(02/11/04 12:00pm)
Girl swoons over boy on the big screen. Girl wins date with boy. Wackiness ensues. Such are the events in the new motion picture "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton."
Tad Hamilton (Josh Duhamel) is a movie star heartthrob desperately in need of reputation rehab.
Rosalee Futch, played by Kate Bosworth, is a sweet-as-sugar Piggly Wiggly cashier living in Frazier's Bottom, W.Va. and is desperately in love with said hunk. (Frazier's Bottom? Might as well have been Nowheresville.) What chick-flick force of nature brings this unlikely couple together you ask? Why, a contest where the grand prize is a date with big-screen idol, Tad Hamilton and of course, Rosalee's luck.
Tad's agent, Richard Levy (Nathan Lane), and his manager, ironically also named Richard Levy (Sean Hayes of "Will and Grace"), throw this contest together in a public relations scheme to renew Tad's tarnished image. It's a dream come true for Rosalee. She is flown out to Hollywood to meet the man of her dreams and dine in style. No one expected Tad to fall for a "real world" girl, though. He hops a plane and moves to West Virginia so that her "goodness will rub off on him."
This poses a problem for the cynical and hilarious Levy team and Pete (Topher Grace), Rosie's co-worker and longtime best friend. Just as Pete has come to terms with his secret love of Rosie and builds up the confidence to tell her, Hamilton rides in on his Porsche with his killer smile.
Pete has to work fast and make a move or he might lose her forever. I won't ruin the ending for you though.
"(It's) One of those movies that you secretly sneak into the theaters for," Laura Potter Soderstrom, senior elementary education/psychology major said. "You know how the story is going to play out, but you shamefully watch it anyhow. You can't help it." So true, it just sneaks up on you.
The cast of "Win a Date" really makes the plot believable though. Kate Bosworth could have totally overplayed the part of innocent and sweet small town Rosalee, but she balanced it very nicely.
As Tad, Josh Duhamel does exactly what is required of him. He plays the self-centered yet harmless distraction for Rosalee. We don't hate him because he is genuinely a good guy. He may not be a perfect guy, but he is a good guy nonetheless. Topher Grace, whom I'm sure we've all seen on "That 70's Show" gives a top shelf performance.
Although Tad is a gorgeous specimen of man with a capital "G" and makes the Andrew Keagan's and Zack Morris' of our time look like boys, Topher is the boy next door that we pray won't finish last.
His refreshing sarcasm, quirky intelligence and adorable glasses give him that nice guy appeal. I wanted to pinch his cheeks and marry him myself. I'm not saying that someone gets married. Topher just makes me want to be a better woman.
Bottom line - Kudos to the director, Robert Luketic, who also directed "Legally Blonde" and wisely passed on its sequel. He hit a home run with this romantic comedy. This is one date you won't want to break!
(02/04/04 12:00pm)
Mandy Moore stars in "Chasing Liberty" as 18-year-old Anna Foster, the daughter of the president of the United States.
The uber-sexy president, played by Mark Harmon, has Anna under surveillance 24/7 by his secret agents, including Morales (Annabelle Sciorra) and Weiss (Jeremy Piven).
This, needless to say, puts a major damper on her dating life. An awkward event at a local restaurant pushes Anna over the edge. She's dying to experience freedom for the first time.
A presidential trip overseas to Prague with her parents presents her with the opportunity to do just that.
She strikes a deal with Daddy to attend a concert with her French friend sans the men in black that usually follow her.
President Foster goes back on his promise when Anna discovers that the club is swarming with his entourage.
Anna pulls a fast one and books it out of the show and onto the streets of Prague, where she hops onto the moped of a gorgeous stranger, Ben Calder (Matthew Goode).
Little does Anna know that Ben is actually a part of the secret service posse. Ben, who poses as a hobby photographer, watches over Anna on her journey through Europe to the "Love Parade" in Berlin. Although Goode is new to the scene, he definitely caught my attention.
I could go on for days about his amazing body, great accent and acting talent (these are not listed in any order of importance). Needless to say, Goode is one to watch in the future.
The two ditch the secret service agents and start out on a wild adventure full of bungee jumping Germans, eccentric pocket pickers, bill-ditching and much more with Weiss and Morales at their heels.
These two quirky agents provide a great side story. Weiss' refreshingly cheap pick-up lines roll right off of Morales' back. Their chemistry is both hilarious and adorably romantic.
Meanwhile, somewhere in between her teenage rebellion and the cultural experience, Anna falls in love with my guy, Ben, and finally experiences everyday life.
Moore lacked depth and perhaps has been typecast one too many times as the rebel teenager. I also need to mention that Moore does a lot of shameless running and arm flailing in this movie, which is not something I would recommend with her athletic abilities.
"She was 'that girl,' who every boy would probably hate in real life," Robin Yellen, senior Biology major, said after seeing the film. "I just wanted to slap her for being so dumb. But, if that's the kind of girl that Matthew Goode wants, I can change my entire personality."
My advice - Mandy, don't be that girl. As a devoted fan (although I might not sound it at the moment), I have followed her career and this movie, by far, was my least favorite, although it did have its redeemable moments. For instance, Matthew Goode and the fact that Jason Mraz's "Who Needs Shelter" is played a few times throughout the movie (check out his CD "Waiting for My Rocket to Come").
If you're looking for a worthwhile Moore fix that showcases her talents, check out "A Walk to Remember."
"Chasing Liberty," on the other hand, is definitely not one of the year's critically acclaimed films. But it is a feel-good chick flick.
There is a highlight for the boys also though. An intoxicated Mandy finds her way into the Vltava River - completely naked. Rumors have been confirmed that it was a body double, though. Sorry, kids.
Bottom line - Matthew, call me! This movie should have been called "Chasing Goode."