---
title: "The Ugly Truth"
year: 2009
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-ugly-truth"
fi1m_id: "the-ugly-truth"
imdb_id: "tt1142988"
tmdb_id: 20943
wikidata_id: "Q922630"
fi1m_score: 39
critics_score: 41
critics_reviews: 12
published: "2026-10-05T11:38:13.221232+00:00"
updated: "2026-10-05T11:38:23.625194+00:00"
region: "ES"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# The Ugly Truth (2009)

Directed by Robert Luketic · 1h 36m · Comedy, Romance

## Identity

The Ugly Truth

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/the-ugly-truth
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** the-ugly-truth
- **IMDb ID:** tt1142988
- **TMDB ID:** 20943
- **Wikidata ID:** Q922630
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1142988/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/20943, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q922630

**Fi1m score: 39** · Critics 41 from 12 reviews

*In a sentence:* Gerard Butler explains women to Katherine Heigl for ninety minutes, and the film agrees with him

> Heigl and Butler are better company than the film deserves, and John Michael Higgins and Cheryl Hines steal it from the anchor desk. But the script thinks a career woman’s problem is her career, and most of the dirty jokes land with a thud.

## Synopsis

Sacramento, the present day. Abby Richter (Katherine Heigl) produces a local breakfast television programme, runs her life from a clipboard and takes a printed list of requirements on her dates. The ratings are falling, so her boss Stuart (Nick Searcy) hires Mike Chadway (Gerard Butler), host of a public-access show called *The Ugly Truth*, in which he tells women that men want sex and food and nothing else. Abby loathes him on sight. The married anchors Larry Freeman (John Michael Higgins) and Georgia Bordeney (Cheryl Hines) start arguing with each other on air, and the numbers go up. Then Colin Anderson (Eric Winter), a surgeon who ticks every box on Abby’s list, moves in across the way, and Mike makes her an offer: let him coach her into Colin’s arms, and if it fails he will quit the station.

## Review

Robert Luketic’s film is a battle-of-the-sexes comedy of the kind Hollywood made in the 1940s, with the lights turned up and the talk turned filthy. Abby Richter (Katherine Heigl) produces a Sacramento breakfast programme and brings a printed list of requirements on dates. Mike Chadway (Gerard Butler) is hired by her station to say rude things about women to camera, because rude things rate. Nicole Eastman and Karen McCullah’s script puts a surgeon between them and runs the course you will have guessed inside 96 minutes. The two leads keep it watchable, and the script gives them less than they earn.

Butler is the pleasant surprise. He plays Mike as a man who has given this speech so often he is slightly bored of it, and the looseness suits him; he does not push for laughs, which in this film makes him almost restful. Heigl does the harder thing and plays an uptight woman as a competent one. She can hit a line, and when she is given a scene to run, a live broadcast going wrong, a date she is managing from notes, she runs it. Their best moments are at work, with him in her ear and her trying not to listen.

The anchors are better still. John Michael Higgins and Cheryl Hines play Larry and Georgia, a married couple who stopped speaking at home some years ago and are now invited to do it on air. Higgins does weary and Hines does bright, and between them they turn a handover to the weather into a divorce hearing. We laughed hardest at them, and then noticed that the film had no further use for them once the ratings had gone up.

The problem is the material around all this. The film’s big set piece is a dinner at which Abby wears a pair of remote-controlled underwear and a small boy finds the remote. We laughed, we admit it, and then felt slightly ashamed, and then watched the film take that laugh as permission to say what it likes for the next hour. What it likes to say is that Abby’s trouble is her standards and her job, and that a man who tells her so in the crudest available terms is doing her a kindness. A film can have a boor in it. This one gives him the microphone and the moral.

The craft is professional and does not help. Russell Carpenter lights everything bright and even, so the film looks like the breakfast show it is supposed to be laughing at. Missy Stewart’s newsroom is glass partitions and beige carpet, and nobody appears to work in it. Betsy Heimann does the clearest character work in the picture, buttoning Heigl into pencil skirts and leaving Butler in a jacket he has plainly slept in. Aaron Zigman’s score nudges you a beat before every joke. Lisa Zeno Churgin cuts it clean and quick, and the film does not outstay its 96 minutes, which we were grateful for and which is not much of a compliment.

Luketic directed [*Legally Blonde*](https://film.one/film/legally-blonde) in 2001, which McCullah co-wrote, and that film got its laughs from a woman everybody underestimated while never once asking her to be less. This one asks her to be less in every scene, and then rewards her for it. The 1940s pictures it is imitating worked because both parties had something to learn. Here one of them learns nothing until the running time requires it.

Most critics landed about where we have, some kinder for Butler’s sake, and the few who hated it hated it for the right reasons. If you want ninety minutes with two likeable people and a couple of good laughs, this will do on a tired Friday, and the 15 certificate is for the talk rather than anything shown. Just do not expect it to be on Abby’s side, because it is not, and it does not seem to have noticed.

*Fi1m score 39, published 5 October 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics turn the film down, and none of the twelve reviews recommends it outright. The praise, such as it is, lands on the leads rather than the film around them: Gerard Butler’s affable, lived-in charm comes up repeatedly, and Katherine Heigl is called likeable and a natural fit for the genre. The complaints are just as consistent. The jokes are crude, the plot is formulaic and predictable, and several reviews object to its dated picture of career women.

The reviews part over whether the two stars work together. Slant and The Hollywood Reporter find their chemistry sharp and watchable; Radio Times and Time Out think their strengths cancel each other out. The spread is wide, from mild shrugs that call it enjoyable enough to outright pans from the Los Angeles Times and The Guardian, which finds blushes but no laughs. Den of Geek’s high mark belongs to the disc’s picture and sound, not the film, which it dismisses as crude and unfunny.

## Straight answers

**Is The Ugly Truth worth watching?**

*The Ugly Truth* is not worth watching for most people, and we scored it 39. Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler are better company than the script deserves, and John Michael Higgins and Cheryl Hines are funny as the bickering anchors, but the film sides with its boor against its heroine. It will do on a tired Friday if you want two likeable leads and a couple of laughs.

**How long is The Ugly Truth, and what is it rated?**

*The Ugly Truth* runs 1h 36m. It is a comedy and romance film.

**Where can I watch The Ugly Truth in Spain?**

*The Ugly Truth* is streaming on Netflix in Spain, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV from €2.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is The Ugly Truth, and is it suitable for children?**

*The Ugly Truth* is a 15 in the UK for its talk, not for anything shown; there is no violence and nothing frightening in it. The jokes are about sex, delivered bluntly and often, and one set piece involves a pair of remote-controlled underwear at a dinner. It is not for children, and parents of younger teenagers should take the certificate at its word.

**How does The Ugly Truth compare to His Girl Friday?**

*The Ugly Truth* is the weaker film by a distance, and [*His Girl Friday*](https://film.one/film/his-girl-friday) is the one to watch. Both put a sparring couple in a newsroom, but Howard Hawks lets Rosalind Russell win the arguments, while Robert Luketic's film hands the microphone and the moral to Gerard Butler and asks Katherine Heigl to be less. The 1940 film is louder, faster and far sharper.

**What should I watch after The Ugly Truth?**

After *The Ugly Truth*, try [*His Girl Friday*](https://film.one/film/his-girl-friday) (1940, Fi1m 90): A newsroom, a sparring couple, and a script that lets the woman win the arguments. Then [*Broadcast News*](https://film.one/film/broadcast-news) (1987, Fi1m 84): Holly Hunter runs a newsroom and a love life with equal difficulty and far better writing; and [*10 Things I Hate About You*](https://film.one/film/10-things-i-hate-about-you) (1999, Fi1m 80): Karen McCullah’s earlier script, with the same prickliness and a good deal more affection.

### Reviews we read (12)

- **Screen Daily**, Tim Grierson (64/100, inferred): The paywall shell does not reveal the critic’s verdict. It provides no praise or complaint to identify. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/the-ugly-truth/5003667.article)
- **The New York Times** (64/100, inferred): The URL indicates a New York Times review of the 2009 film. The page content is inaccessible, so its verdict and any specific praise or complaint cannot be verified. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/24/movies/24ugly.html)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Stephen Farber (55/100, inferred): Farber finds the film uneven but amusing enough to get by, with its leads’ chemistry helping it reach a satisfying ending. He praises their effervescent dance scene, while faulting the crude jokes and underused supporting cast. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/ugly-truth-film-review-93366/)
- **Slant Magazine**, Matt Noller (2/4): Noller finds the film formulaic and its jokes hit-or-miss, though the leads make it pleasurably watchable. He especially praises Heigl and Butler’s brittle, sharp chemistry and their performances. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-ugly-truth/)
- **Radio Times**, Karen Krizanovich (2/5): The review finds the film uneven, with the leads appealing individually but lacking chemistry together. It singles out the script’s prickly, if unmemorable, banter as a saving grace. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-608jqk/the-ugly-truth/)
- **Time Out**, Anna Smith (2/5): Smith finds the two leads’ strengths and weaknesses cancel each other out. She singles out Heigl as a rom-com asset and Butler as frequently miscast. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-ugly-truth-2)
- **Empire**, Helen O'Hara (35/100, inferred): O’Hara finds the comedy patchy and its portrayal of women frustrating, despite a familiar romantic-comedy setup. She praises Butler’s charm and casting, but says the material does not give him enough support. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/ugly-truth-review/)
- **Variety**, Todd McCarthy (30/100, inferred): McCarthy finds the romantic comedy contrived and predictable, with performances that often lack comic spontaneity. He singles out Gerard Butler’s affable, lived-in charm as an asset. [Read](https://variety.com/2009/film/markets-festivals/the-ugly-truth-1200475304/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Michael Phillips (15/100, inferred): Phillips pans the film as witless, formulaic, and regressive. He criticizes its dated stereotypes of career women and says its performers’ comic skills are wasted. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-jul-24-et-uglytruth24-story.html)
- **The Guardian**, Catherine Shoard (10/100, inferred): Shoard delivers a sharply negative verdict, saying the film raises blushes but earns no laughs. She faults its tin-eared raunch and implausible world, despite noting a spark of chemistry between the leads. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/aug/07/ugly-truth-katherine-heigl-film-review)
- **Digital Spy** (55/100, inferred): The critic finds the comedy formulaic and lacklustre, though ultimately enjoyable. They praise Katherine Heigl’s likeability and Gerard Butler’s comic charm, while faulting the film for crude jokes and an underdeveloped lead character. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a169195/the-ugly-truth/)
- **Den of Geek**, Carley Tauchert (5 out of 5): Tauchert strongly condemns the film as crude, unfunny, and insulting, with an obvious story and weak performances. She singles out the script and the leads’ performances as major failures, while praising the Blu-ray’s picture and sound. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-ugly-truth-blu-ray-review/)

## Details

- **Director:** Robert Luketic
- **Director:** Robert Luketic
- **Writer:** Nicole Eastman, Karen McCullah
- **Cinematography:** Russell Carpenter
- **Editor:** Lisa Zeno Churgin
- **Music:** Aaron Zigman
- **Production design:** Missy Stewart
- **Costume design:** Betsy Heimann
- **Producer:** Tom Rosenberg, Steven Reuther, Gary Lucchesi
- **Cast:** Katherine Heigl as Abby Richter; Gerard Butler as Mike Chadway; Eric Winter as Colin Anderson; Nick Searcy as Stuart; Bree Turner as Joy; John Michael Higgins as Larry Freeman; Kevin Connolly as Jim Ryan; Cheryl Hines as Georgia Bordeney
- **Runtime:** 1h 36m
- **First release (the US):** 24 July 2009
- **Genres:** Comedy, Romance
- **Budget:** $38 million
- **Box office:** $322 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvsZtGxsvV0

## Where to watch in Spain

- Netflix: streaming
- Amazon Prime Video: rent €2.99, sd
- Apple TV: rent €3.99, hd
- Apple TV: buy €5.99, sd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy €5.99, sd

*Checked 2026-10-05.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *His Girl Friday* (1940), Fi1m 90: A newsroom, a sparring couple, and a script that lets the woman win the arguments. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/his-girl-friday.md)
- *Broadcast News* (1987), Fi1m 84: Holly Hunter runs a newsroom and a love life with equal difficulty and far better writing. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/broadcast-news.md)
- *10 Things I Hate About You* (1999), Fi1m 80: Karen McCullah’s earlier script, with the same prickliness and a good deal more affection. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/10-things-i-hate-about-you.md)
- *Knocked Up* (2007): Heigl’s better comedy about a mismatched pair, rude in ways that cost somebody something.
- *Bridget Jones's Diary* (2001), Fi1m 80: The British version of the single woman with a list, and much kinder to her. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/bridget-joness-diary.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/the-ugly-truth