Blu-ray Movie Reviews

Abby Ricter (Katherine Heigl) is the romantically challenged producer of a Sacramento morning television show who squares off against a chauvinistic new correspondent, Mike Chadway (Gerard Butler), whose views on dating and relationships clash with her feminine sensibilities. Are guys just looking for one thing, or is her idea of Mr. Right out there somewhere?

There's nothing new in this romantic comedy; in fact, much of the banter and antics have been seen before, but I still laughed on numerous occasions. Whether it was Chadway telling ladies to put down the latest book on how to find the perfect guy in order to spend more time on the Stairmaster or Abby's embarrassing incident at dinner (a take-off on the diner scene in When Harry Met Sally), I found the characters likable and funny. The ending is predicable—like every other film in the genre—but I really liked Gerard Butler's character, and who wouldn't want to watch Katherine Heigl in glorious 1080p for 90 minutes?

Sony has one of the best track records for delivering mesmerizing video encodes on Blu-ray, and The Ugly Truth is anything but ugly. The print is in marvelous condition, with breathtaking exterior shots of the Sacramento skyline. It's a sight I'm intimately familiar with since I've lived in the area most of my life, and I've never seen it look so good. The detail in both close and long shots is rich and sharp, colors pop off the screen, and contrast is stable throughout. The only downside of being so revealing and natural is that some green-screen shots stick out like a sore thumb, especially at the end of the film.

The DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack doesn't break any new ground in the genre, but it's solid nonetheless. The dialog-heavy track is always intelligible with natural tone and timbre, although the surround channels are relegated to ambient effects. The music takes things up a notch and fills the room with sound, especially during a nightclub scene in the second act.

Bonus features include a commentary from director Robert Luketic and producer Gary Lucchesi that only covers a few select scenes, not the entire film. Additional supplements include 16 minutes of deleted/alternate scenes, two alternate endings, a gag reel, behind-the-scenes interviews, a closer look at the comedic performances of the leads, and a digital copy of the film on a separate DVD. The BD-Live disc includes "MovieIQ" that connects with IMDb for real-time in-movie information about the cast, crew, music, and production.

Every now and then, I like a good laugh, and The Ugly Truth provides a few, albeit unoriginal ones. The two main characters are likable, and the presentation is outstanding, but I doubt there's much replay value for most viewers. Recommended for a rental.

Release Date: November 10, 2009
Studio: Sony

Movie: 6/10
Picture: 9/10
Sound: 9/10

Review System

Source
Oppo BDP-83 Blu-ray player

Display
JVC DLA-RS1 projector
Stewart FireHawk screen (76.5" wide, 16:9)

Electronics
Onkyo Pro PR-SC885 pre/pro
Anthem PVA-7 power amplifier
Belkin PF60 power conditioner

Speakers
M&K S-150s (L, C, R)
M&K SS-150s (LS, RS, SBL, SBR)
SVS PC-Ultra subwoofer

Cables
Monoprice HDMI cables (source to pre/pro)
Best Deal analog-audio cables
PureLink HDC Fiber Optic HDMI Cable System (15 meters) from pre/pro to projector