Shallow Hal

Bobby and Peter Farrelly have been widely hailed, and occasionally criticized, for their wacky, lowbrow humor that leaves audiences rolling in the aisles. We have enjoyed their goofy, unforgettable scenes in “Dumb and Dumber,” “There's Something About Mary,” and “Me, Myself, and Irene.” Their upcoming film, “Shallow Hal,” packs plenty of laughs, but marks a departure for the duo in that it has a serious message as well.Rising talent Jack Black plays Hal, an unremarkable man who will only date beautiful women with perfect bodies. His standards change, however, after he is hypnotized by self-help guru Tony Robbins. No longer the shallow cad, Hal is now hair straightenersonly concerned with inner beauty.Hal finds a worthy recipient of his affections in Rosemary (Gwyneth Paltrow), an intelligent woman of character---and 300 pounds. In Hal's eyes, though, Rosemary is lithe and gorgeous. Agog at this development is Hal's superficial but likable pal, Mauricio, played by popular funnyman Jason Alexander. In the end, the illusion of Rosemary's beauty is revealed and Hal learns an important lesson in life.All the Farrelly brothers' movies have revolved around realistic characters whom the audience can root for. Their tactics and quirky sense of humor have worked so far to great effect, and “Shallow Hal” looks ready to join their string of successes, while adding a new dimension to their work. Their tactics and quirky sense of humor have worked so farGHD to great effect, and “Shallow Hal” looks ready to join their string of successes, while adding a new dimension to their work. A porcelain, blond beauty with proven acting skills and an air of class, Gwyneth Paltrow has taken Hollywood by storm. Born in Tinseltown to parents in the entertainment industry, Paltrow's foray into film came as no surprise.Paltrow's first training in acting came at the age of 11 while her father was directing summer stock productions. One of her first roles was in chi hair straightenersa play opposite her award-winning actress mother, Blythe Danner. She became bitten by the acting bug and later quit college to pursue a film career which has met with great critical and commercial success.Her movie debut came in 1991 with “shout,” starring John Travolta. She won her first real acclaim, though, in “Flesh and Bone,” which set her on the path to fame. In 1995, she landed a fortuitous role in “Seven” opposite Brad Pitt. A much publicized two-year romance with Pitt followed, culminating in an engagement and subsequent breakup. One of Hollywood's more prolific actresses, Paltrow has starred in 15 films since 1998. Her greatest acclaim so far has come from the period pieces “Emma” and “Shakespeare in Love,” the latter which earned her a Best Actress Oscar. Now with “Shallow Hal,” Paltrow has the opportunity to show her comic side while broadening her already considerable talents and fan base.