‘The Ugly Truth’

Rated: R

Starring: Katherine Heigl, Gerard Butler, Cheryl Hines

Directed by: Robert Luketic

Runtime: 96 min.

Rating: D

I am having a hard time deciding where to direct my rage.

I could shoot it on over to Katherine Heigl for starring in this film and giving it top billing at the multiplex. The three women who wrote the film could be the correct recipients. Or maybe the fault lies with myself for deciding to attend school in a town where this and a movie starring CGI guinea pigs are the big openings.

Since I don’t have a direct line to Heigl or the screenwriters, I guess I owe myself the hour and a half wasted watching this atrocity.

Seriously, I will sit through a run-of-the-mill romantic comedy. Usually there is a joke or two to be had – unless you are watching Robert Luketic’s newest venture.

This film is totally void of any humor despite having some affable performers in the cast. I have been to funerals that are funnier than this thing was.

Heigl is Abby Richter, an anchor on a California morning show struggling with ratings. To boost the ratings, the show’s producers bring in loudmouth personality Mike Chadway (Gerard Butler) to perform a segment on relationship advice.

Oh, those producers are in for a surprise because Chadway does not play by the rules. He curses and produces chauvinism as if it was his job (well, I guess it is). When Heigl cannot land some handsome doctor who has entered her life, she turns to Chadway for some help on reeling the stud in.

What follows is unfunny gag after unfunny gag. The writers even had the wholly original idea to put Heigl in a crowded restaurant and have an orgasm. I mean, where do they come up with this stuff? Simply brilliant, it’s as if ‘When Harry Met Sally’ never even happened.

Heigl basically crucified herself over the last couple of years, talking down ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ as if she were better than the show and putting Judd Apatow on blast for, according to her, not knowing how to write female characters. This career move is not going to do her future film selection any help.

It is sad to see Butler, who had built up his profile with ‘300’ and ‘RocknRolla,’ get stuck in such a humor-ridden affair.

All I can do is forewarn. Stay as far away as possible from this film.

Luke McCormick can be reached at 536-3311 ext. 275