Gracie Hart (Sandra Bullock) is a slob! She belches, talks with her mouth full, and doesn’t even own a hairbrush. She's a pretty good FBI agent, very smart, an expert at self-defense, and pretty much one of the 'boys'. She's had 2 dates in 10 years and both were disasters. She walks like John Wayne, talks like Marlon Brando and dresses like Charlie Chaplin's "Tramp". So how could she ever be in a beauty contest?

Well first you have a bomb threat at a nationally televised beauty contest. Then you decide to put an undercover FBI agent in as a contestant so that she can work the case from the inside. Then you discover that all women FBI agents are dogs, except 2. And since one of those 2 is out on maternity leave, you're stuck with the girl who looks and acts more like a guy than a lot of the guys do.

Well it's a little bit thin but it works well enough for a comedy. A bigger mystery to me was how they were going to convince me that Sandra Bullock was an unappealing slob. And the answer to that one is, she's a good actress. Ok, the makeup and custom department certainly did their jobs. But I was impressed watching Sandra suck food from her teeth as she slouched over a bar and mumbled snide remarks about a pretty but dim girl that she just met. Comedy is where Sandra shines, and this film really lets her take her comedic talents all the way. Witty lines are delivered with perfect timing and just the right facial expressions. These are interspersed with slapstick falls that show she can do physical comedy as well.

This film is really a Sandra vehicle and the rest of the cast could have easily been lost in the shuffle, but the supporting cast is made up entirely of seasoned actors that can't be hidden, drowned out, or ignored. The first up is Gracie's partner, Eric Matthews, played by Benjamin Bratt. He easily keeps up with Sandra, but doesn't steal any scenes from her.

Not so for scene-stealer Candice Bergen who plays pageant director Kathy Morningside. This "180-degree from Murphy Brown" role has her bathing in the glory of her own beauty, while keeping Murphy's strength and resolve. It's impossible to not be looking at Candice in any scene she is in, even if Sandra and a dozen pretty girls in swimsuits are right behind her.

Also stealing screen time from Sandra is the incomparable Michael Caine as Gracie's makeover artist and pageant consultant, Victor Melling. Caine plays the flamboyantly without stretching credulity. A lesser actor would have overdone it, but as outrageous as the character is, he's still believable thanks to Caine's talent.

William Shatner was surprisingly good as Pageant Host, Stan Fields. Like Caine he stretches the part almost to the point of caricature, but restrains from overdoing it. This is probably the most real acting I've ever seen from the usually wooden Shatner.

The only other significant role was that of Miss "Rhode Island", Cheryl, played by Heather Burns. With her first movie role being a smallish part in "You've Got Mail" only 2 years before this film, Heather doesn't have the experience of the others, but that doesn't hold her back. Her character is cute, funny and interesting and well acted. Cheryl is so full of love and life that it seems to be contagious. But beyond her perky exterior is a girl troubled by the conflict between what she wants in her heart to be, and what her conservative parents expect of her.

Now for the story. She won't admit it but Gracie's life is missing something. Everyone else can see it, but she denies it. She lacks companionship. She has camaraderie with the other FBI agents, but it's a poor substitute. She's a Cinderella but doesn't know it. Instead of wishing for a handsome Prince, the Prince has to be shoved in her face before she realizes that she wants him.

The pageant becomes her journey of self-discovery and the 'suspects' become her friends. She learns that she can be a pretty good friend too. Her compassion, which gets her in trouble at the start of the movie, gets her popularity among a group she previously would not have spoken too. At every turn she surprises and endears herself to those around her. This is something she never thought she could do before, but it was always there.

And as she discovers that she's not so bad after all, after her low self-esteem starts climbing towards normal, she also begins to effect others. Gracie encourages Cheryl's to be the daring extrovert she wants to be, despite her parent's wishes. And she shows Eric that there's more to a woman then her looks. Ok, he's still a little shallow, but he's never liked a girl with an actual brain before so we'll give him half credit.

All of this growth and self-discovery takes place among the backdrop of the pageant and the terrorist who plans to blow it up. The opportunities for humor are many and director Donald Petrie exploits them all. Actually, I applaud his restraint since a hidden camera in the ladies dressing room could have easily degenerated into "Porky's" type high school humor. Instead it is handled tactfully but realistically as the men's interests are peaked but nothing they want to see is ever happens. Gracie's first talent act and her subsequent tackling of an innocent man has got to be one of the funniest scenes, but the bikini wax and the 'chip faced' scenes will be remembered by most viewers for quite some time. There are also numerous references to other movies. For example, Gracie compares a rough hair dresser to Sweeny Todd and calls her consultant Henry Higgins. If you don't get these references, the movie will still be funny, but if you do, it adds another welcome dimension to Gracie's character. (Look up "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" and "My Fair lady" if you must!)

Will Sandra get an Oscar for this role? Probably not, but then again, if Julia Roberts can win by stuffing her bra and doing half the acting job she did in "Steel Magnolia's", anything is possible. Miss Congeniality has a few flaws. The effects for one were not that great by today's standards. But with or without awards, this film will become part of my permanent collection. I look forward to many future viewings over the years as I found this to be a delightful comedy and a great way to put a smile on your face while wasting 109 minutes of an otherwise dull existence.

Specific to the DVD; although there are 2 documentaries and each has a few deleted scenes and bloopers, I was disappointed with the extra's that were offered. I can't believe a film such as this didn't generate dozen's off good bloopers and outtakes that could have been offered separately. And the behind the scenes looks from the existing documentaries are pretty tame. Don't show me the wardrobe lady talking about the outfits, show the outfits! I suggest you consider it to have NO extras and judge the price accordingly.


Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older
Special Effects: Well at least you can't see the strings