Black does not have the skill to carry an entire movie... Despite that drawback and the film's one-dimensional plot, Shallow Hal has a terrific message.

| Original Score: C+ | Apr 1, 2025

After a ponderous start, the Farrellys eventually unveil their big dramatic idea rather slowly, but don't know where to take it. Having wandered around in circles for nearly two hours they end up in embarrassment.

| Nov 8, 2023

Unexpectedly rather sweet and underplayed, given that it comes from the gross-out kings.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Nov 8, 2023

The situations become too embarrassing to be funny.

| Nov 8, 2023

The pervasive, uncomfortable feeling from Hal's confusion distracts from the commendable nature of the themes and the effectiveness of the humor.

| Original Score: 5/10 | Nov 9, 2020

Obviously no one bothered to tell Bobby and Peter Farrelly to stick to what they do best in film making - insanity, stupidity and raunchy bathroom jokes.

| Nov 16, 2019

A movie that meanders from one sight gag to the next, many of which you've already seen in the commercials.

| Jun 12, 2018

Romantic comedy is pretty tame for Farrelly Bros.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 28, 2010

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.

Full Review | Oct 18, 2008

The Farrellys take an artistic step backward with this soft, disappointingly sentimental comedy about the true nature of beauty; they seem to have forgotten their roots in the outrageous and gross-out.

| Original Score: C | Jan 13, 2007

| Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 30, 2006

A sweet romantic comedy that rises above its moments of lowest-common-denominator humor ... to offer a positive message about love and perception.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Nov 9, 2006

The film is not as funny as their best, but fascinates in the discomforting way it foregrounds the brothers' normally buried, facile moral dialectic.

| Jun 24, 2006

[An] insulting new comedy from Bobby and Peter Farrelly.

| May 26, 2006

| Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 6, 2005

| Original Score: 4/10 | Jun 19, 2003

There's just about enough charm and laughs here to keep Farrelly fans happy. Even the fat ones.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Feb 13, 2003

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Feb 8, 2003

In delivering their message, the Farrelly Brothers seem to have compromised their nothing-is-sacred comedy spirit, but at least their hearts are in the right place.

| Original Score: 7/10 | Jan 12, 2003

| Original Score: 3/5 | Oct 30, 2002