Shallow Hal: Seeing Through the Make-up

Hal Larson is a shallow womanizer who only dates women based on their physical appearance. He befriends a self-help guru, Tony Robbins, who hypnotizes him into seeing the inner beauty of women. Hal then falls for Rosemary Shanahan, whom he perceives as a thin supermodel, but who is actually morbidly obese. Hal must now confront his superficiality and decide if he can love Rosemary for who she truly is.

Shallow Hal was met with largely negative reviews from critics, who found its humor to be juvenile and its premise offensive. Audiences, however, showed more favor, likely appreciating the Farrelly brothers' signature blend of slapstick and heart, though it was still considered one of their weaker efforts.

• While aiming for a message about inner beauty, the film often resorts to cheap, offensive gags.
• The comedy is predictable and relies heavily on stereotypes.
• Gwyneth Paltrow's dual performance is a highlight, though it can't save the film from its dated and problematic humor.

Google audience: Audience reviews indicate a mixed reception, with many finding the film to be a predictable but sometimes funny romantic comedy. Some viewers appreciated the underlying message about judging people based on their character, while others felt the humor was juvenile and the plot uninspired.

Gwyneth Paltrow famously wore a 25-pound prosthetic suit to portray the overweight Rosemary, and a smaller, more subtle suit for the 'thin' version of the character.