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Throughout history, few concepts have been pondered as much as the nature of
beauty. Philosophers, poets, scientists and theologians have contemplated and
been inspired by its many forms and mysteries. Some find it in the wonders of
nature, others in a simple, enigmatic smile. There are even those who have
travelled to the ends of the Earth and beyond in search of beauty.
Then there's Hal Larsen (Jack Black), the ultimate shallow guy. Hal finds
beauty only in supermodels and centerfolds. The first thing he looks for in a
woman is, well, looks. Hal won't even consider dating someone with a
less-than-perfect body, smile and sense of style.
But after an impromptu hypnosis by self-help guru Tony Robbins, Hal's view of
women makes a 180-degree turn; he now sees their true inner beauty. Enter
Rosemary (Gwyneth Paltrow), an overweight Peace Corps volunteer. Hal,
envisioning Rosemary's kindness and humour as female physical nirvana, is
instantly smitten and an idyllic romance begins. When the spell is broken, Hal
must now face an unrecognisable Rosemary and learn one of life's most important
lessons.
Filmmakers Peter Farrelly and Bobby Farrelly have long been recognized for
their "distinctive" comedy style. For their latest directorial effort, the
Farrellys have upped the emotional stakes. The film has all the visual and
verbal humour audiences have come to expect from a Farrelly comedy, but for
this unconventional love story, the filmmaking duo wanted to zero in on the
heart, as well as the funny bone. "There are a lot of laughs in this movie, but
it's not just about the laughs," explains Peter Farrelly. "It's really about
the story, about a guy who finds his soul and realising what's truly
important."
Bobby Farrelly agrees that SHALLOW HAL represents a new direction for him and
his brother. "Peter always said we hadn't made our best movie yet because while
we'd made people laugh, we hadn't made them laugh and cry. SHALLOW HAL is our
most emotional film." Adds the Farrellys' longtime producing partner, Bradley
Thomas: "I think SHALLOW HAL is an important film for Peter and Bobby. Their
jokes are as funny as ever, but this time they're a bonus. There is a strong
message behind the story about seeing inner beauty, when everything in today's
society is so focused on the superficial. The movie is like an old-fashioned
love story, and the relationship between Hal and Rosemary is really the spine
of the film."
Gwynneth Paltrow was game for the arduous, four-hour makeup process involved in
donning a fat suit required for sequences where Rosemary is seen in her
300-pound form. The filmmakers and special makeup effects supervisor Tony
Gardner wanted to make sure that Paltrow was identifiable in the multiple-piece
suit, and underneath layers of foam latex and a wig. Above all, it was
essential that Rosemary look like a real person and not someone they were
making a joke of.
The suit's obvious physical function was only a small part of its ultimate
importance to the actress. During the initial makeup test, Paltrow decided to
give the suit a trial run in a New York hotel. It was an eye-opening experience
that provided critical insight into the character of Rosemary. "I wanted to see
how well the suit worked, so I wore it in the hotel bar," Paltrow recalls. "I
realized immediately that no one was making eye contact with me, or would even
look in my direction. No one wanted to connect with me. It was a profound, very
sad and startling experience."
With Paltrow aboard, the filmmakers set about casting the title role.
Initially, they considered going after today's hottest leading men, but soon
realized that audiences would have a hard time forgiving a handsome man for
inveterate womanising. "But when an average-looking guy is depicted as
shallow," notes Bobby Farrelly, "at least you say, 'Well, he has no right to be
that shallow.' So we felt audiences would look more favorably at this flaw in a
guy who was more an 'everyman' type."
The Farrellys and Bradley Thomas had seen exactly this everyman type in Jack
Black's performance in the critically hailed comedy "High Fidelity." "After
screening the film," says Bradley Thomas, "we realized Jack was everything we
needed for Hal - he was fresh and had this incredible 'likability factor' and
energy that were essential for the role. And he is very, very funny."
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