MovieChat Forums > Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! (2004) Discussion > Just watched it on Prime.

Just watched it on Prime.

posted 3 years ago by melissah1982 (883)
2 replies | jump to latest

I remember when this movie came out but, for whatever reason, never went and saw it. I loved Josh Duhamel from All My Children and I remember this being one of his big break movies. Anyway, I finally got to see it and over all it was really funny and cute. I didn't agree with the execution of the moral though. It was very muddy.

The idea of the story is the girl has a choice between the bad boy and the nice guy. Unrequited love, which many people can relate to, and making the right choice for you. All those themes would automatically want you, as the viewer, to choose Pete. But in the actual context of the film, I HATED Pete and was actually annoyed Rosalee didn't choose Tad. Instead of being the sweet nice guy who silently loved Rosalee and had to deal with his feelings of being passed over because they were just friends, he came off more like the toxic nice guys. The ones who feel entitled to a woman and when they don't get the affection they feel they deserve, he gets really nasty. He was a jerk. I hated that Rosalee didn't call him out on the fact he called the cops on her date. That would have ended the friendship for me. On top of that, he tries to end the date by trying to make her work a late ship. He was taking all autonomy from Rosalee. It was possessive and controlling. And he's supposed to be the one we root for at the end? Absolutely not.

And then they botched whatever they were trying to do with Tad. If they wanted him to be the foil or bad guy, they never should have put this 'getting my shit together' storyline in there. Because HE was the one who ended up looking like the hero. Vein, party guy who just dates hot chicks realizes his life is missing something and he goes in search of himself and falls in love with someone he least suspected. He was willing to give up a film he had been chasing for her. He never tried to take advantage of her (yea he did, he's a guy, but was respectful when she was hesitant lol). And they spend the entire film establishing all of this to ruin his character with the 'smile' line and him talking on the phone too much on the airplane. The only reason they did that at the end was to make Pete look good. But I'm sorry, I'd rather deal with the movie star life over being obsessed over and controlled by an asshole 'nice guy.' And that's not a good thing! lol

In the end, the overall movie until the end (where Tad asks Rosalee to come to Hollywood) was great. Then they tried way to hard to push a message that didn't resonate and pushed two characters together that didn't make sense. I was in a place where I was the Pete character. In love with someone who didn't love me back and ultimately married his 'Tad Hamilton'. So I should have LOVED the fact Rosalee chose Pete just for my own wish fulfillment. But they way it happened didn't work for me. I hated how Rosalee wasn't given enough time to figure her feelings out. I don't think people just decide to fall in love with someone. They tried to make it seem like she loved Pete all along but it made no sense. He never made a move and when women friend zone like that, it doesn't just end because nice guy made a grand gesture. It just made Rosalee look fickle in the story. Fickle and very immature.

In my head, which I guess would have been more generic Hallmark stuff, would be Rosalee being pissed at Tad for tricking her with the 'smile' line and going with Pete but realize she is settling and Tad, who realized he DID love Rosalee more than just an idea goes after her and her choosing him because HE treated her like a person and not like a celebrity the way Pete did. I dunno.

[–] punkrockgirl (1270) 2 years ago

I basically felt the same way. I've seen this movie twice, and I totally agree with you. There are some things I like about it, like the concept is cute and the main character is very likeable, but other than that, there are too many flaws and I think that's the reason Tad Hamilton wasn't as much of a success as it could've been, financially or critically. What would you expect from a 2004 romcom? Of course she's going to choose her best friend that's secretly always been in love with her over the other guy, even if he's the better choice.

The main problem that I had with this film is the guy she chooses in the end is very annoying. The actor that plays him is very good, don't get me wrong, but the character himself is controlling and unkind. I think Tad would've been a better choice. You're totally right that all of a sudden they try to make him seem like more a jerk near the end. Throughout the whole movie, you can tell he genuinely cares about her and is trying to be a better person.

[–] melissah1982 (883) 2 years ago

Agree. I like Topher Grace. I didn't realize he was in the film so that was a nice surprise. It had nothing to do with him as a person but the character he was forced to play. When he started talking about her 'carnal treasure' I was really creeped out by it. I tried to take it as this is southern religious sheltered stuff but it was just something a friend doesn't say to you. It was icky and he just got worse as the movie went on.

I have nothing wrong with Rom Coms but I do hate when they make them way too complicated than they need to be. i definitely felt the writers boxed themselves in and then it was too late to change things so the just altered the ending. It's a shame because they just focused on the wrong stuff and it would have been a much memorable and likeable film. It was never going to be a A list film but I have no interest to watch this again and it's a shame.