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Shallow Hal (2001)
Runtime: 1 hr 53 mins
Synopsis: Directors Peter and Bobby Farrelly continue their string of hilarious oddball comedies with SHALLOW HAL. Hal (Jack Black of HIGH FIDELITY) is a "regular guy" who has no luck with women because he only wants to be with women who look like supermodels. Then self-help guru Tony Robbins... Directors Peter and Bobby Farrelly continue their string of hilarious oddball comedies with SHALLOW HAL. Hal (Jack Black of HIGH FIDELITY) is a "regular guy" who has no luck with women because he only wants to be with women who look like supermodels. Then self-help guru Tony Robbins hypnotizes Hal so that he can see a woman's inner beauty. When Hal meets Rosemary (Gwyneth Paltrow), a Peace Corps volunteer who is smart and funny, he thinks his dreams have come true. Others, like Hal's slimy friend Mauricio (Jason Alexander), see Rosie for what she is, a 300-pound woman, but Hal can only see the beauty on the inside, so to him she looks like Gwyneth Paltrow. Black shines in his first starring role. His engagingly manic energy keeps the film in high gear. Paltrow skillfully plays Rosemary as an obese woman in a thin woman's body. The Farrelly brothers' comedies work so well because they mix off-the-wall humor with characters the audience identifies with and cares about. SHALLOW HAL is outrageous and funny, occasionally exceeding the bounds of good taste, but it's also a touching love story. Fans of Black's band, Tenacious D, will be happy to see bandmate Kyle Gass in a small role. [More]
Genre: Comedies
Starring: Jack Black, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jason Alexander, Zen Gesner, Susan Ward
Screenwriter: Peter Farrelly, Bobby Farrelly, Sean Moynihan
Producer: Bradley Thomas, Charles B. Wessler, Peter Farrelly, Bobby Farrelly
Composer: Ivy
DVD Info
Release:
Apr 5, 2007
DVD Features:
- Region 1
- Keep Case - Sensormatic
- Anamorphic Widescreen - 1.85
- Single Side - Dual Layer
Audio:
- Dolby Digital 5.1 - English
- Dolby Surround - French, Spanish
- Subtitles - English, Spanish - Optional
Additional Release Material:
- Audio Commentary - Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly - Directors
- Deleted Scenes (11)
- Featurettes - 1. HBO Special
- 2. REEL COMEDY Special
- 3. SEEING THROUGH THE LAYERS
- 4. IN THE DEEP END WITH SHALLOW HAL
- Music Video - Shelby Lynne - "Wail in Your Heart"
Reviews
Hilarious in parts, sickeningly sentimental in others, Shallow Hal has the Farrellys trying to expand their range, with only mildly successful results.
The Farrellys take an artistic step backward with this soft, disappointingly sentimental comedy about the true nature of beauty; they seem to have forgotten their roots in the outrageous and gross-out.
There's just about enough charm and laughs here to keep Farrelly fans happy. Even the fat ones.
In delivering their message, the Farrelly Brothers seem to have compromised their nothing-is-sacred comedy spirit, but at least their hearts are in the right place.
When the final act descends into preachiness, it's nearly earned the indulgence.
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