MOVIE MUSIC UK

Original Review by Jonathan Broxton

A modern day battle-of-the-sexes comedy, The Ugly Truth stars Katherine Heigl as Abby, a TV producer with a disastrous romantic life, whose world begins to change when a misogynistic shock-jock named Mike Chadway (Gerard Butler) is hired to present a segment on her morning news show. Mike, who claims to be an expert in knowing what a man really wants from a woman, offers to help Abby woo the man of her dreams: a hunky doctor who lives in the same apartment building. Despite her misgivings at Mike’s sexist outlook on life, Abby agrees, but in spite of their initial mutual dislike, the more time Abby and Mike spend with each other, the more romantic sparks between the mis-matched pair start to fly.

The film is directed by Robert Luketic, and is scored by the ever-busy Aaron Zigman. The brief score only lasts for 38 minutes, but has 35 tracks, which by mathematics alone tells you that it’s a spotty, quick fire score that barely registers enough time for proper thematic development, instead going for the quick laugh or comedy stinger, or brief scene-setting interludes. It’s a generally entertaining score, a combination of gently romantic themes and more contemporary writing, often with a Latino flavor or a particular beat to give it a kick. Cues such as “Flicking the Bean”, “The Dinner” and “Black Dress” have a sexy groove, while “Abby & Mike in LA”, “Jello Twins” and “Your Replacement” amp up the electric guitar use for a more urban sound.

The likes of “Abby Calls Colin”, “Post Kiss” have a light-hearted caper feel through the use plucked string instruments, guitars, marimbas and other light percussion, as well as occasional tango rhythms, while cues such as “The Ugly Truth”, “Who Would Love” and “The Kiss” are the most tender elements of the score, and will likely appeal to score fans the most, with their soft string, guitar, piano and woodwind writing and general air of whimsical romance.

It’s all very pleasant and undemanding, and occasionally quite cool, and is exactly the kind of music one would expect to hear in a throwaway romantic comedy of this kind, but it’s never going to set the world on fire, and Zigman has written much much better. One thing the score does have going for it, however, are some deliciously perverse cue titles; I mean, really, who doesn’t love a score with tracks such as “Thank Your Pussy for Me”, “Oral Sex” and “Naked Weather Girl”?

Rating: **½

Track Listing:

• Flick the Bean (1:08)
• Abby Calls Colin (2:02)
• Abby & Mike in L.A. (1:17)
• Post Kiss (2:08)
• Bad Date (0:42)
• It’s a Lie (1:52)
• Cat Person (1:05)
• Get the Stain Out (0:32)
• The Dinner (2:34)
• Jello Twins (1:11)
• Tease (0:54)
• Abby Calls Mike (1:52)
• The Ugly Truth (2:10)
• Duck Cacciatore (1:15)
• Thank Your Pussy for Me (0:36)
• Champagne (1:03)
• Earpiece (0:46)
• Spazzy Dance (0:14)
• Your Producer (0:39)
• Closet (0:46)
• Black Dress (0:45)
• Frowny McFlaccid (0:28)
• Right This Way (0:31)
• Who Would Love (1:11)
• New Theme (0:31)
• Goodnight Then (1:20)
• Oral Sex (0:22)
• Cat Escapes (1:51)
• Naked Weather Girl (0:37)
• Tahoe (0:37)
• Ratings (0:27)
• Your Replacement (0:33)
• The Kiss (1:28)
• Abby & Mike Banter (0:35)
• Abby & Mike Rant (2:06)

Running Time: 38 minutes 08 seconds

Lakeshore Records LKS-34076 (2009)