Describing “Win a Date With Tad Hamilton!” is akin to re-assembling the lyrics to an old pop tune that you’d rather forget. The movie is kinda dumb, kinda smart, kinda sweet and young at heart.

Its humor never finds a consistent mood. It meanders between self-congratulatory satire and warm-hearted romance. Still, the movie’s got enough genuine wit to keep it a notch above most contemporary comedies. Even the obligatory bathroom vignette is relatively refined.

The eponymous Tad Hamilton is a young Hollywood stud whose career has been hampered by bad-boy tabloid publicity. His handlers persuade him to be part of a career-rehab Win-a-Date contest, with proceeds going to charity. Winning the contest is Rosalee Futch, a friendly checker at a Piggly Wiggly supermarket in West Virginia, who squeals at the mention of Tad’s name.

All this proves worrisome to Rosalee’s young boss and longtime friend Pete Monash, who has loved her silently for all of their 22 years. When Tad becomes smitten with Rosalee’s innocence, he takes a private jet to her homestead, buys a ranch and woos her as a proper West Virginian should. The movie becomes a romantic triangle of Rosalie, Tad and the ever-wistful Pete.

“Win a Date” focuses more on Pete than Tad, and “That “70s Show’s” Topher Grace is a winning underdog. His self-deprecating wit seldom seems phony, and his playful sense of physical humor gets a strong workout. Josh Duhamel, of television’s Las Vegas, doesn’t rely on hunk-with-a-heart cliches. At all times, you’re aware that he may subconsciously be training for a new role, and that nothing is more important to him than his next movie.

Rosalee, played by “Blue Crush’s” Kate Bosworth, is the movie’s problem character. She initially seems a ninny, willing to believe all hyperbole about hunky Tad. Suddenly, she shifts into an all-wise mode, able to recognize the different layers of a relationship. Bosworth has an appealing screen presence, but she can’t conquer her character’s inconsistencies.

Gary Cole makes a strong impression as Rosalee’s accommodating dad. Nathan Lane, of Broadway’s “Producers” renown, and Sean Hayes, of “Will & Grace,” hit the expected comic notes as Tad’s handlers, while Kathryn Hahn glows as a bartender destined to go through life sadder-but-wiser.

Your memories of “Win a Date With Tad Hamilton!” will fade, but they’ll be fond while they last.

Grade: B-

Starring Topher Grace, Kate Bosworth, Josh Duhamel, Nathan Lane, Sean Hayes, Gary Cole and Kathryn Hahn. Directed by Richard Luketic. Rated PG-13 (sex, mild drugs). In wide release. 96 min.

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