Shallow Hal

Hal Larson spends his nights being rejected by beautiful women at night clubs with his friend Mauricio. He holds a steady job at JPS Funds, a financial institution run by president Steve Shanahan, but is dismayed after being denied a long-sought promotion. Hal is attracted to his neighbor Jill, who rejects him due to his shallow lifestyle. One day, Hal becomes trapped in an elevator with life coach Tony Robbins, who hypnotizes him into only seeing a person's inner beauty. Hal, not realizing he has been hypnotized, later meets Steve's morbidly obese daughter, Rosemary. Because of her kind and generous personality, Rosemary appears to Hal as a slender, beautiful trophy blonde and he is instantly smitten with her. Used to being overlooked due to her appearance, Rosemary initially interprets Hal's interest as mockery, but begins to date him once she realizes his feelings for her are sincere.

Concerned by Hal's new taste in women, Mauricio convinces Tony to give him the trigger phrase to undo the hypnosis - "Shallow Hal wants a gal". During a dinner date, Rosemary tells Hal she has been asked by the Peace Corps to go on a 14-month mission in Kiribati. Mauricio phones Hal and says the trigger phrase, then arrives at the restaurant and drags Hal out before he can see the real Rosemary. Outside, Mauricio reveals the truth about Tony's hypnotherapy. Hal does not believe him until he runs into Katrina, a woman who initially appeared beautiful to him, but whom he now sees in her true, physically unattractive state. Hal begins to avoid Rosemary, who becomes depressed as a result. Jill develops an interest in Hal, having observed him overcome his shallow nature through his relationship with Rosemary, and invites him to dinner. While on the date with Jill, Hal realizes he loves Rosemary, who has, coincidentally, arrived at the same restaurant with her family and sees the two sitting together. Assuming the worst, she leaves in tears. While heading to the nearest payphone, he walks right past Rosemary, not recognizing her; he then calls her to reassure her of his feelings. Confused and distraught, Rosemary insults and effectively breaks up with him.

Five days later, Steve informs Hal that Rosemary’s ex-boyfriend and Peace Corps partner, Ralph, wants to get back together with her. While seeking Rosemary out at the hospital where she volunteers, Hal encounters a young patient named Cadence. Due to the hypnosis, Hal had previously seen Cadence as a perfect little girl, but now realizes she is covered in severe burn scars. This changes Hal's views on outer beauty in general and inspires him to go after Rosemary. Mauricio admits that he stopped the hypnosis out of envy toward Hal's happiness, and confesses that he has an inoperable vestigial tail which has prevented him from ever getting close to a woman. Hal convinces Mauricio to embrace his abnormality.

Hal heads to the Peace Corps recruiting office and confronts Ralph, believing he and Rosemary have gotten back together, though Ralph denies this and informs Hal that Rosemary's parents are throwing her a farewell party. Hal, Mauricio, and Ralph arrive at Rosemary's parents' home. Rosemary initially rebuffs Hal's presence, but accepts his apology when Hal professes his love for her. Rosemary says she is still leaving on her Peace Corps mission, but Hal says he is coming with her, having just been sworn into the Peace Corps by Ralph's friend Li'iBoy. Hal tries to carry Rosemary bridal-style to the car, but cannot lift her. Moved by his gesture and effort, she triumphantly carries him instead. As they drive off, Mauricio meets a woman who loves dogs, and the two walk off together as he wags his tail.

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}

• Jack Black as Harold "Hal" Larson
• Sasha Neulinger as young Hal
• Gwyneth Paltrow as Rosemary "Rosie" Shanahan
• Jason Alexander as Mauricio Wilson
• Rene Kirby as Walt
• Joe Viterelli as Steve Shanahan
• Jill Christine Fitzgerald as Mrs. Shanahan
• Susan Ward as Jill
• Zen Gesner as Ralph
• Joshua Shintani as Li’iBoy
• Ron Darling as Li'iBoy (gorgeous){{cite web |date=1 December 2015 |first=Maane |last=Khatchatourian |title='Shallow Hal' star Joshua Shintani dies at 32 |url=https://www.bostonherald.com/2015/11/30/shallow-hal-star-joshua-shintani-dies-at-32/ |website=Boston Herald |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110121815/https://www.bostonherald.com/2015/11/30/shallow-hal-star-joshua-shintani-dies-at-32/ |archive-date=November 10, 2021 |access-date=November 10, 2021 |quote=Director Peter Farrelly was vacationing in Hawaii when he discovered Shintani}}
• Nan Martin as Nurse Tanya
• Sascha Knopf as Nurse Tanya (gorgeous)
• Brianna Gardner as Cadence
• Brooke Burns as Katrina
• Kyle Gass as Artie
• Laura Kightlinger as Jen
• Tony Robbins as Himself
• Bruce McGill as Reverend Larson
• Molly Shannon as Mrs. Larson
• Sayed Badreya as Dr. Sayed
• Rob Moran as Tiffany
• Mary Wigmore as Tiffany (gorgeous)
• Michael Corrente as homeless
• Darius Rucker as restaurant maitre
• Manon Von Gerkan as Lindy
• Erinn Bartlett as Bella

{{div col end}}

{{anchor|Writing}}

Writer Sean Moynihan is legally blind and was inspired by Tony Robbins to write the script. Earlier versions of the story did not include Robbins' character; instead, a psychic was responsible for Hal's change of view.{{cite news |author=Vancheri |first=Barbara |date=July 12, 2002 |title=On Video: How Tony Robbins became the inspiration for 'Shallow Hal' |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |url=https://old.post-gazette.com/movies/20020712video0712p3.asp |access-date=November 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180316070505/https://old.post-gazette.com/movies/20020712video0712p3.asp |archive-date=March 16, 2018}}

{{anchor|Casting}}

In December 1999 Paltrow was in talks to star.{{cite web |last1=Lyons |first1=Charles |date=December 14, 1999 |title=Paltrow, Farrellys 'Hal' bent |url=https://variety.com/1999/film/news/paltrow-farrellys-hal-bent-1117759967/ |access-date=November 10, 2021 |website=Variety |archive-date=November 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110130257/https://variety.com/1999/film/news/paltrow-farrellys-hal-bent-1117759967/ |url-status=live }} The Farrelly brothers tried unsuccessfully to get Garry Shandling to star as Mauricio{{cite web |last1=Fleming |first1=Michael |date=26 September 2000 |title=Fast-track Farrellys are 'Hal'-bent |url=https://variety.com/2000/film/news/fast-track-farrellys-are-hal-bent-1117786909/ |access-date=November 10, 2021 |website=Variety |quote=They are also courting Garry Shandling to play Hal’s equally shallow friend |archive-date=10 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110130256/https://variety.com/2000/film/news/fast-track-farrellys-are-hal-bent-1117786909/ |url-status=live }} before Jason Alexander was cast.

{{anchor|Filming}}

Production was moved up in order to get the film completed before July 2000 and a threatened Screen Actors Guild strike.

Filming took place in Charlotte, North Carolina.{{cite web |author=Oyler |first=Melissa |date=December 31, 2020 |title=16 movies and TV shows you didn't know were filmed in the Charlotte area |url=https://www.charlotteobserver.com/charlottefive/c5-things-to-do/article236144108.html |access-date=November 10, 2021 |website=Charlotte Observer |quote=Filming in the area included Charlotte and Concord. |archive-date=September 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925091539/https://www.charlotteobserver.com/charlottefive/c5-things-to-do/article236144108.html |url-status=live }}

The Farrelly Brothers defended the movie and its plot to critics,{{Cite news |last=Pitts |first=Leonard |date=27 November 2001 |title='Shallow Hal' is in all of us |work=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2001-11-27-0111270023-story.html |url-status=dead |access-date=November 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110154500/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2001-11-27-0111270023-story.html |archive-date=November 10, 2021}} arguing it was more than a mere "fat joke" type of movie and was instead one that had a strong message about "inner beauty".{{Cite news |last=Rose |first=Devin |date=7 November 2001 |title=Why 'Hal' deserves half a chance |work=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2001-11-07-0111070001-story.html |url-status=dead |access-date=November 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110130256/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2001-11-07-0111070001-story.html |archive-date=November 10, 2021}}

Gwyneth Paltrow played both roles, slim and fat Rosemary (except for a couple of close-up shots of fat Rosemary below the neck, which were played by her body double Ivy Snitzer{{Cite news |last=Kuczynski |first=Alex |date=November 11, 2001 |title=Charting the Outer Limits of Inner Beauty |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/11/style/charting-the-outer-limits-of-inner-beauty.html |access-date=September 26, 2021 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=September 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210926094310/https://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/11/style/charting-the-outer-limits-of-inner-beauty.html |url-status=live }}), and had to wear a specially designed 25-pound fatsuit{{Cite web |date=August 21, 2001 |title=Paltrow 'Humiliated' by Fat Suit |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=102868&page=1 |access-date=September 26, 2021 |website=ABC News |archive-date=September 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210926094310/https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=102868&page=1 |url-status=live }} and prosthetic make-up.{{Cite news |last=Chautard |first=Andre |date=November 7, 2001 |title='Shallow Hal' Fat Suit Not Just Skin-Deep |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-nov-07-ca-1105-story.html |access-date=September 26, 2021 |archive-date=September 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210926095813/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-nov-07-ca-1105-story.html |url-status=live }} She later admitted that she did not enjoy partaking in production of the movie,{{Cite web |last=Boyd |first=Phoebe-Jane |date=March 2, 2020 |title=Gwyneth Paltrow said starring in Shallow Hal was a 'disaster' – here's why she is right |url=http://www.theguardian.com/film/shortcuts/2020/mar/02/gwyneth-paltrow-said-starring-in-shallow-hal-was-a-disaster-heres-why-she-is-right |access-date=September 22, 2021 |website=The Guardian |archive-date=September 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210919040811/https://www.theguardian.com/film/shortcuts/2020/mar/02/gwyneth-paltrow-said-starring-in-shallow-hal-was-a-disaster-heres-why-she-is-right |url-status=live }} in particular dreading having to wear the fat suit and makeup. The prosthetic make-up effects and body suits for Rosemary, Rosemary's mother, and all of the secondary characters were designed and created by Tony Gardner and his company Alterian, Inc.

{{Anchor|Box office}}

In its opening weekend at the U.S. box office, Shallow Hal grossed $22.5 million, opening at #2 behind Monsters, Inc..{{cite news |last=Breznican |first=Anthony |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-and-observer-monsters-inc-p/102742524/ |title='Monsters, Inc.' passes $100 million mark

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241006141206/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-and-observer-monsters-inc-p/102742524/ |date=November 14, 2001 |access-date=October 6, 2024 |archive-date=October 6, 2024 |page=10 |work=AP Entertainment Writer |publisher=The News and Observer |via=Newspapers.com |url-status=live}} {{Open access}} It grossed a total of $141.1 million, of which $70.7 million was in the United States.{{cite web | url = http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=shallowhal.htm | title = Shallow Hal | publisher = Box Office Mojo | access-date = 2009-01-03 | archive-date = 2019-10-04 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191004151434/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=shallowhal.htm | url-status = live }}

{{Anchor|Critical response|Critics}}

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a rating of 49%, based on 134 reviews, and an average rating of 5.5/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "While surprisingly sweeter and warm-hearted than previous Farrelly outings, Shallow Hal is also less funny and more bland".{{cite web | url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/shallow_hal/ | title=Shallow Hal | publisher=Rotten Tomatoes | access-date=2022-01-26 | archive-date=2022-01-19 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220119201729/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/shallow_hal | url-status=live }} On Metacritic, it has a score of 48% based on reviews from 33 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".{{cite web |title=Shallow Hal |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/shallow-hal |website=Metacritic |access-date=2021-10-10 |archive-date=2021-11-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110130256/https://www.metacritic.com/movie/shallow-hal |url-status=live }} Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "C+" on an A+ to F scale.{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://www.cinemascore.com/ |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=CinemaScore |language=en-US |archive-date=2018-01-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180102130540/https://www.cinemascore.com/ |url-status=live }}

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave it 3 out of 4 and called it "Often very funny, but it is also surprisingly moving at times".{{cite news |last1=Ebert |first1=Roger |author1-link=Roger Ebert |date=November 9, 2001 |title=Shallow Hal |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |publisher=RogerEbert.com |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/shallow-hal-2001 |access-date=November 10, 2021 |archive-date=April 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412004212/https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/shallow-hal-2001 |url-status=live }} Retrieved November 10, 2021. {{Rating|3|4}}

A. O. Scott of The New York Times called it "a series of fat jokes...[turned] into a tender fable and a winning love story".{{cite news |last=Scott |first=A. O. |author-link=A. O. Scott |date=9 November 2001 |title=FILM REVIEW; Inner Beauty Counts, And She's a Perfect 10 |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/09/movies/film-review-inner-beauty-counts-and-she-s-a-perfect-10.html |url-access=registration |access-date=November 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150527160451/http://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/09/movies/film-review-inner-beauty-counts-and-she-s-a-perfect-10.html |archive-date=May 27, 2015}}

Todd McCarthy of Variety wrote: "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."{{cite web |last=McCarthy |first=Todd |author-link=Todd McCarthy |date=2 November 2001 |title=Shallow Hal |url=https://variety.com/2001/film/reviews/shallow-hal-1200553016/ |access-date=November 10, 2021 |website=Variety |archive-date=10 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110130255/https://variety.com/2001/film/reviews/shallow-hal-1200553016/ |url-status=live }}{{cite magazine |last1=Travers |first1=Peter |author1-link=Peter Travers |date=13 November 2001 |title=Shallow Hal |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-reviews/shallow-hal-89521/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=10 November 2021 |archive-date=10 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110130256/https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-reviews/shallow-hal-89521/ |url-status=live }} Retrieved November 10, 2021.

The film was nominated at the 2002 Teen Choice Awards as Choice Movie: Comedy and its leads were nominated Choice Movie: Comedy Actor (Jack Black) and Choice Movie: Comedy Actress (Gwyneth Paltrow).{{Cite web |date=August 18, 2002 |title=2002 Teen Choice Awards |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2002/08/18/2002-teen-choice-awards/62083649007/ |access-date=July 24, 2022 |website=The Oklahoman |language=en-US |archive-date=July 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190701213459/https://oklahoman.com/article/2803593/2002-teen-choice-awards |url-status=live }}

Shallow Hal was released on VHS and DVD in July 2002, and topped the rental charts the week it was released.{{cite web |author1=Brandon Gray |date=July 12, 2002 |title='Shallow Hal' Plops on Top of Home Video Chart |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/article/ed779355140/ |access-date=November 10, 2021 |website=Box Office Mojo |archive-date=November 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110130256/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/article/ed779355140/ |url-status=live }} It also performed well on Pay-Per-View. Fox released the film only 30 (rather than 45) days after its debut on DVD and video, and it became the top performing PPV title of 2002.{{cite web |last=Dempsey |first=John |date=January 13, 2003 |title='Hal' hauls '02 PPV crown |url=https://variety.com/2003/film/news/hal-hauls-02-ppv-crown-1117878594/ |access-date=November 10, 2021 |website=Variety |archive-date=November 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110130255/https://variety.com/2003/film/news/hal-hauls-02-ppv-crown-1117878594/ |url-status=live }}

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• {{IMDb title|0256380|Shallow Hal}}
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Category:2001 films

Category:2000s fantasy comedy films

Category:2001 romantic comedy films

Category:20th Century Fox films

Category:American fantasy comedy films

Category:American romantic comedy films

Category:Body image in popular culture

Category:English-language fantasy comedy films

Category:Films about obesity

Category:Films directed by the Farrelly brothers

Category:Films about hypnosis

Category:Films set in Montana

Category:Films shot in Massachusetts

Category:Films shot in Charlotte, North Carolina

Category:Films with screenplays by the Farrelly brothers

Category:2000s English-language films

Category:2000s American films

Category:English-language romantic comedy films