Editing Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!

{{short description|2004 film by Robert Luketic}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!
| image          = Win_A_Date_With_Tad_Hamilton!_poster.JPG
| alt            = 
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| director       = [[Robert Luketic]]
| producer       = {{Plainlist|
* [[Lucy Fisher]]
* [[Douglas Wick]]
}}
| writer         = Victor Levin
| starring       = {{Plainlist|
* [[Kate Bosworth]]
* [[Topher Grace]]
* [[Josh Duhamel]]
* [[Sean Hayes (actor)|Sean Hayes]]
* [[Nathan Lane]]
}}
| music          = [[Edward Shearmur]]
| cinematography = [[Peter Lyons Collister|Peter Collister]] 
| editing        = Scott Hill
| studio         = [[Douglas Wick|Red Wagon Entertainment]]
| distributor    = [[DreamWorks Pictures]]
| released       = {{Film date|2004|01|23}}
| runtime        = 96 minutes<!--Theatrical runtime: 96:19--><ref>{{cite web | url=http://bbfc.co.uk/releases/win-date-tad-hamilton-2004-2 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220055013/http://bbfc.co.uk/releases/win-date-tad-hamilton-2004-2 | url-status=dead | archive-date=December 20, 2016 | title=''Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!'' (PG) | work=[[British Board of Film Classification]] | date=January 22, 2004 | access-date=December 4, 2016}}</ref>
| country        = United States
| language       = English
| budget         = $22 million<ref name=mojo/>
| gross          = $21.3 million<ref name=mojo/>
}}
'''''Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!''''' is a 2004 American [[romantic comedy]] film directed by [[Robert Luketic]], written by Victor Levin and starring [[Kate Bosworth]], [[Topher Grace]], [[Josh Duhamel]], [[Gary Cole]], [[Ginnifer Goodwin]], [[Sean Hayes (actor)|Sean Hayes]] and [[Nathan Lane]]. The film follows a small-town girl (Bosworth) who wins a contest for a date with a male celebrity (Duhamel) and a [[love triangle]] forms between the girl, the star and the girl's best friend (Grace).

The character's name of Tad Hamilton has been seen as a cross between the names of screen idols [[Tab Hunter]] and [[George Hamilton (actor)|George Hamilton]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dvdfuture.com/review.php?id=572|title=dvdfuture.com :: Review - Win A Date With Tad Hamilton|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040209092204/http://www.dvdfuture.com/review.php?id=572|archive-date=February 9, 2004}}</ref><ref>[http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ent/movies/reviews/2366620.html Win a Date With Tad Hamilton | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.beansouptimes.com/MOVIE_Tad_Hamilton.htm|title=Movie Tad Hamilton|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090405045618/http://www.beansouptimes.com/MOVIE_Tad_Hamilton.htm |archivedate=April 5, 2009 }}</ref>

The film received mixed reviews from critics and earned $17.1 million in the United States and $4.2 million overseas for a worldwide total of $21.3 million, making it a [[Box office bomb|commercial failure]] against a $22 million budget.

==Plot==
A soldier and nurse emerge from two 1940s-style cars in the middle of the night. As the nurse runs up to the soldier, the camera switches, revealing that this is a film scene.

Rosalee, Cathy, and Pete, [[Piggly Wiggly]] store workers in [[Fraziers Bottom, West Virginia]], are watching the film, and as the nurse asks for forgiveness and the soldier agrees, the women in the audience are moved to tears as Pete is clearly unimpressed.

As the ladies wonder what the film's star Tad Hamilton is doing at that moment, Tad is described by his agent as "drinking, driving, smoking, leering, and groping all at the same time."

The agent tells Tad that his hedonism is damaging his reputation and career opportunities. To improve his image and convince a film director to cast him, his agents establish a competition to win a date with Tad, with proceeds benefiting the charity [[Save the Children]]. Rosalee finds an online advertisement for the competition.

With the help of the Piggly Wiggly customers and a reluctant Pete, Cathy and Rosalee raise the $100 entrance fee as Pete tells his superior that he will leave for college in Richmond after he talks "with someone about going to Richmond with me."

A news crew arrives outside Rosalee's home because she has won the date with Tad. A despondent Pete accompanies her to the airport. Awed by Los Angeles, Rosalee becomes tongue-tied in Tad's presence. The date does not go well; Rosalee vomits in the limousine, and when Tad mentions his love of animals, which Pete had warned was a signal of sexual intentions, her suspicions are raised. After seeing Tad's house, Rosalee requests to return to the hotel and soon returns home, leaving Tad thoughtful.

Pete is about to tell Rosalee about moving to Richmond when she is surprised by Tad's sudden arrival. Although she is still cynical, when he admits to not having "his priorities straight," she is convinced of his good intentions.

On a phone call with his agent, Tad insists that he wants to turn over a new leaf and won't return to Los Angeles for a while. When he gathers Rosalee for a date, he leaves a positive impression on Rosalee's father, who had studied hard for the encounter. Pete tries to stop their date by reporting them for illegally parking. He tries to convince Rosalee that Tad is using her. Despite all of Pete's efforts, Rosalee and Tad grow close over the next few days.

In a bar, Pete corners Tad in the men's room. After conceding that Rosalee is in love with Tad, Pete tells him that she is more than a "wholesome small town girl" but a wonderful person with "the kind of beauty a guy only sees once." He explains her six smiles that reveal her emotions.

Pete makes Tad swear not to break Rosalee's heart. When Rosalee is in Tad's hotel room, his agents appear and inform him that the director has cast him in the film. Tad is overjoyed and convinces Rosalee to accompany him to Los Angeles by employing Pete's "six smiles" speech.

After a rousing speech about great love by Angelica, a barmaid with a crush on him, Pete rushes to Rosalee's, confessing his love. She is confused and resolves to still travel to California with Tad. On the plane, Tad fails to identify one of Rosalee's smiles and then confesses his lie, prompting her to return home.

Rosalee runs to Piggly Wiggly and to Pete's, where Angelica tells her how Pete feels and that he is going to Richmond to escape his heartbreak. Rosalee then drives furiously toward Richmond to find Pete. In a manner similar to that of the opening scene, Rosalee and Pete exit their cars and Pete asks her to dance.

==Cast==
{{castlist|
* [[Kate Bosworth]] as Rosalee Futch<ref name=BBC>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b008m3hc/credits|title=Credits|publisher=BBC|access-date=May 17, 2017}}</ref>
* [[Topher Grace]] as Pete Monash<ref name=BBC/>
* [[Josh Duhamel]] as Tad Hamilton<ref name=BBC/>
* [[Gary Cole]] as Henry Futch<ref name=BBC/>
* [[Ginnifer Goodwin]] as Cathy Feely<ref name=BBC/>
* [[Sean Hayes (actor)|Sean Hayes]] as Richard Levy the Shameless<ref name=BBC/>
* [[Nathan Lane]] as Richard Levy the Driven<ref name=BBC/>
* [[Kathryn Hahn]] as Angelica<ref name=BBC/>
* [[Octavia Spencer]] as Janine<ref name=BBC/>
* [[Amy Smart]] (cameo) as Nurse Betty<ref name=BBC/>
* [[Stephen Tobolowsky]] as George Ruddy<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/film/r626k/win-a-date-with-tad-hamilton|title=Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!|work=Radio Times|access-date=May 17, 2017|last=Aldridge|first=Dave}}</ref>
* [[Moon Bloodgood]] as Gorgeous Woman<ref name=TVGuide>{{cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/movies/win-a-date-with-tad-hamilton/cast/137228/|title=Win a Date With Tad Hamilton!|access-date=May 17, 2017|publisher=TV Guide}}</ref>
*  Mary Jo Smith as Sonja<ref name=TVGuide/>
*  Joseph Convery as Mickey (Tad's driver)<ref name=TVGuide/>
* [[Deena Dill]] as Reporter<ref name=TVGuide/>
* [[Bob Glouberman]] as Rosalee's limo driver<ref name=TVGuide/>
* [[Jay Underwood]] as Policeman Tom<ref name=TVGuide/>
* [[Sam Pancake]] as Hotel Clerk<ref name=TVGuide/>
* [[Patrick Thomas O'Brien|Patrick O'Brien]] as Father Newell<ref name=TVGuide/>
* [[Willow Bay]] as herself<ref name=TVGuide/>
*  Todd Eckert as Maitre D'<ref name=TVGuide/>
*  David Wolrod as Roger Bodger<ref name=TVGuide/>
*  [[Jessy Moss]] as herself<ref name=TVGuide/>
*  [[Marshall Goodman]] as himself<ref name=TVGuide/>
*  Danny Weissfeld as himself<ref name=TVGuide/>
* Caleb Speir as himself<ref name=TVGuide/>
* [[Jordana Brewster]] (''uncredited'') as Actress (deleted scene)
* [[Paris Hilton]] (''uncredited'') as Heather (deleted scene)<ref name=BBCDVD>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2004/08/12/win_a_date_with_tad_hamilton_2004_dvd_review.shtml|title=Win A Date With Tad Hamilton DVD|publisher=BBC|last=Papamichael|first=Stella|access-date=May 17, 2017}}</ref>
* [[Bonnie McKee]] (''uncredited'') as herself
}}

==Reception==

===Box office===
The film opened in 2,711 venues on January 23, 2004 and earned $7,320,066 in its opening weekend, ranking third in the North American box office and second among the week's new releases.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?yr=2004&wknd=04&p=.htm | title=Weekend Box Office Results for January 23-25, 2004 | work=[[Box Office Mojo]] | publisher=[[Amazon.com]] | date=January 26, 2004 | access-date=December 4, 2016}}</ref> The film ultimately grossed $17,071,962 in North America and $4,206,494 internationally for a worldwide total of $21,278,456. Based on a $22 million budget, the film was a [[box office bomb|box-office bomb]].<ref name=mojo>{{cite web | url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=winadatewithtadhamilton.htm | title=''Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!'' (2004) | work=[[Box Office Mojo]] | publisher=[[Amazon.com]] | date=April 2, 2004 | access-date=December 4, 2016}}</ref>

===Critical response===
''Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!'' received mixed reviews from critics. On [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film received a 55% approval rating based on 149 reviews, with an [[Weighted mean|average]] of 5.60/10. The site's consensus states: "Formulaic romantic comedy works better than it should thanks to a charming cast."<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/win_a_date_with_tad_hamilton/ | title=''Win a Date With Tad Hamilton!'' (2004) | work=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] | publisher=[[Flixster]] | access-date=February 19, 2023}}</ref> [[Metacritic]] reports a score of 52 out of 100 based on 35 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".<ref name="metacritic">{{cite web | url=http://www.metacritic.com/movie/win-a-date-with-tad-hamilton! | title=''Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!'' (2004) | work=[[Metacritic]] | publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] | access-date=February 18, 2009}}</ref>

[[Roger Ebert]] criticized the film, noting that Duhamel's character always seems more likeable than Grace's, and that the film spends more time building a romance between Rosalee and Tad rather than between Rosalee and Pete. Bosworth's acting was praised for holding the film together.<ref>[http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/win-a-date-with-tad-hamilton-2004 Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! Movie Review (2004) | Roger Ebert<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

Carla Meyer of the ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'' regarded the film as tonally inconsistent in its attempt to be both an old-fashioned romantic comedy and modern (albeit gentle) satire.<ref>[http://www.sfgate.com/movies/article/Josh-Duhamel-is-cuter-than-the-rest-of-Tad-2807715.php Josh Duhamel is cuter than the rest of 'Tad Hamilton' - SFGate<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

Writing in ''[[The New York Times]]'', [[Stephen Holden]] regarded the film's plot as resembling those of the 1950s, "dressed up just enough to seem contemporary." Holden regarded Bosworth's role as the toughest, as she showed Rosalee's "feet-on-the-ground optimism and innate wisdom" easily.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/23/movies/23DATE.html?ex=1106370000&en=3d3e6af76a1b5cb5&ei=5083&partner=Rotten%20Tomatoes Hollywood Star vs. Local Hunk - What&#146 - s a Girl to Do? - NYTimes.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

==Home media==
The film was released on [[VHS]] and [[DVD]] by DreamWorks Home Entertainment on April 20, 2004. The DVD features 16 [[deleted scene]]s.<ref name=BBCDVD/> It was released on [[Blu-ray]] disc by [[Paramount Home Entertainment]] on April 26, 2022.<ref>{{Citation|title=Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! Blu-ray|url=https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=30147|access-date=2022-02-17}}</ref>

==Soundtrack==
# "Superfabulous" - [[BT (musician)|BT]] featuring [[Rose McGowan]]
# "Special" - Wilshire
# "Some Days" - [[Wheat (band)|Wheat]]
# "More Bounce in California" - Soul Kid #1
# "Why Can't I?" - [[Liz Phair]]
# "Back to You" - [[John Mayer]]
# "Something About You" - [[Five for Fighting]]
# "Days Go By" - [[Jason Wade]]
# "Leading with My Heart" - [[Alice Peacock]]
# "Blue" - [[The Thorns (band)|The Thorns]]
# "Waiting" - [[Kyle Riabko]]
# "I Won't Go Hollywood" - [[Bleu (musician)|Bleu]]
# "Somebody" - [[Bonnie McKee]]
# "Shining" - [[Kristian Leontiou]]
# "Once Again" - Frankie Jordan
# "[[Can't Get Enough of Your Love]]" - [[Barry White]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{IMDb title|0335559|Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!}}
* {{Mojo title|winadatewithtadhamilton|Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes|win_a_date_with_tad_hamilton|Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!}}
* {{Metacritic film|title=Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!}}

{{Robert Luketic}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Win A Date With Tad Hamilton!}}
[[Category:2004 films]]
[[Category:2004 romantic comedy films]]
[[Category:American romantic comedy films]]
[[Category:Films scored by Edward Shearmur]]
[[Category:Films about actors]]
[[Category:Films produced by Lucy Fisher]]
[[Category:Films produced by Douglas Wick]]
[[Category:Films directed by Robert Luketic]]
[[Category:Films set in Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Films set in West Virginia]]
[[Category:Films shot in West Virginia]]
[[Category:DreamWorks Pictures films]]
[[Category:Films about fandom]]
[[Category:2000s English-language films]]
[[Category:2000s American films]]
[[Category:English-language romantic comedy films]]