Anisha Dutta
Battle of the sexes — this has formed the basis of countless incredible comedies to date. And ‘The Ugly Truth’ uses the same premise to tell the story of two people with contrasting personas — the firm believer of true love Abby Richter (Katherine Heigl) and the cynical chauvinist Mike Chadway (Gerard Butler). Destiny brings them together to work in Abby’s company, where she is a tv producer. The rest of the movie chronicles their various clashes, arguments, and disagreements until they eventually grow romantically closer to each other.
‘The Ugly Truth’ opened to great audience response and became Katherine Heigl’s second-highest-grossing film after ‘Knocked Up’. Although the critical reviews were mostly negative, moviegoers lauded the flick — mainly because of the charming performances and perfect comic timings. Of course, the ending is predictable but ‘The Ugly Truth’ is meant to be a popcorn chick flick. If you have watched it and are looking for some similar titles that reflect the same tone and theme, we have you covered. Here is our list of the seven best films like ‘The Ugly Truth’ — most of which can be watched on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime.
7. Knocked Up (2007)
If you loved ‘The Ugly Truth’ for the stray pleasant surprises dropped by Katherine Heigl and her overall ebullience, then you should not miss ‘Knocked Up’. The superhit romcom is written and directed by Judd Apatow and stars Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, and Leslie Mann alongside Heigl. The story follows an ambitious, career-oriented woman named Alison who has just landed a job with E!. However, things go for a toss when she has a one-night stand with a slacker. Matters become worse after Alison discovers that she is pregnant!
6. 500 Days of Summer (2009)
‘500 Days of Summer’ does not have the conventional happy ending per-se but the underlying theme is the same. We have two people with different personalities falling in love. But then, the girl, whose name is Summer starts getting distracted and loses interest in the relationship. The chick flick is more about not focusing only on the positive aspects of failed romances. It is about getting on in life and finding happiness in one’s personal growth and success.
5. The Proposal (2009)
Bringing in the same subject of ‘opposites attract’, which is the primary premise of ‘The Ugly Truth’, ‘The Proposal’ is still a classic, thanks to the spectacular chemistry between Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. Directed by Anne Fletcher and written by Peter Chiarelli, the romantic comedy follows a Canadian executive whose visa expires and she faces the threat of being deported from the US. The ambitious woman is hell-bent on retaining her position as editor-in-chief of a publishing house and coerces her assistant into temporarily posing as her to-be husband.
4. You’ve Got Mail (1998)
Another wonderful example of business rivals falling in love is ‘You’ve Got Mail’. The owner of a bookstore chain happens to meet the owner of a cute little bookshop online. Eventually, they are drawn toward each other. Little do they know that they are rivals in the corporate world. Starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan and loosely based on the 1937 Hungarian play ‘Parfumerie’ by Miklós László, ‘You’ve Got Mail’ is written by Nora and Delia Ephron. The warm and charming rom-com is noted for its bankable stars and feel-good story.
3. The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
If you loved ‘The Ugly Truth’ for the glitz and glamour of the tv world, you should definitely check out ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ — in the unlikely scenario that you have not watched this gem yet. The comedy-drama is directed by David Frankel and written by Aline Brosh McKenna. Starring the iconic Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly, it follows the powerful magazine editor after she hires the fresh college grad Andy (Anne Hathway). Andy is Priestly’s new co-assistant and is overwhelmed with the workload that is piled up on her desk from her first day under the strict boss.
2. Life as We Know It (2010)
Hatred transforming into love — this makes for one of the most successful formulas when we speak of rom-coms. Directed by Greg Berlanti, and starring Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel, ‘Life As We Know It’ follows Holly and Eric who go on a blind date by Peter and Alison but end up disliking each other. However, when Peter and Alison are killed in a car crash, following their baby Sophie’s first birthday, Holly and Eric discover that their friends named them Sophie’s joint godparents. The pair then needs to move in together to take care of the infant, in spite of their differences.
1. Friends With Benefits (2011)
If you speak of chick flicks, you cannot help but take the name of ‘Friends with Benefits’ — the romantic comedy film is directed by Will Gluck. Starring Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis in the lead roles, it introduces us to Dylan Harper who is friends with Jamie Rellis. They believe that if they engage in casual sex, it won’t affect their relationship. But eventually, when emotions get mixed in their platonic arrangement, things take a complicated turn.
Read More: Best Movies Like Friends With Benefits
