Today’s Prayer Focus

MOVIE REVIEW

Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!

MPA Rating: PG-13-Rating (MPA)

for sexual content, some drug references and language.

Reviewed by: Brady Williams
CONTRIBUTOR

Moral Rating:	Average
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience:	Mature teens and adults
Genre:	Romance Comedy
Length:	1 hr. 35 min.
Year of Release:	2004
USA Release:

Relevant Issues

What is true love and how do you know when you have found it? Answer

Should I save sex for marriage? Answer

How far is too far? What are the guidelines for dating relationships? Answer

How can I deal with temptations? Answer

What are the consequences of sexual immorality? Answer

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What is true love and how do you know when you have found it?

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Featuring	Kate Bosworth, Josh Duhamel, Topher Grace, Gary Cole, Ginnifer Goodwin
Director	Robert Luketic
Producer	Lucy Fisher, Douglas Wick
Distributor	DreamWorks Pictures, aka DreamWorks Studios, a production label of Amblin Partners

Rosalee and her two best friends Pete and Cathy are from a small town in West Virginia. They all work at the local grocery store. One day they find out about a drawing; the winner gets a date with hunk movie star Tad Hamilton. Rosalee enters the contest and her and Cathy fantasize about what they think Tad is like. Cathy asks, “I wonder where he is now?” Rosalee, who is on cloud nine answers “In church.” Rosalee wants to believe that Tad is a moral gentleman, but we quickly learn that he isn’t.

Of course, Rosalee wins the drawing and is on her way to LA for a date with Tad. Everyone is excited for her, except Pete, who is secretly in love with her.

Rose’s date with Tad is exciting, and afterwards she returns home expecting to return to life as usual, but Tad realizes that he needs to change his life for the better and seeks a “friendship” with Rose as his hope. Unexpectedly, Tad shows up at the grocery store where Rose works, and they begin to spend time together. They realize that they are attracted to each other. After buying a house in Virginia and intending to settle down, Tad learns that he is cast as the lead in a major movie and asks Rose to go back to LA with him for the filming, she says yes.

In a last minute effort to win Rose’s heart, Pete shows up at her house while she is packing, and confesses that he loves her, but Rose says it’s too late. Will she continue her growing relationship with Tad or choose the man who really loves her?

Language—There is profanity throughout this film. “A__” is used 6 times, “sh__” twice, “da__ it” once, “he__” 1 time, “s.o.b.” once, “Oh my God” twice, and “for God’s sake” twice.

Sex/Nudity—Tad, who has a nice build is shown without a shirt at least twice and is shown in his boxers once. There is also a scene in which we see Tad sitting on the toilet for some time. We also see Tad’s manager in his underwear. There is a scene by a pool where a woman in a bikini is shown. There are some scenes in a bar where Cathy’s cleavage and the bartender’s cleavage are shown. There is a fair amount of smoking and alcohol.

There are about 7 statements referring to sex, with about half of them being descriptive. There are also several scenes in which Tad sensually kisses a woman and another scene in which he and Rose are making out. An unknown couple are shown making out at one point.

Two positive elements in this movie are that Tad and Rose don’t have sex, and Tad realizes that he needs to change morally for the better.

This movie is entertaining, but average. It is a typical romantic comedy, in the vein of “Sweet Home Alabama”. In my opinion though, I would not recommend this movie to teenaged young ladies.

[Editor’s note: Reviewer Brady Williams has been a Christian for 14 years and is the co-star and writer of the bestselling video series, “The Bibleman Adventures”.]

…”This movie has heart.” Not only was the plot charming, but the actors and actresses added just the right amount of humor and feeling to the story… There are a lot of good things to say about “Win a Date with Tad Hamilton”, but the one that stands out the most is that true love is beautiful. Rosalee doesn’t have sex with Ted or Pete, and she decides not to stay with Tad alone at his house even if it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The movie doesn’t go against the Bible’s guidelines of saving sex for marriage… Although Tad and Rosalee do make out on several occasions, Rosalee stops Tad when he moves his hands towards the buttons on her shirt and a policeman interrupts them when they’re kissing in a car. Pete tells Rosalee to guard her “carnal treasure,” warning her that Tad probably only wants her for sex and not love. It’s about time that a movie made a distinction between the two!

When Tad drinks and fools around with a woman in a car before he meets Rosalee, his actions are frowned upon by his manager and agent. After Tad does meet Rosalee, he refuses a martini, saying that he will be driving. The actor seems impressed when Rosalee refuses to stay alone with him at his house, and he does not try to sway her decision.

…For all its values and sweet details, “Win a Date with Tad Hamilton” does have some disappointing moments… A couple song clips in the movie, including a Barry White tune, may offend Christians with their sensual words. There are some brief scenes of women wearing skimpy bathing suits… Rosalee’s friend Cathy has a dirty mouth, and I found myself uncomfortable most times she spoke. She gave the impression of an easy girl, and she spoke sensually when she and Pete wondered what Tad and Rosalee were doing on their date. She basically told Tad that she was willing to have sex with him, but he appeared more amused at her emotional behavior than pleased. The movie has the usual, unfortunate expletives… There is some sexual dialogue, and a male motel clerk flirted with Tad, although nothing happens. Several scenes show characters drinking beer for fun or when they are depressed. Christians may dislike several kissing scenes, and Rosalee does end up by herself in Tad’s motel room, although only kissing occurs.

The bottom line is that although “Win a Date with Tad Hamilton” has a cute plot and a good heart, it is not without the offensive details that so often plague movies these days…
My Ratings: [Average/4]

Nicole LeBlanc, age 20

Positive—I fully enjoyed this film. Yes, it was fluffy, but it was fun fluff. The dialogue was smarter and wittier than it had to be and the cast gave winning performances especially Topher Grace who shined the brightest. He was excellent, charming and really brought his character to life. I hope to see more roles from him in the future. This movie promotes good, Christian values and I recommend it to anyone 10 and up.
My Ratings: [Better than Average/4]

Wuchen Li, age 33

Positive—I think this movie was definitely better than most PG-13 movies you will see in the theater these days. While it did contain some profanity, and there were scenes with heavy kissing, the main characters did not engage in premarital sex, and thre were many positive messages. Rosalee even points out at one point in the movie that one can be in love with the idea of being in love with a person, without really knowing much about them. Tad also seems to have a genuine change of heart and realize that there is more to life than being a movie star, as evidenced by the fact that he says he needs to get his priorities straight. This movie may be somewhat predictable at times, but it is a cute, fairly clean movie, that I really enjoyed and did not regret seeing.
My Ratings: [Average/4]

Nicole, age 18

Positive—This film definitely has its good and its negative points, but the good outweigh the bad! The three main characters are very believable in their roles and draw the audience into the plot, (especially Topher Grace who plays Pete). While Rosie and Cathy are in fantasy land about who Tad Hamilton really is, Pete is always dead accurate in his assessments of Tad. If you can bear through some of the beginning where we see most of the negative elements (swimsuits, and Tad at his loosest faze) the rest of the film is mostly a pleasant ride. The man who flirts with Tad is portrayed as annoying and slightly stupid, instead of being acceptable and funny.

This film portrays the differences in love and friendship. Cathy usually encourages Rosie to be interested in Tad, since she hasn’t got a chance. Pete, on the other hand, encourages Rosie to “guard her carnal treasure,”(which implies that she is a virgin), and exhorts her to think of Tad as a normal and imperfect person. As the film winds down, Rosie comes to see Tad in same light as we do, that he is ruggedly handsome, rich, has a make-your-knees-weak smile, but is self-centered and shallow. Tad loves Rosie because of what she stands for and what she does for him. Pete loves Rosie for all her little details and who she is. While Tad is caught up with Rosie’s happy personality, Pete notices all the things that make Rosie tick. Pete’s devotion to Rosie makes all us girl viewers hope that we will be blessed with such a wonderful and loving friend.

At the end of the film all the characters have been changed for the better. (Hint: When you finish the movie, on the DVD go to the very last deleted scene titled “Rosie and Pete watch new Tad.” It is just a little extra closure. Also, I am very glad that some of the deleted scenes weren’t put into the film!) This film isn’t for young families. I’d say that this is a good girl film! Have fun catching all the lessons that this film has to offer!
My Ratings: [Better than Average/3½]

Carolyn, age 18

Commnets from young people:

Negative—When I heard about this movie and watched the previews I could hardly wait to see it with my mom. I like romantic comedies. But, when I watched it, I was sadly disappointed. It wasn’t really all that funny and was really kind of boring. I only stayed awake cuz I kept telling myself, “Don’t worry, it’ll get better.” But it never did.
My Ratings: [Average/2½]

Allison, age 14

Neutral—For most of the movie, the main character was determined to remain a virgin—a very admirable decision. However, in one scene near the end, she and a guy are kissing in bed, and he starts to unbutton her shirt. They are interrupted and nothing happens, but this bothered me because she seemed to finally be giving in. Other than that, the movie was cute but poorly made.
My Ratings: [Average/2½]

Christina, age 15

Positive—This movie was pretty cute… There’s some bad language, but not much, and there’s some sexual stuff, like this guy walks in on Tad Hamilton when he’s in the bathroom and they have this big, long conversation. You can’t see anything, but it’s still kind of gross. There’s quite a bit of heavy kissing. There’s some alcohol use, too. I thought it was overall good, though. It’s predictable, and nothing spectacular, but it was entertaining for a teenage girl like me. It’s not really for a wide variety of audience.
My Ratings: [Average/3]

Brittney, age 13

Positive—Although this movie does have some objectionable material. I highly recommend it, especially to teens who need a movie approvable by their parents. This movie does show a lifestyle that includes some scenes of making out but sex is never shown. It also relates to a better, more conservative lifestyle, and favors the latter. The main girl refuses to have sex with even a “movie star” and her best friend encourages her to “guard her carnal treasure” (as the movie states it. I definitely encourage parents to let their kids see this movie because of its encouragement to do what’s right, not what’s easy.
My Ratings: [Average/4]

M., age 14

Positive—I think that this movie was very good! It was kind of a fairy tale movie but still very cute! The bathroom scene might be a little objectionable for parents with younger children, but overall a very good movie.
My Ratings: [Better than Average/4]

Josie, age 15

Negative—A piece of hormonal drivel. Ok, I rented this movie because I heard that Tad starts liking Rosie because of her high morals, well… she somewhat has them. Her friend Pete tells her to guard her “carnal treasure” (when was the last time we ever heard that? Excellent thing to have in a movie, especially in today’s culture!), but she still has no problem making-out with Tad on his bed. A big no-no as we know. Her friend (Kathy?) talks way too much about sex in too much detail. A big surprise to me, who was expecting the PG-13 rating to be over-done. The casting is great, but the script is shallow. Don’t waste your money.
My Ratings: [Average/3]

Noelle, age 16

Positive—I enjoyed this movie a lot. It was cute, funny, and mostly clean. It was nice to see a PG-13 movie that wasn’t full of bad language and sex. There was a scene where Tad unbuttons Rosalee’s shirt but she quickly stops him. There was also a part where Tad is seen using the rest room BUT…(he quickly covers) before anything is shown. I watched this movie with a group of friends girls, as well as boys and felt no regrets. There were a few parts that my face turned red due to my guy friends being there but overall this movie was cute and enjoyable. Go see it! You won’t regret it!
My Ratings: [Better than Average/4]

Cara, age 13

Negative—I was so unhappy after I watched this movie. It wasn’t worth the $4.00 I spent to rent it. It is very funny, but there are so many objectional scenes and comments made, that I felt horrible after I watched it. My mother was equally disappointed with the film. It shows young adults kissing on top of a bed several times, a man who appears to be gay, and quite a bit of foul language, to say the least. I recommend anyone under seventeen to watch this film. While some say it is only, “Slightly objectional,” there is plenty of examples of breaking God’s law by cussing, behaving impurely, and immodest dress. Please, save your money, and rent something with more value, like, “Secondhand Lions,” or even a classic like, “The Sound of Music.”
My Ratings: [Very Offensive/2]

Mariette, age 14

Movie Critics

…Fourteen-year-old girls will find the movie enchanting. Your own response may depend on your tolerance for confectioner’s sugar…

Ty Burr, Boston Globe

…exposition is poorly executed, genuine laughs come infrequently and you quickly lose confidence that the filmmakers even understand what their basic joke is…

Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter

…the movie is neither a compelling underdog story nor an especially funny romantic comedy…

Carla Meyer, San Francisco Chronicle

…So sugary it may cause tooth decay, but its charms are naively appealing for the sweet 16 set…

Melinda Ennis, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

…There are things about Tad Hamilton that take away from its wholesome appeal (drinking, profanity and uncalled-for sexual comments), but it possesses something few modern screen romances have: a soft center and a healthy heart…

Steven Isaac, Plugged In

…a breezy, relatively innocuous romantic comedy that contains, however, some light sexual innuendoes and light foul language…

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