On a recent lazy Sunday morning, the girlfriend and I watched a little bit of "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!", the 2004 romantic comedy starring Kate Bosworth and Topher Grace. When I first saw the film, I was blown away by its big heart and well-defined characters. Consequently, it made my top 10 list for 2004.
Now that you're done laughing, here's where I partially realize the error of my ways. The film is preposterously cast. Kate Bosworth is very good in the lead role--a small-town supermarket clerk who wins a date with her favorite movie star, leading to a load of complications--but have you seen Bosworth? She looks like someone owhose sole purpose in life is to be a movie star (e.g. Megan Fox, Heather Graham). Putting Bosworth in a cashier's smock and jeans doesn't change that status.
The more practical solution would have been to put co-star Ginnifer Goodwin in the lead, a terrific actress who isn't preposterously good looking. Cast her and it's more realistic that Tad Hamilton (Josh Duhamel) would fall in love with a small-town girl and her values. With Bosworth in the lead, those values are obscured by more carnal notions.
I'm still not going to apologize for liking "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!" What I wrote for Filmcritic.com still stands. If that means I have to trade in my guy credentials, so be it.
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