Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler in "The Ugly Truth"
courtesy of Sony Home Entertainment
“The Butler Did It”

In “The Ugly Truth” actor Gerard Butler pulls out all the stops to play the romantic lead in the film. It helps that he has actress Katherine Heigl to make him look even more romantic than he acts. Plus the script has them embroiled in a battle of the sexes. Tracy and Hepburn made it into an art form and then Rock Hudson and Doris Day revived it for a new generation, and on and on it went. Now we get Heigl and Butler putting their spin on it and it is not a pretty sight. “The Ugly Truth” modernizes the whole “battle” with a multitude of four letter words and sexual euphemisms. This is done to obviously show how modern we are.

In the film Abby (Heigl) is the producer of a morning television show starring Larry and Georgia (John Michael Higgins and Cheryl Hines), a married couple who co-host the show. To spice things up Abby’s boss hires a guy named Mike (Butler) to come in and do a segment about the real relationships between men and women.

Abby dislikes Mike on sight and is determined to get him off her program, but the ratings argue she should keep him on. Eventually they make a truce of sorts and Mike even starts coaching her on how to attract her neighbor Colin (Eric Winter). Abby goes along with Mike and invents personality traits that do seem to attract Colin.

Of course behind it all Mike is growing to like Abby. He can’t tell her this because he doesn’t want to appear weak or whatever. Will he show his true feelings? Will Abby reciprocate? Who knows, and better yet, who cares?

Heigl is a very pretty woman but in this film her character comes off more annoying than appealing. Abby seems to alternate between teen age and middle age. One minute she is doing some kind of crazy dance of excitement and the next she is uptight and grouchy. 

Then there is Butler. He made his name and gained his fame with “300.” In his career he has not been an actor who plays comedic roles. It just isn’t believable. He appears to be in full James Denton mode, who he sort of resembles, and comes off as bland and boring.

As a couple these two actors have very little charisma together except when they dance in one of the later scenes in the movie. They don’t speak a word to each other but the movements of the dance ands their eye contact says it all.

Nothing in this movie really works. Heigl’s beauty only goes so far. Butler is miscast. Higgins and Hines are wasted in their roles. All of the funny scenes were shown in the trailers so there is nothing new to make you chuckle.

The ugly truth is this is basically a fifties comedy about the war between the sexes that is spiced up with raunchy language. It’s outdated and overdone. Rent this DVD at your risk.

Another new movie out on DVD this week is “Up.” It comes riding high on a cloud of popularity. The people at Pixar know how to make films that amuse and entertain. They have proven that in the past with such movies as “Finding Nemo,” “Toy Story” and “Monsters, Inc.” With “Up” they create a story that is deep in drama and light-hearted in amusement. The first third of the movie is particularly dark with sterility and death being the objects of concern. But once the house floats away on the power of balloons the movie soars.

The central character in the film is Carl Fredricksen (voiced by Ed Asner). We see him as a small boy when he first meets Ellie (Elie Doctor). They share a love of adventure and for the top world adventurer Charles Muntz (Christopher Plummer). Eventually they also share a love for each other.

Carl and Ellie plan to go on a great world adventure but they never get around to it. Their dream is sidetracked when they decide to have children but sadly they are never able to obtain that dream. Then Ellie dies and Carl is left all alone and bitter.

When he decides to take the trip to South America that he and Ellie had planned, he does it by hooking up hundreds of balloons to his house and floating away. An unexpected stowaway on this trip is Russell (Jordan Nagai), an Explorer Scout who is trying to earn a badge by helping g the elderly. Boy, does he ever earn that badge. 

In the South America mountains Carl and Russell meet a dog named Dug (Bob Peterson) that can talk. He has a machine collar around his neck that has been invented by Muntz and it makes him able to speak. Muntz later shows up and tells Carl; and company about his pursuit of a rare bird in the jungle. Carl and Russell have already found this bird and named him Kevin. They swear to protect him from Muntz.

The animation for the film is richly colorful and the music of Michael Giacchino adds a dreamlike quality to the sweep of the adventure. All of the voice talent is first rate with Asner and Nagai being exceptional.

As an adventure story the movie is first rate. It could easily have started with the house lifting off and gone from there without all the drama and tragedy spelled out. At least I think the kids could have done without the “Bambi’s mother” scene.

Still you have to say the movie lifts the spirits and soars with enthusiasm. There are messages galore in the movie about what constitutes an adventure and what the treasure is we all seek. It is pure Disney in that sense.

“Up” is a marvelous ride with companionable characters. You can decide if your little ones should see it. If you watch it with them they should be fine.

>From a family film to a raunchy one, that step takes us to “American Virgin,” a new DVD that looks at college life and one poor girl whose antics are caught on tape. If you have to have someone with the talent to play sleazy as in the producer of “Chicks Go Crazy” then why not go with the best – Ron Schneider.

As Priscilla, the college coed, Jenna Dewan of “Step Up” fame has been cast. She is a real beauty and an asset to the film. The story is all about Priscilla trying to get her hands on the tape and save her honor. At least for a little while!

Finally there is “Will Ferrell: You’re Welcome America: One Final Night With George Bush.” This DVD of Ferrell’s HBO show is a skewed look at Bush the man and the politician. Ferrell goes after him with a sharp wit and an even deadlier imitation. This is a caricature at its most extreme.

If you are a die hard Republican you might want to skip this one, but if you are more centrist you might enjoy the political wit and wisdom on display here. Ferrell throws himself into his act big time and goes on a wild romp across Bush’s career.
 

 

 

 

 

©2009 Jackie K. Cooper

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