Shallow Hal
Rent & Buy
After taking his dying father's advice, Hal dates only the embodiments of female physical perfection. But that all changes after Hal has an unexpected run-in with self-help guru Tony Robbins. Intrigued by Hal's shallowness, Robbins hypnotizes him into seeing the beauty that exists even in the least physically appealing women. Hal soon falls for Rosemary, but he doesn't realize that his gorgeous girlfriend is actually a 300-pound-not-so-hottie.
What critics thought
Critics were split almost evenly on the Farrelly brothers' body-image comedy, with the central debate being whether its genuine warmth redeems its reliance on fat jokes or whether those jokes ultimately undercut the sincerity. Most agreed it is softer and less raucous than the brothers' earlier work, though whether that restraint is a virtue or just a loss of energy divided reviewers. The film has also attracted lasting criticism for how it portrays obesity and the real-world harm that followed for those involved in its production.
“Often very funny, but it is also surprisingly moving at times”
Roger Ebert·Chicago Sun-Times
“a series of fat jokes...[turned] into a tender fable and a winning love story”
A. O. Scott·The New York Times
“With the relatively untested Black coming on awfully strong, the lack of directorial finesse lets the enterprise down, creating some clunky scenes and dead air where laughs might have been expected.”
Todd McCarthy·Variety
Genres
Comedy, Romance, Fantasy, Drama
Cast & Crew
Bobby FarrellyDirector
Peter FarrellyDirector
Jack BlackHal Larson
Gwyneth PaltrowRosemary Shanahan
Jason AlexanderMauricio Wilson
Joe ViterelliSteve Shanahan
Rene KirbyWalt
Bruce McGillReverend Larson
Tony RobbinsTony Robbins
Susan WardJill
Zen GesnerRalph
Brooke BurnsKatrina
Rob MoranSecond Tiffany
Russell CarpenterCinematographyShallow Hal
After taking his dying father's advice, Hal dates only the embodiments of female physical perfection. But that all changes after Hal has an unexpected run-in with self-help guru Tony Robbins. Intrigued by Hal's shallowness, Robbins hypnotizes him into seeing the beauty that exists even in the least physically appealing women. Hal soon falls for Rosemary, but he doesn't realize that his gorgeous girlfriend is actually a 300-pound-not-so-hottie.
What critics thought
Critics were split almost evenly on the Farrelly brothers' body-image comedy, with the central debate being whether its genuine warmth redeems its reliance on fat jokes or whether those jokes ultimately undercut the sincerity. Most agreed it is softer and less raucous than the brothers' earlier work, though whether that restraint is a virtue or just a loss of energy divided reviewers. The film has also attracted lasting criticism for how it portrays obesity and the real-world harm that followed for those involved in its production.
“Often very funny, but it is also surprisingly moving at times”
Roger Ebert·Chicago Sun-Times
“a series of fat jokes...[turned] into a tender fable and a winning love story”
A. O. Scott·The New York Times
“With the relatively untested Black coming on awfully strong, the lack of directorial finesse lets the enterprise down, creating some clunky scenes and dead air where laughs might have been expected.”
Todd McCarthy·Variety
Genres
Comedy, Romance, Fantasy, Drama
Cast & Crew
Bobby FarrellyDirectorPeter FarrellyDirectorJack BlackHal LarsonGwyneth PaltrowRosemary ShanahanJason AlexanderMauricio WilsonJoe ViterelliSteve ShanahanRene KirbyWaltBruce McGillReverend LarsonTony RobbinsTony RobbinsSusan WardJillZen GesnerRalphBrooke BurnsKatrinaRob MoranSecond TiffanyRussell CarpenterCinematographyRent & Buy