Back in high school, I was the bearer of an unrequited crush on a girl I always believed to be out of my league. She was smart and beautiful and my tongue tied up in knots every time an attempt was made to reveal my true feelings for her. We were great friends but I was never able to elevate our relationship beyond that for fear of being rejected and losing her for good. As a result, I doomed myself to stand idly by and watch as she dated jocks and jerks that treated her only a fraction as well as I did.

       Why do I share this embarrassing period of personal history with you, the world? To illustrate how well I identified with Pete, one-third of a developing love triangle, in the recent DVD release Win A Date With Tad Hamilton.

       The marketing for this film has been aimed primarily at a teen audience, but it is actually a pretty good adult rom-com. Admittedly formulaic, Win A Date is also witty and intelligent in places and features winning performances from the three leads: Kate Bosworth, Topher Grace, and Josh Duhamel.

       Rosalie Futch (Bosworth) is an all-American small-town girl spending her time cashiering at the Piggly Wiggly and attending Tad Hamilton movies at the local theatre with best friends Pete (Topher Grace) and Cathy (Ginnifer Goodwin). Rosalie is the ultimate Tad Hamilton fan, memorizing every line of every film and convinced that he is perfect in every way. In reality, Hamilton (Duhamel) is a cad, a womanizing party-boy in desperate need of an image overhaul. He reluctantly agrees to a contest in which the winner will win a date with him in hopes of convincing the press (and a director reluctant to cast him in a big role) that he is a good guy. It should be no surprise that our Rosalie wins the contest and falls head over heels for the dashing and handsome Tad, a turn of events that presents big problems for Pete as he struggles to compete with this new rival for Rosalie's affection. The plot plays out in true Hollywood fashion, complete with a rain-soaked finale that has Rosalie following her heart and chasing after her one true love.

       Win A Date is a pretty standard love story and, on its own, not a very engaging one. What makes this film special are the performances. Bosworth is radiant, a perfect blend of small-town naïveté and worldly sophistication. Grace is touching and funny, trying to remain supportive while his insides twist into knots. He expertly conveys the emotional turmoil of a man confronted with losing the only girl he's ever loved yet unable to find the courage to fight for her. Duhamel, too, is excellent. His Tad walks a fine line between jerk and genuine as he becomes enamored with Rosalie and a simpler life away from the watchful eyes of Hollywood. Win A Date also features very funny supporting performances from Nathan Lane and Sean Hayes as Tad's agent and manager respectively.

       Win A Date With Tad Hamilton is presented on DVD in 2.35:1 Widescreen anamorphic & 5.1 Dolby Digital. Bonus features are minimal, but include 30 minutes or so of deleted scenes (including, inexplicably, a couple of scenes featuring budding actress Paris Hilton!), a gag reel that is really a highlight of Lane/Hayes gaffes, cast photos, cast/crew bios, production notes, and sneak peeks of upcoming films.

Overall, Win A Date With Tad Hamilton is a pleasant surprise, a delightful throwback to 50' s-style rom-com and a much-appreciated reminder that nice guys don't always finish last.