Review: Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! (***)

WIN A DATE WITH TAD HAMILTON!
A film review by Steve Rhodes

Copyright 2004 Steve Rhodes

RATING (0 TO ****): ***


WIN A DATE WITH TAD HAMILTON!, by Robert Luketic, the director of the
sparklingly original LEGALLY BLONDE but not its miserable sequel, is a
wonderfully sweet romantic comedy. When we first meet actor Tad Hamilton
(Josh Duhamel), he's gotten his mug unflatteringly plastered on the front
page of the tabloids. Currently unemployed, Tad, the star of ACEY DEUCEY
and the remake of THE GRAPES OF WRATH, needs to repair his boy-next-door
image. His agent (Nathan Lane) points out that he's not unemployed like a
dock worker but that he's just between million dollar paychecks. The
agent's solution is a nationwide contest to win a date with Tad, every
girl's dream guy.



A nice but shallow fellow, Tad likes to fall back on his old movies for
lines to use in conversation. As a gesture of friendliness, he tries to
speak Spanish to one of his maids, but she corrects him, pointing out that
she is Albanian and that he has his maids confused.



Meanwhile in Fraziers Bottom, West Virginia at a Piggly Wiggly grocery
store, two cashiers, Rosalee Futch (Kate Bosworth) and Cathy Feely (Ginnifer
Goodwin), are dreaming about the contest. You'll probably remember Bosworth
as the charismatic star of BLUE CRUSH, but you may not know Goodwin's name.
Playing a wallflower, Goodwin gave the only memorable and genuine
performance in MONA LISA SMILE. Rosalee is a giggly and supremely likeable
character who has innocence written all over her blonde ponytail. In
contrast, her funny friend Cathy is a salty lass who speaks like she has
been reading way too many bodice-rippers. Also at the store is Pete Monash
(Topher Grace), the store's award winning manager. Rosalee's lifelong
friend, he worships the ground she walks on but is way too shy to confess
his love.



Rosalee wins the contest and has a quick but uneventful date with Tad in
Hollywood. "Doesn't it hurt smiling like that all of the time?" she asks
him during their photo op disguised as a dinner date. The trip out west
gives the movie some delicious opportunities to poke fun at California.
Among several great visuals are a kids' $9 lemonade stand and a dog safely
strapped into a child's car seat.



Up until this point, the script has mined humorous but completely
predictable ground. Once Rosalee leaves LaLaLand, the story takes a few
nicely surprising turns. The rest of the picture occurs back in rural West
Virginia on Rosalee's turf, where Tad shows up and wants to have her
"goodness" rub off on him. Surprisingly, he actually appears sincere. But
could he really be?



Speaking of turf, Pete tries to pick a turf war with Tad, but, being a
130-pound weakling, he keeps coming off second best to the Hollywood hunk.
"He's from Malibu, California," Pete reminds Rosalee disgustedly. "The only
thing they grow there are breasts."



On the other hand, Rosalee's father (Gary Cole) is more than happy to have
his daughter date the rich and famous. When Tad picks her up for a date to
the local theater, her dad tells him with warm smile, "Have her home by
dawn -- and no cocaine."



There are a few good smaller parts, but none better than Angelica (Kathryn
Hahn), a friendly bartender who loves Pete just like he loves Rosalee. She
gives him good advice at key moments, although what she really wants to give
him is a big kiss. I'll give you some advice. If you want a feel-good
movie that'll charm you and make you laugh, this is it.



WIN A DATE WITH TAD HAMILTON! runs 1:35. The film is rated PG-13 for
"sexual content, some drug references and language" and would be acceptable
for kids around 9 and up.



The film opens nationwide in the United States on Friday, January 23, 2004.
In the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the AMC and the Century
theaters.



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