Screenwriter's Series: Karen McCullah and Kirsten Smith
The Screenwriters Series will examine the filmography of a screenwriter with the hope of finding out what helped them break into the industry or continue to find success. "Story By" credits will not be used: only films with official WGA Screenplay credit per IMDb will be used. This includes screenplays with multiple writers that may or may not have collaborated.
THIS MONTH'S SCREENWRITERS: Karen McCullah and Kirsten Smith
MOVIE: The Ugly Truth (2009)
Starring:
Katherine Heigl as Abby
Gerard Butler as Mike Chadway
Bree Turner as Joy
Eric Winter as Colin
Nick Searcy as Stuart
Cheryl Hines as Georgia
John Michael Higgins as Larry
Director: Robert Luketic
Budget: $38 Million
Box Office:
Opened: $27.6M
Final: $88.9M
Plot:
Abby is an award winning TV news producer, however her show is hitting miserable ratings. Much to the chagrin of Abby, the higher ups decide it would help to add Mike Chadway, who has a misogynistic show called "The Ugly Truth" where Mike gives off color advice to ladies looking for love. What starts off as an antagonistic relationship, despite Mike helping Abby begin a relationship with a doctor named Colin, blossoms into something more serious.
The Script:
This was the script/film I was least looking forward to because I feared it will have aged terribly and turns out I was right.
To say the script is problematic is an understatement. As a writer, you want to make sure that the message your film is conveying is a worthwhile one. While the characters take shots at both sexes, its head is in the wrong place. First and foremost, Abby is a hardworking woman who has worked hard for her career. Why is this not an admirable trait and why does she need to change who she is to get a guy? She clearly does have time to date but she has a specific type in her head. That doesn't make her in need of a character makeover, from a misogynistic man in particular. A lot of the things Mike teaches her are very "male fantasy of what a woman should be" (eat phallic foods, don't argue, laugh at the guy's jokes to make him feel better etc). It teaches women the wrong message and forces them to think that women should date jerks.
Which brings me to my next point, when writing a romantic comedy make romantic lead likable. It's ok to make them seem unlikable at first, but make sure their redeemable qualities begin to shine through in their actions as the script progresses. Mike is not likable for the entire script. Abby didn't need Mike or to really change anything about herself. In fact the Abby that Colin first met was the "real Abby". Sure, he fell for the "not real" Abby but he clearly liked her enough to want to see her again after their first encounter. He even flew to Los Angeles, where she was going to cheat on him with Mike, to be with Abby when they couldn't have their romantic getaway. Instead of them working on things together, she just breaks up with him. The fact that she ended up with Mike is completely unbelievable. Long story short, the script had her falling in love with the wrong person. This also highlights one of the things I dislike about romantic comedies, which is that someone who is ultimately innocent gets hurt so the two stars can get together.
As I said, make sure your writing focuses on the right message and write likable characters.
My Review:
Sure, the movie has its moments. Butler and Heigl are actually very good in the film and keep it watchable. And at a couple parts I did laugh, mostly thanks to John Michael Higgins and Cheryl Hines. But Mike is unlikable and their romance feels so forced that it undercuts the rest of the film. It's also a shame that it has such a negative message.
Critical reception:
14% on Rotten Tomatoes