Possible Clues:

• "Things aren't looking so great"
• Bleak assessment
• 'The news isn't good'
• "Things are looking grim"
• Discouraging words from an auto mechanic
• Bleak assessment of a situation
• "Things are looking bleak"
• Dire appraisal of a situation
• 'I'm not gonna sugarcoat this'
• "I'm not gonna sugarcoat this"