The reviews split almost down the middle, and even the admirers agree the film is a departure for the Farrelly brothers. Where the praise gathers, it gathers on two things: the decision to play the inner-beauty premise straight rather than for cheap laughs, and the performances of Jack Black and Gwyneth Paltrow, who are singled out by critics on both sides of the divide. The New York Times and RogerEbert.com find the sincerity moving; several others settle for sweet, or at least good-natured.
The spread is wide. Detractors object that the film asks the audience to laugh at fat jokes while scolding them for doing so, and that the tone lurches between the two. The Los Angeles Times calls it schizophrenic; The Independent goes further, arguing it upholds the prejudices it claims to debunk. Even the milder notices complain that it is not funny enough, with the central gag wearing thin early. The British reviews run noticeably cooler than the American.