Some reviewers found it to be an "unexpectedly sweet" and "heartwarming" fable about seeing past physical appearance. Roger Ebert praised it as "often very funny" and "surprisingly moving," noting that Gwyneth Paltrow was "truly touching" in her role.

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While the film's handling of weight remains highly controversial, film historians widely agree that Shallow Hal was a crucial milestone for Jack Black. Following his breakout, scene-stealing role in High Fidelity (2000), Shallow Hal was Black’s very first leading role in a major studio film.

For every viewer who cries at the hospital scene, there is another who cringes at the fat suit. In that split reaction lives the legacy of Shallow Hal . It is a movie that tried to break down walls using the very bricks the walls were made of. And for that, it remains one of the most interesting failures—and near-successes—in modern American comedy.