The Ugly Truth

Abby Richards, a Sacramento morning show producer who believes in true love, calls The Ugly Truth on-air to argue with Mike Chadway after a disastrous date. Her naive optimism clashes with Mike's cynicism, setting up the show's dynamic. The moment marks the start of a public clash that will influence her career.

The next day Abby learns the station plans to cancel her show due to poor ratings. The owner hires Mike to do a segment on her program in an attempt to boost viewership. The arrangement forces Abby to work with him despite their initial hostility.

Abby and Mike begin a rocky relationship, trading barbs and wary glances as their on-air banter draws viewers. They clash about love, relationships, and Abby's idealism. Yet their chemistry becomes undeniable, pulling Abby deeper into Mike's world.

Mike pitches Abby's dating strategy to win over doctor Colin, and they strike a deal: if Mike helps her land Colin, she will work peacefully with him; if he fails, he leaves the show. The agreement reframes their cooperation as a performance for Abby's heart and her career. The stakes are high, with Colin playing a potential exit ramp for both.

Mike's guidance boosts The Ugly Truth's ratings and even helps keep the married co-anchors Georgia and Larry together. He braids his advice into Abby's dating life, teaching her to follow Colin's signals and to laugh at his jokes. Abby begins to adopt Mike's ruthless approach, blurring lines between honesty and manipulation.

Mike is invited to appear on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and is offered a job at another network. The opportunity represents a major career leap but also deepens the tension with Abby. The duo's collaboration teeters on the edge as they weigh loyalty against ambition.

Abby is forced to cancel a romantic weekend with Colin and travels to Los Angeles to persuade Mike to stay with her show. She believes Mike's on-air persona can be controlled to secure her love life and her career. The trip lays bare their growing attraction amid professional pressure.

In a hotel elevator, Abby and Mike share a passionate kiss but retreat to separate rooms, acknowledging the power of their connection. Mike wrestles with his feelings and tries to keep his distance to protect Abby and his family. Colin arrives unannounced, prompting Mike to walk away.

Abby realizes Colin only likes the version of her she pretends to be, not the real person. After this realization, she breaks up with Colin to pursue authenticity and the possibility of love with Mike. The breakup clears the path for their complicated relationship to deepen.

Mike takes a job with a rival Sacramento station and returns to host a broadcast at the hot air balloon festival. He can't resist entering Abby's world again and testifies against cowardly men in a provocative on-air moment. The rivalry heats up as the balloon festival provides a dramatic setting.

During the festival broadcast, Abby interrupts the Mike Chadway imitator on-air and the balloon lifts off with them aboard while they argue. The tense moment becomes intimate as Mike admits that he loves Abby. The entire flight is captured by a camera mounted in the balloon, broadcasting their changing feelings to the audience.

The film concludes with Abby and Mike in bed together after the flight, sharing ambiguous lines about faking it. Mike asks if she was faking it, and Abby replies, 'You'll never know.' The couple remains together, leaving the question of truth unresolved.