Miss Congeniality

Rating:
Summary: Har-har! (snort) WHOOPS (splat)
Review: Pratfalls and snorty laughter, Sandra (Austin's Sweetheart) Bullock's stock-in-trade, were never put on better display than in this film. "Miss Congeniality" is a little whispy and predictable, and while generally enjoyable enough never reaches the heights of zaniness it might have aspired to. Without Sandy, it would be a dull and cheerless thing indeed, despite workmanlike performances by Candace Bergen, Michael Caine, and the old hamasaurus himself, William Shatner. Fortunately, the irrepressible Miss Bullock's considerable comedic talents raise the script beyond itself. But the true gem in the DVD version is the alternate audio track with running commentary from Bullock and one of the screenwriters -- this is very entertaining and revealing and is frequently much funnier than the movie itself. Add an extra half-star to the DVD version for this feature alone. Is not Sandra Bullock all-Leo? Who wouldn't want to be her pal?

Sidebar Note: my wife and I worked for two miserable days as "background actors" (extras) on this movie, which was largely shot in Austin in the spring of 2000. You will not see us, alas! The dance club scenes have been cut to almost non-existence. (How unlike my stint as a military reenactor in "Two for Texas," in which my coonskin cap stole the show!) Another brush with Oscar denied. How cruel this business is! Sob!

(Ha-ha! snort-snort!)

Rating:
Summary: Miss Congeniality One Funny Film!
Review: I really loved this movie! Sandra Bullock makes this film non-stop laughs!
Legs waxed, lips glossed, gun ready, FBI agent Gracie Hart is going uncover as Miss New Jersy, a hopeful eager to be the next Miss United States. But Gracie doesn't have a beauty pagent bone in her body!
I really loved this movie! Sandra Bullock makes this film non-stop laughs!
In this film, Sandra Bullock plays Gracie Hart, a VERY masciline FBI agent who is the only agent good enough looking to go undercover as Miss New Jersey in The Miss United States pagent, to find a terrorist targeting the pagent.
Being that Gracie is such a masciline woman, she undergoes a seriously through (and painful) makeover, to make herself look attractive. But hey it's Sandra Bullock, so they didn't actually have to do all that much!
With Gracie's anti-feminist ideals, she thinks that all pagent contestants are "air headed bimbos with names like Gracie Lue Freebush", so this is a very trying experiance for her.
By the end of the film, once Gracie is "transformed" into a lady, she realizes that pagents contestants are not so dumb, but "really intelligent ladys....just trying to make a difference in the world."
Michael Caine plays the frustrated consultant hired to turn the FBI's Dirty Harriet into a poised beauty! Benjamin Bratt plays Gracie's partner in the FBI, who finally seeing Gracie as a lady, falls in love with her. Candice Bergen plays Miss Morningside, the pagent's cordinater and also the one who wants to destroy it.
William Shatner plays the Assistent Host of the pagent, providing comical relief throughout the film.
This film is pure comady!
See it if you need laughs!
You won't be disappointed!

Rating:
Summary: Good movie
Review: A great movie with underlying tones. Sandra Bullock is great in this movie. Gracie is an FBI agent who has never really fit in as a girl, in fact all of the people in her office think she is quite unattractive.

Now comes the irony and humor. The FBI has a good lead that there will be an attack at the upcoming Miss America contest and guess what Gracie is all they have.

Miss Congeniality is okay and it does make for a good laugh, however the plot is a bit silly and the testosterone level is very low, most of it coming from Sandra Bullock!

Rating:
Summary: my fav movie
Review: this movie is my favorite, me and my friends luv getting together and watching it. its is our favorite and when we aren't watching it we are talking about it and laughing at the jokes.
we love and i'm sure u will too!, i don't know whats wrong with the other reviewers, but they are sooooo wrong! this is a modern day version of My Fair Lady.

Rating:
Summary: cute comedy
Review: Sandra Bullock, after years of undeserving material (including the dreadful FORCES OF NATURE and SPEED 2), has finally found herself again in this cute comedy, MISS CONGENIALITY.
Gracie Hart (Sandra Bullock), is a man's woman. She is a bloated, boozy and unkempt young thing who's table manners leave a lot to be desired. Suddenly, the young FBI agent finds herself being called undercover to stake out a beauty pageant, she needs to polish, buff and pluck herself in order to assume the identity of Miss New Jersey - Gracie Lou Freebush!!!
With help from campy pageant veteran Victor Melling (Michael Caine), she goes from Forrest Gump to Pamela Anderson - with hilarious laughs all the way!
A fantastic comedy - finally Bullock has tapped back into her "feelgood comedy" vein that she captured so wonderfully in the hits WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING and 28 DAYS.
With Benjamin Bratt, Candace Bergen and William Shatner.

Rating:
Summary: wan comedy
Review: George Bernard Shaw's classic play "Pygmalion" has probably inspired more movie plots than any theatrical work I can think of. Although I don't expect each and every one of them to be of the caliber of "My Fair Lady," it still amazes me how such a profoundly clever and witty source work can result in so many lowbrow and humorless imitations.

The latest such fiasco is "Miss Congeniality," an alleged comedy starring Sandra Bullock as a tomboyish New York City FBI agent who is sent undercover as a contestant to help nab a killer threatening to target the Miss United States Beauty Pageant. Ms. Bullock plays the Eliza Doolittle to Michael Caine's Professor Henry Higgins, in this case a snooty, effete "groomer" of prospective contestants whose job it is to pass the less-than-ladylike Ms. Bullock off as a viable candidate. If Shaw was nothing else, he was a brilliant writer of scintillating dialogue. To say that what passes for dialogue between these two characters - essentially a barrage of crude, uninspired insults - falls far short of Shavian wit would indeed be a massive understatement. One of the biggest problems with the film is that Bullock, in an attempt to appear unpleasant and abrasive, manages to obscure the one quality that has sustained her in most of her previous films - her innate sweetness and charm. Unfortunately, we neither believe nor like her in this role - and without that crucial element of audience identification, the entire comedy falls to pieces. We simply don't accept her for a second as the uncouth slob she is attempting to portray. We know she is just "playing" at being dowdy and crude so that she can be transformed, Cinderella-like, into a lady in time for the ball. Her prince, a fellow FBI agent played by Benjamin Bratt, starts off as a bland foil only to turn into an even blander romantic love interest. Only Candice Bergen as the pageant's director and William Shatner as the show's emcee seem to have the slightest clue that they are even in a comedy at all. Considering the fact that there is really only one laugh-out-loud moment in the whole movie (Bullock's attempt to tackle a supposed suspect), they might be mistaken after all.

If you want to see a GOOD modern version of "Pygmalion," (also starring Michael Caine in the Higgins role), check out 1983's delightful "Educating Rita" and skip "Miss Congeniality."

Rating:
Summary: Sandra Bullock's Finest
Review: Sandra Bullock's career is usually hit and miss. This one is a hit. This film wouldn't of been as good if someone else had played Sandra's part. She plays a cop who goes undercover as a beauty pageant contestant to try to find out who's going to bomb the pageant show. The film is incredibly predictable, but very fun. You can pretty much tell what's going to happen through the entire movie. Sandra is at her most adorable in this movie. She has an incredible knack for this type of comedy. She is the master at this. Benjamin Bratt, as her co-worker, is completely wasted. His role is a very cliched part. You can smell them getting together before the movie's opening credits are over. The really best parts of this movie are Michael Caine and Candace Bergen. First of all, it's a real delight to see the former Murphy Brown on the big screen. Hope it happens often. Michael Caine is the pageant expert. He tries to turn Sandra into a believeable contestant. This is by far Sir Michael's finest comedic performance. He is, and always will be, one of cinema's finest. Miss Congeniality won't win any awards itself, but it sure makes for fun entertainment.

Rating:
Summary: Light, fun - and all Sandra Bullock
Review: Let's not be confused: this movie is not intended to be more than it is, a light comedy that highlights Sandra Bullock's considerable talents. It succeeds admirably with its goal. "Miss Congeniality" is funny and well-paced, slapstick in parts, but all Sandra Bullock.

Gracie Hart (Bullock) is a rough and tumble FBI agent who is both clumsy and skilled in self-defense, a woman who pounds her punching bag after a frustrating day at work. She is the unlikely candidate to go undercover at a beauty pageant, but she's the only one in the bureau office who looks good in a computerized bathing suit. Michael Caine is hilarious as the man in charge of making her over in two days, and Benjamin Bratt is convincingly clueless and charming as her friend and sudden supervisor. Candice Bergen and William Shatner, as the pageant's directors, are brilliant casting choices.

While Sandra Bullock goes overboard at times making her character uncouth and uncoordinated, she completely carries this movie with her on-screen presence. Her makeover is convincing because Bullock never allows us to forget what lies underneath the sheen.

The best part of the DVD is not the movie itself. It's the running commentary of Bullock and co-writer Marc Lawrence found in the special features menu. I almost watched this movie twice in one sitting as I listened to them joke and tell the background of the filming and writing from the beginning to the end of the movie. They were as entertaining as the movie itself. If you buy or rent the DVD, don't miss this feature!

Rating:
Summary: I'll bet you can't watch this just once....
Review: Sandra Bullock is as funny as she is beautiful which is pretty darn funny in my book. The rest of the cast were perfect for their parts. I've always been a fan of Candice Bergen since I fell for her in Sand Pebbles and who doesn't like Capt. Kirk AKA William Shatner playing his part to a "T". The fact that Michael Caine almost stole the show should be no great surprise to Michael Caine fans. The movie is not only watchable but very re-watchable. I already have this on VHS but I'm getting the DVD version for all the extra goodies that are thrown in and the VHS tape is starting to wear out.

Rating:
Summary: Saved by Sandra Bullock
Review: For a fairly unoriginal and so-so storyline this film is pulled off rather well perhaps only because of the acting and producing capabilities of leading lady Sandra Bullock. In her hands it becomes a very enjoyable, amusing and fun film where it could easily have been an unbearable mess.

There is a bomb scare at the Miss United States beauty pageant and the FBI decide to send in someone undercover but the only person for the job is Gracie Hart, a total tomboy who wouldn't be caught dead in a swimsuit. With the help of Micheal Caine, of all people, Gracie is transformed fit for the pageant. That is, of course, if you believed in the first place that Sandra Bullock was a scruff. It's the classic make-over movie with the enevitable romantic storyline.

Having said all that it is a very entertaining film. Sandra Bullock does a fantastic job, the suporting cast are solid and there is nothing that spoils enjoyment of this film. My advice; this is a perfect film for a night in with the girls. Funny, sexy, and completely delightful.