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Author Topic:   Shallow Hal
jpgordo
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Posts: 2856
From:Studio City, CA
Registered: Apr 2000

posted November 09, 2001 02:03 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for jpgordo   Click Here to Email jpgordo     Edit/Delete Message
The reaction of critics to Shallow Hal is about as extreme as the changes in Gwyneth Paltrow's body size during the movie. A.O. Scott in the New York Times concludes that the Farrelly brothers have "cunningly transform[ed] a series of fat jokes ... into a tender fable and a winning love story." Kenneth Turan in the Los Angeles Times begins his review this way: "The Farrelly brothers' Shallow Hal is the darndest thing. As unexpected as Yasser Arafat suddenly breaking into a chorus of "My Yiddishe Mama," this staggeringly earnest, wholly sentimental film about seeing beyond surface appearances comes from filmmakers you'd hardly expect to persistently appeal to our better natures." Eleanor Ringel Gillespie in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution concludes: that watching stars Jack Black and Paltrow "is a wonderful case of good acting enhanced by good chemistry enhanced by good writing and directing. The Farrelly brothers have done themselves proud with this movie. They've shown us their inner beauty." On the other hand, Gary Thompson in the Philadelphia Daily News writes that the movie "delves with insane bravado into the treacherous currents that swirl around beauty, weight, and women. It's a brave attempt, and also a failure." Joe Morgenstern in the Wall Street Journal has a much harsher judgment: "The jokes are mostly dismal; the payoff is smarmy (it involves Jason Alexander as Hal's haplessly lustful buddy); the direction is perfunctory; and the lead performances are tentative at best." Tom Maurstad in the Dallas Morning News sees the film as something of a metaphor about the movie business itself: "Hollywood making a movie that lectures audiences to judge people on the content of their character and not the shape of their skin is a joke. Unfortunately, as Shallow Hal proves, it's not a very funny joke."

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HollywoodProducer
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Posts: 1840
From:La Canada
Registered: Jun 2000

posted November 10, 2001 10:40 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for HollywoodProducer   Click Here to Email HollywoodProducer     Edit/Delete Message
I saw this last night and it wasn't very funny. Jack Black is a horrible leading man.

It should do about $20 million this weekend and finish 2nd.

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HollywoodProducer
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Posts: 1840
From:La Canada
Registered: Jun 2000

posted November 11, 2001 01:33 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for HollywoodProducer   Click Here to Email HollywoodProducer     Edit/Delete Message
Even better... it did about $23 million...

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fred
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Posts: 6749
From:Redmond, WA
Registered: Apr 2000

posted November 25, 2001 05:08 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for fred   Click Here to Email fred     Edit/Delete Message
What has happened to the Farrelly brothers? I saw this film and didn't really laugh once. This was a comedy? It was full of touchy-feely-squishy moments that I wasn't really expecting.

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HORACEFROMHOLLYWOOD
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Posts: 61
From:Hollywood
Registered: Oct 2000

posted November 26, 2001 08:37 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for HORACEFROMHOLLYWOOD   Click Here to Email HORACEFROMHOLLYWOOD     Edit/Delete Message
This worst part about Hal is how unforgivably boring it is, I spent most of the time doodling on my scratchpad. I was quite confused as well, I saw it in a theatre full of "frat-types" and they didn't laugh once, then at the end they applauded like they had just seen "beyond the grave" directors cut of "2001" or something! Did they just clap cause it was supposed to have been funny? It felt like the equivelent of Homer Simpson saying "Jokes? I get Jokes." Why were they applauding!?!? If I paid actual "$$$" to see a comedy and I didn't even chuckle I'd be upset! I got in free and I still felt cheated.

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godzeerah
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Posts: 174
From:North Hollywood, CA USA
Registered: Jun 2000

posted November 30, 2001 07:56 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for godzeerah   Click Here to Email godzeerah     Edit/Delete Message
I have to admit, I have not seen Shallow Hal. Then why you may ask, are you writing about it? Good Question.

I speak for all fat people. I know that all my life I have been a 'plus-size' monster. Yes, I have had 'issues' about my weight. I have seen the tabloids talking about my 'binge-purge' cycles. Some have even claimed that I have eaten an entire Japanese village with the zoo as desert... only to be so filled with guilt that I have slinked back into the ocean, stuck a green fang down my throat and threw it all up. This may or may not be true.

The point is. I've struggled with my weight. I know what it's like to spend a lifetime perfecting my craft, studying Stanislavsky, Strasberg and Meisner, only to have a producer callously say "loose a few thousand pounds or we're going with Rodan" And frankly, I don't like fat jokes. (sniff).. it's like... (snif) painful... you know?

And the worse part of it is... I get a personal trainer.. I work out morning... noon and night... I get in tip top shape... down to less than 1 % body fat for Godzilla 2000.. I'm BUFF, BUFF, BUFF!! and the film still crashes and burns and STILL the suits BLAME ME...

so please... in the name of decency, don't let's make fun of fat people... OK?

g over n' out

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cstengel3
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Posts: 1078
From:
Registered: Dec 2001

posted January 27, 2003 01:17 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for cstengel3     Edit/Delete Message
Caught this on HBO last night. I like the Farrelly Brothers but this was just downright boring. I think I only laughed about 2 or 3 times (hard not to laugh at a guy's wagging tail).

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