SCREEN IT! PARENTAL REVIEW: WIN A DATE WITH TAD HAMILTON!

"WIN A DATE WITH TAD HAMILTON!"
(2004) (Kate Bosworth, Josh Duhamel) (PG-13)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Moderate	Minor	Moderate	None	Minor

Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Mild	None	None	Mild	Moderate

Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Moderate	Mild	None	Mild	Minor

QUICK TAKE:: Romantic Comedy: A small town grocery store clerk doesn't realize her best friend romantically likes her when she wins a date and then falls for a handsome movie star bachelor.

PLOT:

Rosalee Futch (KATE BOSWORTH) is a young woman who lives in a small West Virginia town with her dad Henry (GARY COLE) and works with her best friends, Pete (TOPHER GRACE) and Cathy (GINNIFER GOODWIN), in the local grocery store.

Oblivious to the fact that Pete is interested in being more than just friends with her, Rosalee dreams of what it would be like to meet movie star Tad Hamilton (JOSH DUHAMEL). She surprisingly gets the chance when she enters a "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton" contest concocted by his manager, Richard Levy (NATHAN LANE), and agent who's also named Richard Levy (SEAN HAYES).

With Tad being the poster boy for bad movie star behavior, his handlers hope that by pairing him up with some sweet young thing, his public image will change and enable him to land a big, lucrative acting role. Accordingly, they fly Rosalee to Los Angeles where the two have a pleasant date that ends when she doesn't fall prey to his Hollywood charm.

Her down to earth demeanor, however, impresses him enough that he follows her back to her small town where he hopes being with her will change him into a different sort of person. Not surprisingly, everyone there goes gaga over having a movie star in their presence. That is, except for Pete who finally decides he has to let Rosalee know how he really feels about her. From that point on, she must choose which of the two men she's going to date.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: If they're fans of someone in the cast or romantic comedies, it's a good bet they will.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13: For sexual content, some drug references and language.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:: KATE BOSWORTH plays a small town grocery store clerk who wins a date with a movie star and then finds herself falling for him (she also briefly fools around with him).
TOPHER GRACE plays her best friend and coworker who secretly loves her but can't manage to tell her that. Accordingly, he becomes jealous of her and Tad's romance and somewhat tries to undermine it. He also drinks and briefly uses some profanity.
GINNIFER GOODWIN plays Rosalee's other friend and coworker who's similarly star struck by Tad and often speaks as if she's reading narration from a sultry romance novel. She also drinks a bit.
JOSH DUHAMEL plays a playboy movie star who decides he needs to reset his priorities and believes he can do that via a romance with Rosalee. He uses some profanity, drinks, smokes, and is an okay guy until late in the film.
NATHAN LANE plays his agent who concocts the win a date contest and is only looking out for his and Tad's benefit.
SEAN HAYES plays Tad's manager who has the same business philosophy and briefly uses some profanity.
GARY COLE plays Rosalee's father who tries to be hip to all things Hollywood and briefly uses some profanity.; TOPHER GRACE plays her best friend and coworker who secretly loves her but can't manage to tell her that. Accordingly, he becomes jealous of her and Tad's romance and somewhat tries to undermine it. He also drinks and briefly uses some profanity.
GINNIFER GOODWIN plays Rosalee's other friend and coworker who's similarly star struck by Tad and often speaks as if she's reading narration from a sultry romance novel. She also drinks a bit.
JOSH DUHAMEL plays a playboy movie star who decides he needs to reset his priorities and believes he can do that via a romance with Rosalee. He uses some profanity, drinks, smokes, and is an okay guy until late in the film.
NATHAN LANE plays his agent who concocts the win a date contest and is only looking out for his and Tad's benefit.
SEAN HAYES plays Tad's manager who has the same business philosophy and briefly uses some profanity.
GARY COLE plays Rosalee's father who tries to be hip to all things Hollywood and briefly uses some profanity.; GINNIFER GOODWIN plays Rosalee's other friend and coworker who's similarly star struck by Tad and often speaks as if she's reading narration from a sultry romance novel. She also drinks a bit.
JOSH DUHAMEL plays a playboy movie star who decides he needs to reset his priorities and believes he can do that via a romance with Rosalee. He uses some profanity, drinks, smokes, and is an okay guy until late in the film.
NATHAN LANE plays his agent who concocts the win a date contest and is only looking out for his and Tad's benefit.
SEAN HAYES plays Tad's manager who has the same business philosophy and briefly uses some profanity.
GARY COLE plays Rosalee's father who tries to be hip to all things Hollywood and briefly uses some profanity.; JOSH DUHAMEL plays a playboy movie star who decides he needs to reset his priorities and believes he can do that via a romance with Rosalee. He uses some profanity, drinks, smokes, and is an okay guy until late in the film.
NATHAN LANE plays his agent who concocts the win a date contest and is only looking out for his and Tad's benefit.
SEAN HAYES plays Tad's manager who has the same business philosophy and briefly uses some profanity.
GARY COLE plays Rosalee's father who tries to be hip to all things Hollywood and briefly uses some profanity.; NATHAN LANE plays his agent who concocts the win a date contest and is only looking out for his and Tad's benefit.
SEAN HAYES plays Tad's manager who has the same business philosophy and briefly uses some profanity.
GARY COLE plays Rosalee's father who tries to be hip to all things Hollywood and briefly uses some profanity.; SEAN HAYES plays Tad's manager who has the same business philosophy and briefly uses some profanity.
GARY COLE plays Rosalee's father who tries to be hip to all things Hollywood and briefly uses some profanity.; GARY COLE plays Rosalee's father who tries to be hip to all things Hollywood and briefly uses some profanity.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

The following is a brief summary of the content found in this romantic comedy that's been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of at least 2 "s" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are uttered. Various instances of sexually related dialogue are present, while a couple makes out in a car and briefly fools around on a bed (clothed). Some women are seen in revealing attire.

Various characters smoke and/or drink, while a few drug references are made. Several bad attitudes are present, as is a view of a man sitting on the toilet (nothing else is seen or heard as he's interrupted by another man). Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

For those concerned with bright flashes of light on the screen, some of that occurs during a paparazzi blitz on Tad and Rosalee.

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE: We see Tad swerving in his car while a young woman with him drinks from a bottle.
Richard talks about Tad smoking, drinking, leering and groping in a car.
We see champagne in Tad's fridge.
Miscellaneous people have beer in a bar where Cathy has one too.
An order is given to Tad that he not have any brown liquor or cigarettes.
We see some liquor in a limo bar.
Miscellaneous people have drinks.
Pete and Cathy have beer.
Tad and Rosalee have wine.
Tad gets out some champagne for Rosalee and himself back at his place, but neither has any.
Miscellaneous people have beer.
Richard tells Tad that Tad needs a Percoset.
Rosalee's father pours a chocolate martini for himself (but doesn't like the taste when he tries it).
Rosalee's father tells Tad to have Rosalee back by dawn and then adds, "And no cocaine."
Pete drinks in a bar as do others. He then tells the bartender that he'd like six more of whatever he's drinking. After he leaves, she finishes the rest of his drink.
When Richard is upset about having to fly commercial, the other Richard (Nathan Lane) asks if he'd like a Vicodin.
We see champagne in glasses on a plane (Tad holds one but doesn't drink from it).

BLOOD/GORE: We hear the sound of Rosalee vomiting from getting carsick in a limo (and others react to the sight of that).
We briefly see faked war footage from a movie that shows some explosions and an actor with some blood on his face.
Pete opens a bathroom stall door to confront Tad who we see sitting on the toilet (no nudity or bodily functions are seen or heard). After a brief discussion, Tad unrolls some toilet paper and asks, "Mind if I..?" and Pete leaves him alone (nothing else is seen).

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE: Pete acts in a jealous manner toward Tad.
Tad steals Pete's comments about Rosalee's six different smiles in order to impress her.
Pete puts Rosalee on the spot by saying he loves her after knowing she's fallen for Tad and is leaving with him the next day.

FRIGHTENING SCENES: None.

GUNS/WEAPONS: We briefly see faked war footage from a movie that shows some explosions.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR: Phrases: "Sometimes Goliath kicks the sh*t out of David," "Sh*t-ass," "Nail(ed)" (sexual), "Shake a doo" (wow), "Taking a breath" (thinking it over), "Ass like cement," "He wants your ass to rub off on him," "Frickin,'" and "Get your ass off the barstool."
Rosalee wears a midriff-revealing top, as does a miscellaneous woman.
A female bartender has various tattoos.

JUMP SCENES: None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE): None.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE): Lyrics in a Barry White song include the phrase "made love."

PROFANITY: At least 2 "s" words, 4 slang terms for sex ("nail" and "been together"), 5 asses, 1 damn, 1 hell, 1 S.O.B., 5 uses of "Oh my God," 2 of "For God's sakes" and 1 use each of "God," "My God," "Oh God" and "Swear to God."

SEX/NUDITY: We see artsy duplicate images of a woman in a bikini.
We see various young and shapely women in bikinis by a pool.
Richard talks about Tad smoking, drinking, leering and groping in a car.
We see a shirtless Tad kissing a young woman in his place. She then leaves.
Lyrics in a Barry White song include the phrase "made love."
Cathy shows a little cleavage.
A female bartender states that one day Pete will state "You're the object of my desire."
Speaking of first-class amenities on a plane, Cathy states she'd like to intimately touch whoever thought of them.
Pete tells Rosalee that Tad has probably slept with 15 or 20 women, prompting Rosalee to reply "That's not physically possible." Pete then tells her that Tad is just really trying to sleep with her. He then repeatedly tells her to "guard your carnal treasure."
We briefly see a young and shapely woman in a small bikini who's hitchhiking on the road.
We briefly and partially see Richard (Sean Hayes) in his briefs in a dressing room.
A miscellaneous couple passionately makes out in a club.
Cathy speaks as if reading narration from a romance novel (about Tad and Rosalee) and says something about "His manhood yearning to be free" and something else about her breasts and ecstasy.
Cathy (again talking in romance novel speak) tells Tad that if she can ride along with him to the airport that she'll give herself to him in ways he's only read about. She later states that Tad has an "ass like cement."
Rosalee asks Tad, "Is that how you get women? when referring to him using lines from his movies.
When Rosalee states that Tad wants her goodness to rub off on him, Pete sarcastically replies, "He wants your ass to rub off on him."
When talking with Tad about Rosalee, Richard mentions, "In order to nail the win a date girl?" Tad then replies that he doesn't want to "nail her."
A motel clerk is somewhat portrayed as being gay (in regards to his attraction to Tad).
We briefly hear part of an interview where Tad says he was 12 and "she was 30" (possibly referring to a sexual matter).
We see Tad and Rosalee passionately making out in a parked car at night. He removes her outermost shirt, but the arrival of two police officers stops their activity.
There's more talk by Pete of Rosalee's "carnal treasure." He then mentions something about that Tad "felt you up in his car." Later, he says "After you guys have been together (had sex) a few times, you'll never see him again."
Cathy asks Rosalee about Tad and wonders if his pectorals are warm and firm to the touch.
A comment is made that the only thing they grow in Malibu are breasts.
We see Tad and Pete shirtless as they chop wood (Tad's appearance is somewhat in the beefcake variety).
A man walks into a restroom and sees Pete standing at the stall door talking to Tad who's sitting on the toilet (no nudity). Pete gets angry at the man and says, "We're in the middle of something here" (somewhat of a gay sexual joke on the part of the filmmakers).
We see Tad and Rosalee passionately kissing while lying on a bed. He has his hand on her clothed belly and then moves it to work on the buttons on her shirt, but she stops him (and his agent and manager then knock on the door and nothing else happens).
Pete plants a kiss on Rosalee.
Rosalee discovers a woman in Pete's place (making her and us think she's had sex with him, but that turns out not to be the case).

SMOKING: Tad smokes several times.
Richard talks about Tad smoking, drinking, leering and groping in a car.
An order is given to Tad that he not have any brown liquor or cigarettes.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES: None.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT: Being a celebrity.
Jealousy.
Telling someone how you feel about them before it's too late.

VIOLENCE: Richard accidentally bangs his head on something.
We briefly see faked war footage from a movie that shows some explosions and an actor with some blood on his face.
Pete accidentally drives over a post or mailbox with his car.

Reviewed January 2, 2004 / Posted January 23, 2004

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