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Movies / On DVD / Miss Congeniality
Miss Congeniality

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Miss Congeniality (2000)

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Reviews Counted:112

Fresh:45

Rotten:67

Average Rating:5/10

Consensus: Though critics say Bullock is funny and charming, she can't overcome a bad script that makes the movie feel too much like a fluffy, unoriginal sitcom.

Runtime: 1 hr 49 mins

Genre: Comedies

Synopsis: The Miss United States Pageant, hallowed and revered home of American beauty for the past fifty years, has received a threat from one of the country's most infamous criminals, the "Citizen." The... The Miss United States Pageant, hallowed and revered home of American beauty for the past fifty years, has received a threat from one of the country's most infamous criminals, the "Citizen." The F.B.I. has been tracking this psychopath forever as his rampage of bombings, shootings and arson terrorizes the nation. This may finally be their chance to nab him.

The plan? Simple. Get one of their agents into the pageant, undercover, as a contestant. Fix the judging so she's on stage right to the end, in the "top five." Equip her with a state of the art surveillance equipment. Finding that agent? Not so simple.

A computer search of all available female agents turns out a decidedly unphotogenic group, except for Special Agent Gracie Hart (SANDRA BULLOCK). She looks terrific on the computer in a bathing suit; she might even fool everyone in an evening gown, especially if she puts a brush to her hair. But Gracie doesn't own a brush. Or a dress. Or high heels. Or as her fellow agent and head of the undercover operation, Eric Matthews (BENJAMIN BRATT) puts it; she's a "car wreck." And Gracie has no desire to join the ranks of what she refers to as a "bunch of bikini stuffers who only want world peace."

Which is why the Bureau hires beauty pageant consultant Victor Melling (MICHAEL CAINE) to transform Gracie -- or as he re-names her, "Dirty Harriet" into Gracie Lou Freebush -- the perfect pageant contestant. Henry Higgins had a day at the beach compared to what Vic is up against in beautifying a woman "without a detectable smidgen of estrogen." But the fate of the pageant hangs in the balance, and considering that Gracie's refusal to follow orders has already placed her job in jeopardy, this may be her last chance to make it in her beloved Bureau. [More]

Starring: Sandra Bullock, Candice Bergen, Michael Caine, William Shatner

Starring: Sandra Bullock, Candice Bergen, Michael Caine, William Shatner, Benjamin Bratt, Ernie Hudson, Heather Burns, Steve Monroe, John DiResta, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Deirdre Quinn

Director: Donald Petrie

Director: Donald Petrie
Screenwriter: Marc Lawrence, Caryn Lucas, Katie Ford
Producer: Sandra Bullock
Composer: Edward Shearmur
Studio: Warner Bros.

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Reviews for Miss Congeniality

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1 - 20 (sorted by rotten rating; UK critics are listed first)
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If you're expecting action and comedy, you'll find this film has little of either.

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
04/16/01
Nick Cramp
Nick Cramp
BBC
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

While there may not be many surprises, there's little to dislike either.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Derek Adams
Derek Adams
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A movie that seems to have no potential at all and still works remarkably well.

Full Review Source: UK Critic | comment Comment
06/04/01
Ian Waldron-Mantgani
Ian Waldron-Mantgani
UK Critic

The title refers to the Miss America pageant award given to "the person who was nicest to everyone," and this seems perfectly apt for Bullock’s winning performance.

Full Review Source: ViewLondon | comment Comment
10/30/02
Matthew Turner
Matthew Turner
ViewLondon

Bullock has such excellent timing, and such a superb sense of physical comedy, that we would happily watch her (and we have!) in much worse films than this.

Full Review Source: Shadows on the Wall | comment Comment
12/10/01
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall

A genuine crowdpleaser boasting a charming star turn, Miss Congeniality is indeed difficult to dislike, but hey, sometimes it's worth the effort.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
03/23/01
William Thomas
William Thomas
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Boston Phoenix | comment Comment
03/24/02
Boston Phoenix

No review available.

comment Comment
03/22/02
Globe and Mail

Seems happily, deliberately second-rate, as if its ideal audience consisted of weary airline passengers.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
12/22/00
A.O. Scott
A.O. Scott
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Dutifully follows each cliché to its painfully obvious conclusion.

Full Review Source: culturevulture.net | comment Comment
12/22/00
Bob Aulert
Bob Aulert
culturevulture.net

A light-as-a-feather comedy that’s neither ambitious nor particularly original.

Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
02/07/01
Brian Webster
Brian Webster
Apollo Guide

Basically, this is like a really bad film from the eighties, that seems to be remade with Sandra Bullock digitally grafted onto the horrible plot.

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Chris Gore
Chris Gore
Film Threat

Things get as shaky as Grace adjusting to high heels when her warranted contempt for her vapid competitors is worn down by nothing more than superficial bonding at a giggly pizza party.

Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
12/20/00
Christine James
Christine James
Boxoffice Magazine

Truly, we have mined the beauty pageant satire to death, have we not?

comment Comment
12/21/00
Christy Lemire
Christy Lemire
Associated Press

It's time for a career makeover for Bullock, who keeps squandering her girl-next-door likeability on trivial projects like this one.

Full Review Source: Citysearch | comment Comment
12/21/00
Dave Kehr
Dave Kehr
Citysearch

Bullock's confident turn cannot, alas, save this Beautiful Women Falling Down entry.

Full Review Source: Movie Boeuf | comment Comment
11/16/01
David N. Butterworth
David N. Butterworth
Movie Boeuf

Completely devoid of wit or grace, but heavy on straining obviousness.

Full Review Source: Film Journal International | comment Comment
02/07/01
David Noh
David Noh
Film Journal International

Like any good beauty pageant contestant, it tries to make everyone happy, and ends up looking as if it's held together by Vaseline and duct tape.

Full Review Source: Fresno Bee | comment Comment
12/22/00
Donald Munro
Donald Munro
Fresno Bee

Once again, Bullock is willing but the material is weak.

Full Review Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | comment Comment
12/21/00
Duane Dudek
Duane Dudek
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Rent Drop Dead Gorgeous if you want to see how a funny movie on the beauty pageant world is done! This is all formula.

Full Review Source: Blunt Review | comment Comment
02/26/01
Emily Blunt
Emily Blunt
Blunt Review
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by rotten rating; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
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Latest News for Miss Congeniality

July 18, 2005: In Other News: Marital Edition...Jude Law, Sandra Bullock, and Frankie Muniz
In Other News is back, with marital highs and lows alike to keep you gossip-mongers happy...starting with "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" star Jude Law, whose... More...

June 16, 2005: In Other News...Sandra Bullock, Kirsten Dunst, and Brangelina
"Crash" star Sandra Bullock is speeding along the way to wedded bliss -- US Weekly reports she has set a date with boyfriend Jesse James to marry next month. More...

March 26, 2005: Box Office: “Guess Who” Topped The Box Office?
Two comedies battled for box office supremacy this Easter weekend and the interracial romantic comedy “Guess Who,” starring Ashton Kutcher and Bernie Mac, handily defeated “Miss... More...

March 24, 2005: Critical Consensus: "Miss Congeniality" Armed, But Unfabulous
It’s been a while since Sandra Bullock’s last appearance on the big screen – 2002’s romantic comedy hit, “Two Weeks Notice,” co-starring Hugh Grant. She returns with “Miss... More...

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