Sometimes studios have to learn when to shut their fat, Hollywood yaps and let a movie stand on its own. When a movie is labeled as, say, a Quentin Tarentino vehicle, it gets instant credibility. Tarentino is a master of the craft of moviemaking much akin to the way his Miramax brethren Kevin Smith is at crafting transcendent dialogue in a way that comes off as natural.

However, as a self-respecting guy, I nearly shunned off picking up Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! when it was released recently on DVD. To see a topbar on the case stating "From the director of LEGALLY BLONDE" was not something I saw as positive. The only thing more condemning to a movie is "Thumbs Up! - Richard Roeper" when there's no approval from Roger Ebert. If you think I'm wrong, see also the box office take for Josie and the Pussycats.

While I realize director Robert Luketic is by no means a household name, Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! is instantly brushed off by many as a "chick flick" due to the association to Legally Blonde and, worse yet, pink cases. Make no mistake, love story or no, Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! is not a movie to brush aside with Titanic and whatever the next movie Reese "Even I Don't Know How I Get Work" Witherspoon appears.

The DVD

The DVD, which is sold in both fullscreen and widescreen, is rather barren. The disc, which is all sorts of aesthetically feminine, has a few "special" features. The deleted and alternate scenes are all pretty good and, with the exception of the obviously alternate cuts, were just cut for time constraints. The Gag Reel, which is now, too, becoming a standard is fairly entertaining as well. Cast biographies are well-written, though slow to load, and have some worthy insight. Every other feature, however, are throwaways. The most glaring absence is that of the movie's trailer.

The case is commendable, though. Terrible box-art aside, it's your standard case with two snappable hinges to keep the case from unintentional opening. Also, this is great toddler prevention. The hinges, however, look like they'll wear easily over time and use and are thin enough to be snapped off should you make the effort to apply the pressure required.

The Movie

The premise is simple. Hollywood leading man, Tad Hamilton, is known for squeeky clean image in your cliche love story. However, he is not at all what he appears on celluloid. The paparazzi eventually catch up with him as he parties hard and his image is tarnished. So, his manager and agent, Richard Levy, plan a public relations event to help save face. And so, as the title reveals, they craft a plan to let someone win a date with Tad Hamilton, played by Josh Duhamel.

It needs to be mentioned that his manager and agent are two separate people who just happen to have the same name. What purpose this has to the movie, perhaps an inside joke, remains to be seen. More questionable is why infamous ham, Nathan Lane, was given one of these roles. A man of his stature should not take throwaway roles such as these, lest he enjoy the idea of being the next Christopher Walken. Unlike Walken, however, Lane doesn't have the subtle ability to charm the pants off of you with his line delivery.

Meanwhile, in Frazier's Bottom, West Virginia sits Pete, played by the always welcomed Topher Grace, a manager at the local Piggly Wiggly. Determined to become a business major, he plans to move to Richmond. Before he can do all this, however, he needs to tell his childhood friend and co-worker, Rosalee, that he's in love with her and wants her to come with him.

Pete, however, has never remotely mentioned this to Rosalee. He's sat, like many a shy young man, agonizing but keeping hope alive. It comes as no surprise when he bends to Rosalee's will when she asks to raise money at the Piggly Wiggly to win said date. The entry fee, as it's revealed, is a hundred dollars that will be donated to "Save the Children." I dare any man to look at Rosalee, played by Kate Bosworth, and think you could defy any need or want she had.

Rosalee represents pure innocence. Regardless of all that had been revealed about Tad Hamilton, she thinks saving children is "so like him." The opening scene of Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! reveals, also, that Rosalee, along with her best friend, Cathy, are in love with Tad Hamilton. Pete, as the token guy of the group, is always dragged along.

In the interest of Pete and her own entertainment, Rosalee forces Pete to approach Angelica, the local bartender, and talk to her. Angelica, played by the talented Kathryn Hahn, appears to be deeply infatuated with Pete. Angelica, as a bartender, will also become a source of knowledge that listens to whomever she serves drinks.

When Rosalee wins said date, it comes as no surprise. Of course, it comes as quite the shock to Pete.

Rosalee is seen off by Pete and Cathy. Pete warns Rosalee to guard her "carnal treasures" and gives her warning signs of how to tell if Tad is trying to sleep with her.

An interesting, albeit over-the-top, montage shows the difference between her small-town life and that found in California.

Rosalee and Tad finally meet and their date is amazingly well done. Interesting subtleties are interlaced, like how one's lingo differs from the other, and Rosalee grounds Tad to Earth simply with her naivety and expectations. When, in response, Tad seems to feed the warning signs Pete informed her of, Rosalee becomes slightly cautious. So, instead of acting on her animal instinct, like a lesser romance would have, she ends their date. She does not leave, however, without being given a kiss.

Rosalee returns to Frazier's Bottom and Pete intends, once more, to reveal his plans to Rosalee. However, his nervous hesitation bites him, as Tad Hamilton walks through the door of the Piggly Wiggly where they work.

At this point, the love triangle is formed. Pete strives to win Rosalee back while Tad tries to woo her. Refreshed by her "solid and substantial qualities," Tad wants to be involved with Rosalee. Pete, however, sees this as a problem.

This is where Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! falters a bit, as Pete becomes an afterthought while the relationship with Tad is established. The town, which is virtually as bad as my hometown of the Middle of Nowhere, Ohio, has never seen this much excitement. As such, everyone, including Rosalee's father, becomes infatuated. Tad, it seems, is given the star treatment by everyone with whom he comes in contact.

To add to matters, this establishment reveals how the movie will ultimately end. However cliche the relationship triangle is, when a movie is working, you don't question the cliches. So is the case with Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!

It becomes difficult, no matter how charming Topher Grace is, to cheer for Pete to win Rosalee's heart. However, when the revelation of how deeply Pete feels for Rosalee, symbolized by idiosyncrasies only true love could be represented, is revealed to Tad, Tad uses it to his advantage and instantly makes Pete the sympathetic character.

There's tons of interesting points worth mentioning. It is interesting how, regardless of their different worlds, the lives of Tad and Pete are made to parallel. This parallel lends some of the charm Tad has to overlap to Pete. Whether intentional or not, this lends a lot of sympathy to Pete. Since Pete's relationship with Rosalee is virtually neglected, one hopes this intangible was intentional. Also great is when Tad and Pete are together and competing.

Also, there's a few plot twists that are revealed to not actually be twists. Their primary purpose is to throw the audience, who's been trained so well to take things at face value by less clever comedies, off. One truly interesting example is when Pete, showing again how poor his timing tends to be, finally confesses his love after Rosalee reveals she's leaving with Tad Hamilton. When he's shot down, one actually begins to question if this movie will go against the grain and break the cliche.

From start to finish, with an emphasis on finish, Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! is a thoroughly enjoyable movie. From a talented cast to nice cinematographic touches, the movie feels whole and never becomes campy.

Also worth noting is this movie's theme is very close to that of Notting Hill. Tad Hamilton's parallel to Anna Scott, in both down-to-Earth nature and huge Hollywood player stature, had to be intentional. Notting Hill is, perhaps, the greatest modern romantic comedy so Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! is definitely in good company.



Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good Date Movie
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older