WW Clubs and Groups - Thoughts on the movie Shallow Hal

So, what does everyone think? The whole concept of this movie pisses me off, and I refuse to see it. I just know it's full of fat jokes. How cruel of Hollywood ... to make a movie basically on the premise that this guy would only date an overweight girl if he was hypnotized.

But I'm interested in what you all think. Cruel, or just good-natured fun?

Kim: The fact is, I still have issues with my body image and I think this movie would just piss me off. The makers of the movie try to say they're really doing the message "don't judge a book by its cover", but the fact that this movie is then packed with fat jokes, chair breakings etc... is just cruel. Then you get Gwyneth (an actress who I do like a lot) basically saying she now knows what it is like to be fat... yeah okay, try wearing that suit for 15 years (though she's gained about 5-10lbs and looks FABULOUS now).


Which brings me to a second point, what is it with all these magazines and daytime shows dressing people up in fat suits. Wearing a "fat suit" for a day doesn't make one all knowledgable about being overweight... First of all, there are biases you'd get putting it on, plus the extra self-consciousness etc.. I am sick of seeing every other magazine doing this right now.

Anyhoo, there's my rant

Ali

I think I will see it. It may very well make me mad, or it may not. I bet it will as the Nutty Professor movies with Eddie Murphy make me mad. Anyway, I don't think it is bad that he will only date her if thin. I mean, that is his paradyme on what makes a person attractive...and why he is shallow. And come on, we all know men like that. I will also see it as Jack Black is one of my fav actors right now. But when I do and I get all pissed off, you all can say I told you so.

Plus, what I don't get, is from the previews, they have her in clothes that a heavy person would not put on I think. I mean, most women that I know who are over weight are very careful about how they dress to conceal some of their weight. So that is stupid.

I guess I have mixed feelings. Anyway, I will let you know after I see it.

Trish

I agree with Trish. I think I will wait until it comes on video tho. I know I will probably get mad, but there is a part of me that wants to see it just because I want to see how the portray heavy people.

There are a lot of non weight related movies that make me mad too!

I voted yes b/c I'm still undecided. There aren't a lot of movies out right now that I want to see. I'll prob do what Jen said and rent it. That way, I can comment in the privacy of my own home.

I would like to see it. I'm sure I'll be offended. But it's part of life. I've read a couple books on weight discrimination and so I'd like to see what this movie has to contribute.

I agree, overweight people are very concious how they dress and would never wear a bikini at that size. but you know what - if they do - good for them. I'm ready to get mad I'm sure.

To add to the whole weight discrimination and fat jokes... there's a radio station here in Boston - WFNX - that I actually love because they play a lot of music I like. But their afternoon dj's are the worst.

They have a sound clip that they play a lot that says - "a guys gotta be desperate to bang a fat chick." I don't know why, but they are obsessed with overweight girls.

Last week, there was a lot of controversy because one of them was saying that he was run off the road by another car "and almost hit a fat chick." and his co-dj said "and the world would have been a better place." TOns of people called in appalled at what they said. They get hate mail all the time, but I think it just fuels their fire.

Lisa

Yes, the whole idea of this movie is irritating, but I went to see it mostly because there was nothing else to do and that was the only movie that even remotely appealed to me (I wanted to see a comedy). Yes, it makes fat jokes, but it actually wasn't offensive to me (and I'm very overweight). Of course it takes a lot to offend me so I may not be very representative of how others would feel about the movie. One thing that the previews don't show is that Hal and his friend's shallowness go beyond weight. For instance the guy that used to play George on Seinfeld broke up with his gorgeous girlfriend because her second toe was larger than her big toe. Also, the funny parts don't really focus on the fat or different qualities of people. The funniest parts were actually the actions of Hal and his friends.

One other thing, when I came back to school Monday another guy I know had gone to see it and I asked him how he liked it. He said that he found it hard to laugh at some of the things in the movie. I'm sure most people aren't as sensitive to issues such as obesity as this guy (I am his friend, afterall), but it's nice to know that not all people find fat people funny.

Amy
243/222/145

I am pretty unsure about the movie. I saw the Ferelly Brothers on the Today show and they said, it would not be lots of fat jokes. I really can't say or judge. They do tend to push the envelope a bit. I think we are seeing it Thanksgiving weekend, along with Harry Potter. I will let you know what I thought.

I saw the movie and loved it! It was hilarious and had a good message to it! The "fat jokes" are extreme and most things would not happen in real life. I weigh 200 pounds and am overweight and was not offended at all. I do agree that a heavy person would not wear that kind of wardrobe in real life. It was a very cute movie and I loved it. That is just my 2 cents.

I'm a little late in replying to this having just gotten back on the boards... I've wanted to see it actually. I haven't yet gotten to but if I get a chance (probably will wind up being on video). I honestly don't think I'll be offended by it... I'll let you know after I see it tho! I was reading on AOL that a lot of people have found Paltrow's comments to the press on the film offensive, as well as Julia Robert's comments on America's Sweethearts. I saw America's Sweethearts and it wasn't bad... however I thought that the part with Julia Roberts and her fatsuit was really rather silly.

Saw it last night. . it wasn't really offensive. . the message was actually what they wanted it to be. . don't judge what you see. .