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Miss Congeniality Customer Reviews (1 - 3 of 31 Reviews)

Why you get your money's worth with this DVD
I held off purchasing (let alone watching) this movie for awhile, not particularly attracted by the previews I'd seen. I'm glad I finally got a chance to see this delight of a film. It showcases the comedic talents of Sandra Bullock, who's also supported by a strong cast of other actors - including Michael Caine, Benjamin Bratt and Candice Bergen. I found Bullock to be believable as klutzy FBI agent Gracie Hart, forced to go undercover as a beauty pageant contestant. I really enjoyed the moments in this film when Gracie Hart didn't quite get on top of the whole beauty pageant mentality, when she slipped out of character and lets the real person, flaws and all, show. Michael Caine is superb as the man behind the woman, playing a gay beauty consultant who is nearly overwhelmed by the challenge of transforming Bullock/Gracie Hart into a credible pageant contestant. As if this weren't enough, the DVD has all the extras that provide a close-up look at the making of this film. There are some funny out takes, two documentaries, two feature-length audio commentaries (one with Bullock and co-screenwriter Mark Lawrence, the other with director Donald Petrie)...and much more. Listening to her commentary, I felt like Bullock revealed a bit of the person behind the actress and this was a special treat.

Bullock and Caine spar for the Crown
This is a funny, wonderful "Pretty Woman/My Fair Lady" story. The twist here is that our heroine, Gracie Hart (Sandra Bullock), is a smart, tough F.B.I. agent who does NOT want to be transformed.

Bullock is entirely believable as the smart, gawky ugly duckling who becomes more gracious, MUCH more attractive, but still has a goofy laugh, messy hair, and no idea how to apply makeup. Benjamin Bratt is weak as her coworker and love interest. Michael Caine is brilliantly funny as her makeover guru. Candace Bergen and William Shatner are good in their cartoonish supporting roles as pageant organizer and pageant emcee.

The story is that Hart has to go undercover at a beauty pageant to catch a notorious serial killer. She doesn't want to AT ALL. She resists most of the way through the pageant. Michael Caine has the thankless job of trying to transform her in very short order from a "cow-masticating" tomboy geek into a believable beauty pageant contestant. The interplay between Bullock and Caine is what makes the movie worth watching.

This is a wonderful movie because Hart doesn't give up her soul or her values in her transformation from duckling to swan. (Her "talent" performance in the pageant shows you this in very clear terms.) All that happens to her is she becomes more comfortable with her feminine side and she learns to appreciate other smart, ambitious women who are also beautiful and know how to take advantage of that fact.

There is no serious, deep message in this film, and if you abhor beauty pageants, you probably won't like it, but if you want to see a funny, goofy, endearing performance by Bullock and a brilliant, sardonic performance by Caine, you should get this movie. It is well worth repeat viewing.

Sandra Bullock hits top again
This movie launched Sandra Bullock into the public eye after a string of poor choices such as '28 Days' and 'Speed 2: Cruise Control'. It's credit to her acting abilities that the audience roots for her throughout. In the movie she's an ugly (or as ugly as Sandra Bullock could ever get) cop called Gracie whose assignment is to go undercover at a beauty pageant where there's a planned sabotage. If it sounds silly that's because it is and the subplot with the bad guys is merely perfunctory. It's the hilarious skit on beauty pageants that really gives this movie its sparkle.

It's fair to say that such things are easy to take off, but in parts this film is genuinely funny without having to resort to toilet or gross-out humour. Of course Gracie finds out that these beauty pageant contestants are real people, not such airheads. Yet there are some great supporting roles from the other girls (Michael Caine and Benjamin Bratt are just passable) that give the film that warm fuzzy and light feeling that appealed it to the watchers.

More importantly, this gives Sandra Bullock another chance to break Hollywood again. Her performances in films such as 'Speed' show that she has what's needed to become the next Julia Roberts - but better.

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