By: debbie lynn elias
Having struck gold with the perpetually perky (and pink) ““Legally Blonde””, director Robert Luketic once again waves his magic wand, this time over the latest television craze of reality dating shows (you know the ones, ““The Bachelor””, ““The Bachelorette””, etc., etc., etc.),and comes up with a charmingly, albeit slightly saccharine, sarcastic tv take-off with ““Win A Date With Tad Hamilton!””
Dying for the lead in an upcoming ““hot”” new movie, romantic and gorgeous Hollywood hunk, Tad Hamilton, will do anything to impress the film’’s director that he’’s the man for the job – including manufacturing some good press coverage about himself – especially after a few little indiscretions like a drinking and driving incident. Good thing he’’s got two of the funniest and most ridiculously creative agents in the business to help him! Thanks to their combined genius, the boys come up with a national contest entitled, you guessed it –– Win A Date With Tad Hamilton! Guaranteed to grab press attention, the contest has a little twist – make sure the winner is a wholesome, down home, pure, squeaky clean untroubled girl from the sticks. (Are there any left?)
Enter contest winner Rosalee Futch, a sweet innocent young thing whose smile is genuine, her kindness heartfelt, her naivete true, but who’’s got some entertaining baggage in the form of her best friend, the sexually obsessed man-hunting Cathy (think an over-the top version of Jenny Piccolo from ““Happy Days””) and long suffering, nerdy, love struck, tag-along, wannabe boyfriend Pete. Oh, and just she swoons over every magazine cover and movie with Tad Hamilton. And did we mention that she works at the Piggly-Wiggly grocery store in Frazier’’s Bottom, West Virginia?
Things take an interesting turn when Tad becomes more than a little interested in the star-struck Rosalee and the one contest date turns into a romantic triangle when Tad shows up at the Piggly Wiggly, putting a damper on Pete and confusing the heck out of Rosalee. Will Pete tell Rosalee he loves her? Will Tad sweep her off her feet and transport her to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood? Will Rosalee sweep Tad off his feet and give him the ““normal”” life he thinks he wants? This plays out like a soap but with some intelligently crisp writing thanks to Victor Levin. Adding the icing to the cake are some inside industry digs that Levin just slips in with a casual ease and hearty laugh. (Okay, so he uses an ice pick instead of a spatula to stick it in!)
Director Luketic’’s enthusiasm and guidance is obvious in the performances elicited from his cast of virtual unknowns. By keeping the film moving at a quick clip while retaining its inherent sweetness, the cast tackles the freshness of the work with their own brand of youthful energy. Newcomer Josh Duhamel shines as Tad Hamilton, doing a delicate balancing act as a man with an insatiable desire for fame and fortune (not to mention being full of himself) but who also wants to transform into more than ““just a pretty face””and just oozes likability at every turn. Despite Tad’’s ego and good looks, Duhamel makes it impossible to hate him. Topher Grace is a comic natural as Pete, letting the moment and character flow as opposed to forcing a laugh. And while Ginnifer Goodwin as Cathy is a gem, the real gift among the newbies is Kate Bosworth whose honesty and genuineness as Rosalee flood the screen, creating a very believable scenario with both Tad and Pete craving her for very different reasons. And look for a dry, wry entertaining performance by Gary Cole as Rosalee’’s dad (who effectively gets his own shot at an inside dig against ““Project Greenlight.””) But let’’s face it, the scene stealers are Nathan Lane and Sean Hayes as Tad’’s agents. Move over Laurel and Hardy!! Look out Abbott and Costello!! You boys may all be dethroned with this pairing! What took Hollywood so long to put these two guys together?!? Lane and Hayes are reason enough to pay the price of admission.
Known as the studio ““dumping ground”” for films in which there is little or no hope, January is clearly not the place for ““Tad Hamilton”” although it could prove to be a blessing in disguise for this little film that could. A fluffy confection that’’s not too heavy, not too light, but instead has a perfectly sweet tone, ““Win A Date With Tad Hamilton”” is a perfectly charming way to start the year.
Tad Hamilton: Josh Duhamel Rosalee Futch: Kate Bosworth Cathy Freely: Ginnifer Goodwin Pete Monash: Topher Grace
Directed by Robert Luketic. Written by Victor Levin. A DreamWorks SKG release. Rated PG-13 (101min.)
