Nice idea -
shame the rest of the film isn't as funny!
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"Shallow
Hal" is just that, shallow, offensive and lacking in any
humour.
If you've
seen the trailer you have seen the best bits!
Jacqui Vinters
The concept
that inner beauty outshines physical appearance makes a great subject
for a Hollywood movie. Unfortunately "Shallow Hal"
charges in with fat jokes, pokes fun at any physical imperfections
and falls as flat as a pancake.
It is directed
by the Farrelly brothers, whose other
films include "Dumb and Dumber" and "There's
Something About Mary". They are in the business of offending
sensibilities with their anything-goes style of comedy, but here
their gags just don't work.
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| Hal shares
a drink with his thin blonde girlfriend |
"Shallow
Hal" is not without its stars, notably Gwyneth Paltrow,
who won an Oscar for her performance in "Shakespeare in Love"
(1998).
Her character,
Rosemary, is a real sweetie and with Gwyneth's looks would certainly
win many hearts. It is the treatment of the subject that grates,
not her performance.
Plot
When his father was on his deathbed young Hal was told to only
date the youngest, prettiest women. So he does!
By the time
he reaches middle-age, Hal
Larson, (Jack Black), is the ultimate shallow man. He
only pursues women who look like supermodels, although he would
hardly win a beauty contest himself!
After an impromptu
hypnosis session with self-help guru Tony Robbins, (played by himself),
Hal's view of women takes a dramatic U-turn. He now sees right through
the flesh to the heart and soul of the people around him.
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| Gwyneth
in her fat suit |
No matter what
their physical appearance is, Hal will "see" all good-hearted ladies
as drop dead gorgeous babes on the outside. The problem is Hal's
friends don't perceive things the same way.
Enter Rosemary
(Gwyneth Paltrow) an obese Peace Corps volunteer. Hal, envisioning
Rosemary's kindness and humour as a knockout babe, is instantly
smitten and romance blossoms.
But the hypnotic
spell gets broken, and Hal must face an unrecognisable Rosemary
and make his choice.
Verdict
The trailer sold the film with funny excerpts of a canoe ride and
a swimming pool sequence - but in reality, they were the best bits
and not expanded upon.
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| Hal returns
to the hospital |
There was one
touching moment when Hal met with a little girl in the hospital
after the hypnotism had stopped working. He sees her properly and
here the concept really worked, if only the rest of the film could
have followed suit.
"Shallow
Hal" is hypocritical, if beauty isn't just skin deep then
why don't we see more of Paltrow in her fat suit, as the real Rosemary?
It is as though the audience wouldn't be able to find someone who
is obese, attractive.
Also Hal's
hypnotism only works by showing him inner beauty in an outward physical
form - he never in fact changes how he views women. So the moral
behind the film is sunk right from the start.
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