Shallow Hal

Shallow Hal

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DVD Reviews of Shallow Hal

DVD Review: A Rewarding Experience
Summary: 5 Stars

In no small part due to some deathbed "pearls of wisdom" offered to young Hal (Sasha Neulinger) by his father, the Reverend Larson (Bruce McGill), Hal carries with him into adulthood a rather, well..."shallow" sense of what constitutes perfection, especially when it comes to the opposite, fairer sex. And, with a good friend, Mauricio (Jason Alexander), constantly reinforcing (with his own shallow perspectives) those put forth by the late Reverend Larson, it has not placed Hal (Jack Black) in good stead with the women he encounters. Relationships elude him like the proverbial sands through the hourglass, and he can't figure out why.

Then one auspicious day, on the heels of yet another rejection, Hal gets stuck in an elevator with none other than writer and motivational speaker Tony Robbins, the "Mahatma of Motivation." And, after hearing the sad story of Hal's misfortunes with women, Robbins uses his powers and wisdom to do something about it. He gives Hal a gift: The ability to see the true beauty that resides within another person, beyond the often deceptive physical attributes that are in reality no more than a facade masking who that person really is. For the first time in his life, Hal's eyes are opened, and it isn't long before he meets the most beautiful woman in the world, Rosemary Shanahan (Gwyneth Paltrow), with whom he quickly falls desperately, deeply and passionately in love. At last, he's happy; it's like a fairy tale. The question is, can this particular fairy tale possibly have a happy ending?

The Farrelly Brothers, known for their cutting edge, over-the-top visually graphic gross-out humor in such films as "There's Something About Mary" and "Me, Myself and Irene," have reined it in drastically in this one, and to great effect. To be sure, that trademark Farrelly "touch" is present (there is some bathroom/locker room humor), but in this case, it serves a purpose beyond shock value entertainment. If you've seen the trailers for this film, or any clips from it, you get the idea that this is typical Farrelly Brothers fare and that there is no way that the characters involved are going to possibly emerge unscathed from it. But what you see in those previews is basically the elements the Farrellys use to define their parameters and set up the message they want to deliver. And it works beautifully. They succeed in establishing Hal's misguided perspectives, as well as those of Mauricio, and from that base springs the emotional connection, empathy and compassion generated by the rest of the film as the story unfolds.

What we find, is that Hal isn't such a bad guy after all, once his eyes are opened; that a new perspective and changed attitude has served to reveal that better part of himself, as well as others. And that, perhaps, says something about all of us. Upon reflection, if it is possible to perceive the real beauty of another, maybe it works both ways. As this film so succinctly points out, we, as a society, have been so programmed by peer pressure, the media and all of these inconsequential external forces, to equate "beauty" with all of the wrong things, that we all suffer for it, in one way or another. And the message here is so clear: What a wonderful world it would be, if only we could all see past the meaningless things and just see one another for who and what we really are. Like a sage old man on a mountain, the Farrellys have crafted and delivered a layer cake, chocolate sundae of a movie; there's plenty of whipped cream on the top, but once you work your way to the center it's even better. It's their way of using contemporary trappings to point the way to the divine mercies and offering a taste of the rewards that go to those who are wise enough to discern their meaning, and to act upon it. Unfortunately, the "Shallow Hals" in the audience are going to get lost along the way, and it will be their loss. And that certainly is not a criticism; it's just the way it is.

As Rosemary, Gwyneth Paltrow will absolutely win your heart. It's a performance that evokes empathy and compassion to the point that you desperately do NOT want to see this girl hurt in any way. And Jack Black gives a performance that, quite frankly, is going to surprise a lot of people; there is more to him than meets the eye. In fact, that about sums up "Shallow Hal"-- a surprisingly insightful and inspirational film.

Description of Shallow Hal