The Farrelly Brothers and Pelecanos

I was watching Shallow Hal a few weeks ago, because I was tired and I had no idea what else to watch. I have never been much into the Farrelly brothers, but I thought there are worse ways to spend a Saturday night when you are tired than watch a comedy. Then something struck me, that made me enjoy the movie a thousand times more: Hal in one scene was reading Down By the River Where the Dead Men Go by George Pelecanos. I understand they are admirers of his work. Good to know: I am too, and it makes me appreciate them more, not as movie makers, but as men of taste. I don't think there is a deeper meaning to the presence of the novel in the comedy than their admiration for Pelecanos. That said, the novel deals partially with Nick Stefanos, the main character, discovering something about his girlfriend he would rather not see, her alcoholism, which ties it nicely to the plot of Shallow Hal. I have no idea if the Farrelly brothers thought about it. But you never know: they are obviously men of literary taste.