Slip Daily QJar Hppl
'Shallow' Contradicts Message for Cheap Laughs
Bv James Russ
Staff Writer
Isn’t it hilarious to see average people
in relationships with morbidly obese
people?
No one ever says that (out loud at
least), but it seems to be the driving
force behind the Farreily brothers new
comedy “Shallow
Hal.”
Jack Black
plays the title
character, who is
obsessed with pur-
.mov/e}
review/
"Shallow Hal"
★★☆☆☆
suing supermodel women who have no
inner beauty. Enter Anthony Robbins -
motivational guru. Robbins gets trapped
in an elevator with Hal and hypnotizes
him to see the inner beauty in women
no matter how unattractive their exteri
ors. Before he knows it, Hal is falling for
every overweight and deformed woman
he sees (but wouldn’t you know it, no
physically attractive women are beauti
ful on the inside - aw shucks).
Hal ultimately falls hard for the 300-
pound Rosemary, who looks like the
glamourous goddess Gwyneth Paltrow to
Hal. The rest of the movie is spent with
Mauricio (Jason Alexander) trying to talk
Hal out of his newfound love for hefty
Rosemary. This sets up the film’s cheesy
dilemma for “Hal” - Should you be in a
Quick Dialogue, Brilliant Cast Pull Off Mamet's 'Heist'
By Zack Hemenway
Staff Writer
In the big-money world of feature
films, substance often takes a back seat to
style. Flashy stunts and special effects
reign, and dialogue is reduced to a series
of wannabe catchphrases. But somebody
forget to tell this to
David Mamet,
writer-director of
“Heist.”
“Heist” is the
story of Joe Moore
.movie}
review/
"The Heist"
★ ★★★☆
(Gene Hackman), a savvy veteran thief
who’s always planning one step ahead -
think Paul Newman in “The Sdng.”Joe is
looking to leave the larceny game for
good, but a local crime lord forces him to
do one last job before he goes.
Sound like you’ve already seen this
movie? Perhaps, but Mamet’s razor
sharp dialogue keeps this story fresh.
“A mind-expanding headtrip.”
Lisa Schwarzbaum, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
“An amazing film that dances and vibrates with life."
Roger Ebert, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
“The first truly important American film in quite some time."
AIN'T IT COOL NEWS
relationship for love or appearance?
Movies with a moral agenda are usu
ally hard to pull off (ala “Pay it Forward”),
and “Shallow Hal” is no exception. The
problem stems mainly from the way Hal’s
love interest is portrayed.
Rosemary is not developed beyond
being nice and well, overweight, and the
film doesn’t really explain the fact that
had Rosemary not looked like Gwyneth
Paltrow to Hal, he never would have
fallen for her. This love for the appear
ance (real or perceived) defeats the
film’s message.
Paltrow is rarely actually in the fat
suit playing Rosemary. Her weight is
alluded to in broken chairs and trampo
line-sized underwear, but the audience
seldom has to confront itself with the
idea of Rosemary being overweight.
The Farreily brothers had a real oppor
tunity to confront the audience’s idea of
beauty and “Shallow Hal,” but they opt
out of the challenge and instead just
show the skinny Rosemary most of the
time. Maybe the failings of its message
could be excused if the comedy was
spot on, but unfortunately it’s flawed as
well.
Instead of playing the typical funny
guy, Black is forced into the cringe
inducing nice guy role for most of the
movie. Save for the one scene where
Hal shows off his dance moves, Black
His characters are never at a loss, for
words. When Joe is talking to a police
officer, one of his partners tells an accom
plice not to worry, because “my man’s so
cool, when he sleeps, sheep count him.”
In addition to memorable one-liners,
the script features a rapid-fire style of
banter between characters which holds
the audience’s attention well. Drawing
from his theater background, where he
had his actors rehearse with a
metronome, Mamet makes the
exchanges rhythmic and well-timed.
Led by Hackman, the strong cast car
ries the film. He is perfect in the role of
an aging criminal trying to get out and
prove he’s not too old for the job at the
same time. When he says lines like, “I
don’t clear my throat without a backup
plan,” it is impossible not to root for him.
Supporting players Delroy Undo and
Danny DeVito are solid as always, and
Sam Rockwell gives a breakout perfor
DIVERSIONS
ipl
Gwyneth Paltrow and Jack Black star in "Shallow Hal," the latest Farreily
Brothers film, which pokes fun at fat people instead of "hair gel."
never gets a chance to showcase his
comedic chops. Jason Alexander is also
stuck in another lame post-Seinfeld role
where he is relegated to uninspired mus
ing about fecal matter and the size of his
penis.
The film’s directing duo, the Farreily
brothers, seem like they are trying to
stretch themselves beyond their usual
dick and fart jokes common in their pre
vious movies like “Dumb & Dumber”
and “There’s Something About Mary.”
The “beauty is only skin deep” moral of
mance as Silk, the crime lord’s nephew,
despite being forced to grow a horrendous
Billy Dee Williams mustache for the role.
Of course lines and actors can’t do all
the work. The generic story fails to hold
up its end at times and the abrupt, anticii
mactic ending is somewhat disappointing.
But the script and acting more than
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“Shallow Hal” seems to be a deliberate
attempt to transcend the Farrelly’s earli
er films, but it’s really just a cheap vehi
cle for all of the usual toilet humor plus
fat jokes.
Which is why “Shallow Hal” ulti
mately loses its bite in trying to make it
digestible to the masses. It’s hard to
learn to accept people when you can’t
stop making fun of them.
The Arts & Entertainment Editor can
be reached at artsdesk@unc.edu.
make up for these imperfections.
Viewers who are tired of 10-minute car
chases and ridiculous special effects
should let Mamet stage a “Heist” of
these modem cinematic standbys.
The Arts & Entertainment Editor can
be reached at artsdesk@unc.edu.
NC FELLAS
Men Working To End Men’s Violence Against Women
We Would Like To Thank The Following Groups For Making The
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Members of the “Minorities +1” Team Celebrate Their Hard-Earned Victory!
Sexual Assault Prevention Fund
All proceeds from the tournament have been placed in a
Sexual Assault Prevention Fund. Student organizations may
apply for money from this fund to help create programs for
faculty, staff, and students in regards to sexual assault
prevention and healthy student behaviors. For more
information about this fund contact
William Harcombe (harcombe@email.unc.edu)
Bharath Paithasarathy (bharath@email.unc.edu)
Malkmus' Clever Sarcasm,
Charm Enthrall Audience
By Brian Millikin
Staff Writer
It’s hard to take Stephen Malkmus
too seriously. Heroin-thin and with hair
in his eyes, the ex-Pavement frontman
was the star of the show Sunday, but he
never acted the part.
Indie rock icon
Malkmus was
comfortable and
comedic on the
Cat’s Cradle’s
stage. His signa
ture speak-singing
delivery and his
Philly falsetto
.concert)
reviewr'
Stephen Malkmus
and thejicks
Cats Cradle
Sunday, Nov. 11
★★★★☆
were in fine form, and he screeched his
slacker yelp whenever he could fit it.
Even though most people in the
packed crowd were calling out
Pavement song tides, it was hard to be
disappointed with Malkmus’ solo mate
rial. His new songs were already strong,
but in the show he twisted his lyrical
delivery playfully, tossing the words
from his throat in casual carelessness.
Malkmus and his accomplished back
ing trio, thejicks, balance their different
styles well. “Jennifer and the Ess-Dog”
and “Phantasies” were bouncy and
bright, while “Trojan Curfew” and
“Church on White” were dreamy and
languid midtempo numbers -as slow as
Malkmus goes.
Scattered hand-claps, tambourines
and keyboards that his Jicks hang on the
music never detract from Malkmus’
secret aspiration: guitar hero - more
rea
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Not Certified? We Will Certify!
Faculty, Students, Staff
For information, contact Coach Mackey,
UNC Track & Field, at 919-962-5210
or by email: coachmack@uncaa.imce^igfi
Thursday, November 15, 2001
like Eddie Van Halen than Sebadoh. His
finger-picking guitar skill is well known,
but his indulgent solos have outgrown
their humorous placement in his songs;
now they’re one of the main attractions.
Throughout the show, you always get
the feeling that he’s just another fan.
Under any other circumstances, he’d be
in the audience, too. He’s just contrac
tually obligated to be on stage and sing.
A professed old-school R.E.M. fan,
his encore included an honorary cover
of the Athens legends’ “Radio Free
Europe,” and it drew the loudest
applause. But the show’s most memo
rable moment was an overblown ver
sion of Oasis’ hit song “Champagne
Supernova” He made up most of the
lyrics yet somehow managed to seem as
sincere as he was sarcastic.
In a humorous bout of pseudo-
Townshend rocking, Malkmus furious
ly unstrapped his guitar at the end of a
song, grabbed it by the neck and
smashed it to the floor.
But the blow never connected. That
would’ve been too serious.
That’s the party line on Malkmus -
it’s never clear where the joke stops or
who besides him is in on it His slacker
songs are clever and catchy, but if
you’re looking for life lessons, look else
where. All what’s really obvious with
him is that he’s having infectious fun,
playing not just his instrument but the
crowd as well.
The Arts 4 Entertainment Editor can
be reached at artsdesk@unc.edu.
SANGAM
Young
Democrats
Muslim Students
Association
Residence Hall
Association
Independent
Teaching
Fellows
Students
from
Department
of Health
Behavior
and Health
Education
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