In my humble onion "Shallow Hal" is not only a great movie, it is perhaps one of the least known films of all time. It is certainly on my personal list of top ten best movies of all time. I feel it has significant importance in our history of mankind's spiritual development. A contraversial opinion perhaps but hear me out.
A dangerous concept when it was originally made back in 2001, I doubt it would get the funding at all in today’s politically constrained world. Even so, it somehow managed to walk that fine line without ever crossing it. Quite an achievement in itself.
An intelligent well thought out dialog as well as brilliantly acted. The outstanding performance by underrated actor Jack Black made his character seem so real that you forgot the story was a modern fairytale. Some scenes are so funny I laughed until my ribs ached and some scenes are so moving I sobbed real tears until my nose became snotty.
For me, this film represents an important cross roads in modern-society-history and as such must be included in any future endeavour to accurately record what has happened of any significance since year 2000.
What I am suggesting is that the subject matter, the story, shows that western civilisation was gradually heading for a more discerning, and more spiritual period. The fact that a director and a producer even attempted to make the film is some proof of that. The intention is clear. To try and pass on a simple message to the masses that inner beauty has a far higher value than surface beauty. In other words outer beauty is only skin deep. For sure, we have heard this a million times, however, hearing a phase does not necessarily mean we know it within ourselves. Meaning it does not change our ways. We do not evolve. Only having a direct personal experience can do that.
Only when we experience something first hand do we really learn and grow. A great movie or a book has the power to do that because we lose ourselves in the story and thus experience the message as though it is happening to us. However, such great works are rare which is why we treasure them and tell others about them. Another important factor is that there must be an element of truth in the story. We all know when something is true because truth is built into our very make up. This why we shut off when we hear someone exaggerating a story or event they witnessed or when we hear someone telling a blatant lie. We instinctively know they are talking bullshit. When we hear the truth however, our ears prick up. When so called intellectuals argue that; “there is no such thing as truth” I refuse to talk with them because all they really want to do is show off there self professed superior intellect in order to boost their fragile egos. Don´t waste my time, get real, we all know what the truth is.
When I watch this movie, and I have watched it several times, it still has the power to move me in the same way it did when I first saw it. All great movies can do that. Why? Because the soul recognises when a message is a true one. It has meaning and thus gives us meaning.
Well I will tell you exactly why? But the truth is we all know why? It just so happens that in very same year of this film's release, two planes were deliberately and maliciously crashed into two buildings in New York city simultaneously destroying them as well as our future of a better world.
When the world watched those planes live on TV and then repeated the event over and over and over again, we all knew deep down that the world was going to change and this change was not going to be a good one.
There was no going back.
I will not go into speculation as to who was behind thi terrible event, whether it it was a genuine terrorist attack or a some kind of conspiracy, that is not my point here.
What I am suggesting is that 9/11 put a halt to our spiritual development as species. It not only destroyed our freedoms but it destroyed our trust in each other. And when we do not, cannot, trust each other, then we can never advance our spiritual side.
In 1994 I went on a vacation to Italy. As I boarded the plane I asked the stewardess if it was possible to meet with the pilot. “Sure no problem sir. I will come and get you when he is having his coffee.” She replied.
Sure enough, about an hour into at the flight the stewardess came to my seat and took me to meet with the pilot. I actually had a chat with the pilot and co-pilot for about 20 minutes. Today that little event is impossible. Back in 1996 I was just an ordinary working guy. Yet I was treated with respect and with importance just because I was a citizen. Thanks to 9/11 I am a potential terrorist. Today I would only be treated like that if I was rich or famous.
I feel so sorry for the young generations today because it appears they will never get to experience or understand what the world was like back then before our freedom was stolen and destroyed. What it was like to have those little freedoms and treated as though your were rich or famous just because you paid your taxes. These things, that I took so much for granted, I now realise are what made life so much more meaningful.
Well because I have noticed something interesting related to this movie.
In the last year or so the statistics show that people are either discovering the movie for the first time or re-discovering it again. The viewing figures and DVD sales of the movie are steadily rising.
And so I asked myself: is this is a small sign that times are changing?
We are heading for a 20 year anniversary of the 9/11 disaster and that means two decades will have gone by since the world was turned up side down. Much water in the form of tears as well as fears has flowed under the history bridge since then. Perhaps the shock is passing by Perhaps we are moving on?
These are the internet generation and they have learned how to find, research and discover the truth online. In the past it took much time and effort to find information by going to libraries and so on. Today information can be found in seconds. However, one might argue that the internet generation face another problem in that there is so much false information out there that it is difficult to determine which is fact and which is fake? That may be so but that does not concern me so much. Like I stated earlier. I believe that we (human-beings) know the truth when we hear it.
Some will be fooled of course but I believe the majority of people are not as dumb as the media would like us all to believe. The only reason why we see so many idiots on our screens is because it is the idiots who stand out. “Empty boxes make the most noise.” my grandmother used to say.
Some will of course deny the truth even though deep down they know it is the truth. People do this when the truth threatens their status quo. A lifestyle they have become accustomed to and do not want changed. This is also known as living in denial.
“Denial the most predictable of all human responses” - The architect from the movie; “The Matrix 2”. Another ground breaking film which was also made before 9/11 and again an attempt at daring the masses to go deeper than merely the material world. The Matrix is one of the most well known ground breaking movies in cinematic history. Shallow Hal is hardly known at all compared to it. Yet I sincerely believe that it was just as groundbreaking and just as life changing.
"Shallow Hal" changed my view of the world as well as myself. It made me look at myself and realise that perhaps I was rather shallow too on some things I took for granted. After watching the movie I vowed to try and be less judgmental and look for the beauty that lies beneath the surface.
Of course and I am probably talking a load of shit. Either way, if you decide to watch the film I am certain you will at least have a good laugh and feel lifted afterwards. And may be, just may be, it might make you think.
Thanks for taking the time to read my blog and if you like what I wrote an upvote would be most appreciated.
