one will give a sh*t," "Holy sh*t," "Quit giving me sh*t," "You're sh*tting me," "A sh*t fit," "Beats the sh*t out of me," "You have balls the size of Volkswagens," "I like a woman on top," "You oughta thank your p*ssy for me," "Frowny McFlaccid," "Butt boy," "Vag" (vagina), "Guy code for let me stick my d*ck in your ass," "Stick your t*ts out," "That definitely makes up for my wet crotch," "Flick the bean" (masturbate), "Man-whore," "The fun-bag twins," "Guys like slutty chicks who suck c*ck," "You're a foul-mouthed slut," "Blue balls," "Better a floozy than a doozy," "Bitch," "Freaking out," "hag," "Shrek," "You're a dog," "Lassie" "That is so awesome," "Who the hell is this guy?" "Uber (something) misogynist," "You're wound like a flying top," "What the hell /happened to you/are you doing?" "Screw" (nonsexual), "Where the hell is he?" "Babes," "Broadcasting hell," "Psycho-aggressive control freak," "I'll make this guy your bitch" (Mike to Abby about Colin), "Sucker," "Dorky," "Hell no," "A hell of a job," "Half-ass it," "Spazzy dance," "Half-wit troglodyte," "Full of crap," "You jackass" and "Shut up."
  • Mike feeds date advice to Abby (about her date with Colin) via his microphone going to her earpiece.
  • Abby occasionally does various exaggerated "happy dance" moves following good developments regarding her dating life.
  • About Colin who's facing away from her and Abby, Joy does some playfully exaggerated, mock male pelvic thrusting.
  • A TV personality makes a gun gesture with his hands as his signature move, with Abby telling him "Lose the F-ing gun."
  • JUMP SCENES
  • None.
  • MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)
  • None.
  • MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)
  • The word "bitch" is heard in a song.
  • PROFANITY
  • At least 8 "f" words (2 used as "F," and 2 used sexually as are the terms "bang" and "laid"), 13 "s" words, 12 slang terms using male genitals ("c*ck" and "d*ck"), 3 using female ones ("p*ssy" and "vag"), 4 for breasts ("t*ts," "boobs" and "fun bag"), 13 hells, 10 asses, 5 craps, 5 uses each of "Oh God" and "Oh my God," 4 of "God," 2 each of "G-damn" and "Oh Jesus," and 1 use each of "Oh dear God," "Oh for God's sakes" and "Oh Lord."
  • SEX/NUDITY
  • Abby tells Larry he has "balls" the size of Volkswagens (stroking his ego), and he states they've been blue of recent.
  • Gesturing to her own clothed breasts and referring to living vicariously through Abby's dating, Joy says that they (her breasts) have not been touched in some time.
  • Abby shows cleavage.
  • We see full-size cutouts of various women on the set of Mike's TV show, and they show cleavage.
  • On his show, Mike states that if a woman wants to attract a man she should use a Stairmaster and wear trashy lingerie. He adds that men fall in love with a woman's "t*ts and ass," and then stick around for what they do with them. He also mentions a "blow job."
  • About what Abby wants in a man, Mike decides that means she's a lesbian (meaning her desires are more often associated with women).
  • Abby shows cleavage.
  • When Abby says they'll do a story on the mayor, Mike chimes in that it won't get ratings unless they get him to "bang three crack whores and a German shepherd." When Abby informs him that she's his producer, he states that he likes a woman on top.
  • About Mike's typical audience, Abby refers to them as house-bound inbreeds with their hands down their pants. After she says she only saw his show because her cat stepped on the remote and changed the channel, he tells her she should thank her "p*ssy" for him.
  • After Larry makes a comment about someone being angry and bitter, Georgia states, "No, that's my vagina."
  • Mike states that marriage is just for social status, something else and sex.
  • Mike confronts Larry on the show, stating that Georgia's greater success has "screwed" with the latter's head and manhood, and then guesses Larry hasn't had sex in three months (with the latter replying that it's not his fault). Georgia then complains that what is she to do, turn down success and money to give him (Larry) an erection. Mike then refers to Larry as "Frowny McFlaccid." Mike then gets the two to face each other and make out, followed by a view of Larry carrying Georgia over his shoulder, off the set.
  • Mike listens to his answering machine messages, with one female caller saying he knows what happens when she drinks tequila, while another makes suggestive comments, including being dripping wet (all as he tries to stop that from playing so his nephew doesn't hear it).
  • When Mike jokes that his sister wasn't that good looking in high school, she jokes back to her son that Mike was blind from touching himself.
  • Abby climbs her tree to try to retrieve her cat. While up there, she looks into the next building and sees the buff Colin in just a towel. Just then, the tree branch she's on breaks, with her falling a bit and then ending up hanging upside down, with her regular-size panties showing. Colin races down to rescue her, but his towel then falls off and we see his bare butt, while her face is right in his bare crotch (not seen) and she reacts in embarrassment.
  • Abby tells Mike that he can't use "blow" and "job" together while on the TV show. After she pushes his earpiece in hard, he comments on her misguided phallic rage and then tells her to talk dirty to him via the earpiece.
  • Mike walks off the set while on air, goes outside, and sees two bikini clad young women wrestling in Jell-O. They eventually pull him in (and his shirt ends up open), while Abby tells him (via his earpiece) to lick one of the young women's fingers, so he does. After everyone is out of that, he playfully tells one woman he can still taste her.
  • Mike is enticed when Abby mentions a naked weather girl at another station. We then see Abby's nightmare where she's that woman, apparently naked, with superimposed clouds over her chest and crotch areas (while a sun also shows up over her crotch), while a miniature Mike rides in a hot dog (in a bun) that's somewhat thrusting back and forth.
  • Mike says he knows about lust, seduction and manipulation.
  • Mike gives Abby advice about attracting and keeping men, telling her she should fake her laughs. She then asks isn't that like a fake orgasm, and he says yes. She replies that means there's nothing, but he reminds her that in that case she's not the only person in the room.
  • Mike informs Abby that she needs a change of wardrobe to attract men, stating the problem with her comfortable and efficient clothes is that "nobody wants to f*ck it." He tells the female clerk helping them that Abby needs clothing that says "touch me" and a bra that says to put her "boobs" in your mouth because they taste good (as he holds up a small and lacy bra). They then comment on the length of Abby's skirt, and that it should be short, but not show any "vag" (said again, for vagina). He then slaps her on her clothed butt.
  • Mike tells Abby that guys aren't interested in women's days and if they say they are, it's code for "Let me stick my d*ck in your ass." He then says that Colin has probably thought of Abby's orifices ten times. He also states that she needs a full head of hair so that a guy has something to grab (during sex) rather than just her "ass." He then talks of her role in inspiring an erection in the guy and she asks why that's her responsibility. Mike then states that she needs to a mixture of something along the lines of a librarian and stripper.
  • We then see the result of that talk as she wears a very sexy, formfitting dress that reveals cleavage and a lot of her bare back. Mike's enticed, especially when she shows him that she can flirt, including running her finger along his body as they stand close to each other and she talks and behaves in a highly sexual fashion. He comments on her being a sexually teasing tornado, she grabs his butt, and then asks if all of that's turning him on. He says yes, but she reveals she was just toying with him, adding "sucker!"
  • Mike feeds date advice to Abby (about Colin) via his microphone going to her earpiece, all at a baseball game. Among the things he tells her is to put the hot dog in her mouth "nice and slow" as men like watching penis-shaped food going into a woman's mouth. She then ends up spilling a soda on Colin's clothed crotch and starts vigorously wiping that up while kneeling down by him. The camera view (her back to the camera) makes it appear that she's manually stimulating him or more, and that view is then projected on the stadium's "Kiss Cam" screen, causing everyone in the crowd to react (and her to be embarrassed).
  • At the end of Abby's date with Colin, Mike gives her more advice, including to kiss Colin and "stick your t*ts out" (so she does with her clothed chest, in an exaggerated fashion, followed by a brief, passionate kiss). Colin then says that definitely makes up "for my wet crotch" (the soda spilling), with her replying, "Me too" before realizing how that sounds. After Colin goes inside, Abby tells Mike she's in a good mood, and Mike says he heard, commenting on her "wet crotch" statement.
  • Mike shows footage of chimps mating (seen in clips on the TV show, in various positions, etc.) and comments that the chimps use sex to end arguments and that there's a "gang bang" when new food is found. After that, Larry suggestively tells Georgia that he has an adult monkey (something) in his pants, and she playfully replies that she'd like to see that.
  • Abby asks Mike how long she should make Colin wait for sex. Mike replies she should do everything but that, adding that she should make him think there's a sexual deviant inside her waiting to be released, but she says there isn't. He then wonders how long it's been since she had sex (11 months) and then how often does she "flick the bean" (masturbate). She's embarrassed and says she doesn't, but he keeps pressing her on that, with more related talk.
  • Right before Abby's date with Colin, she receives a gift from Mike (who isn't present) that states it's not for her, but is for her "bean" (clitoris). She then opens up the package to reveal vibrating panties (there's a picture of a woman in her panties, but nothing explicit). Thinking Colin is going to be late, she decides to try them, and thus slips off her panties from under her dress (nothing seen but the panties around her ankles, as well as abundant cleavage as she bends over and we see down her dress) and then puts on the others. Just then, the doorbell rings and she panics and leaves them on rather than change back. But it's Mike and their boss at the door, and they end up taking her along with Colin to an important business dinner (where Mike states that Colin probably doesn't want to hear about implants, oral sex and such -- although that obviously piques his interest). There, the remote control for those panties falls on the floor and a nearby kid picks it up, not knowing what it is or what the labeled levels (nothing explicit, but essentially ranging from mild to ecstasy). That young boy then turns it on, thus causing Abby to react to the pleasurable sensation. She tries to continue her normal conversation, but is obviously having a hard time doing so, until she eventually has an orgasm (delighting Mike who eventually sees the boy with the remote) and amusing and/or perplexing the others who don't know what's going on or what's causing the vibrating/buzzing sound. Later, Mike admits he knew, but figured he should let her finish. He later thanks her for "coming" (said as a double entendre).
  • About Colin who's facing away from her and Abby, Joy does some playfully exaggerated, mock male pelvic thrusting.
  • We see a woman in something like a tube top.
  • Abby shows cleavage in a bar where the camera focuses on a woman's butt in her small, cut-off shorts. Abby notices that Mike is staring at her from afar and refers to him as a "man whore." She then refers to the above Jell-O women as the "fun bag" twins, and then sarcastically asks that he never slept with them. She then says that guys like "slutty chicks who suck c*ck," with both her and Mike then using many more uses of "c*ck." He then comments on her sleeping with Colin, but she says she didn't, and he then playfully refers to her as a "foul-mouthed slut." Mike later admits that he did sleep with one of those women.
  • Mike talks about peeling away a woman's layers, resulting in her "garden" waiting, and that the guy will want to fertilize her "petunias."
  • In the background of a shot, we see Larry and Georgia slip down behind their TV news desk and out of the camera view (suggesting fooling around and/or sex).
  • When Abby shows up for Mike's TV appearance on a national talk show rather than go on vacation with Colin, she sarcastically states that her boss apparently thought Mike needed a producer "more than I needed to get laid." Mike then makes a reference about Colin having a small penis and that Abby is a genius on days when she isn't sexually frustrated. Abby later states (lamenting on the situation) that she could be having sex right now.
  • On a national TV talk show, Mike comments that "blue balls" last only a few hours but that broken hearts last for years.
  • Abby wears a dress that shows cleavage, and then she and Mike dance, with some close contact during that.
  • Abby then decides they should call it a night due to early flights the next morning, but the two realize the sexual attraction and hug several times in an elevator (saying goodnight) before passionately making out (with heavy breathing). They then stop and return to their own rooms, with a knock on Abby's door exciting her since she thinks it's Mike, but it's Colin surprising her. When he ends up having champagne spew on him, he removes his shirt. Mike then does come knocking, but is sad that Colin is there, and nothing else happens.
  • About his new male producer, Mike tells the guy that what he likes about him is that he (Mike) doesn't want to sleep with him (a reference to Abby).
  • A producer tells Mike that the latter will report on how often couples "get it on" while in-flight in a hot air balloon.
  • A TV personality tries to be scandalous by saying he's slept with 137 women, adding "most of them conscious." He then adds that just because a woman says no doesn't mean she really means that.
  • Mike makes a metaphor about sleeping with women, while Abby makes a male masturbation gesture when stating that's the only gesture he knows. Mike then replies that a woman "in heat" for two guys will always pick the one with the better resume.
  • Mike wants to know how much fun Abby had having sex with Colin in Los Angeles, but says they didn't as she left. She then mockingly imitates Mike by saying about him, "I like to f*ck like a monkey."
  • We partially see Mike and Abby have missionary position sex, with movement and their sounds. The scene is mostly dark, but after they're done the lights come on (no nudity), with him asking if it was that good or was she faking it, and she playfully replies that he'll never know.
  • SMOKING
  • None.
  • TENSE FAMILY SCENES
  • Mike confronts Larry on the show, stating that Georgia's greater success has "screwed" with the latter's head and manhood, and then guesses Larry hasn't had sex in three months (with the latter replying that it's not his fault). Georgia then complains that what is she to do, turn down success and money to give him (Larry) an erection. Mike then refers to Larry as "Frowny McFlaccid." Mike then gets the two to face each other and make out, followed by a view of Larry carrying Georgia over his shoulder, off the set. From that point on, the marital spat is over and they're all lovey-dovey and amorous with each other.
  • TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT
  • How men and women view dating, love and sex differently from each other.
  • Mike's comment that men are simple and that their self-improvement ends with toilet training.
  • Mike states that marriage is just for social status, something else and sex.
  • Mike tells Abby she's a psycho-aggressive control freak.
  • Abbie pretending to be someone other than whom she really is, all to try to land Colin.
  • VIOLENCE
  • Abby kicks Mike's leg under the table at a business meeting for something he says.



  • Reviewed July 17, 2009 / Posted July 24, 2009

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