31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Hilarious movie!, April 27, 2001
I am sorry but I get so tired of the poor reviews so many critics write about films such as this movie that are pure enjoyment and entertainment. This movie is just that kind of movie...there is never a dull moment and isn't that part of what movies are all about. Sandra Bullock is perfect for this role and while the premise sounds a little lame before you see the movie after seeing it I think anyone will be pleasantly surprised. If you are expecting an Oscar style movie...no you won't get it. If you are expecting to laugh alot and be entertained...you will be. This movie is totally delightful and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is funny, light, laughable. I loved it and I think anyone else will too if you allow yourself to jsut be entertained. Bullock is so funny and so great at this type of movie and she learns allot about herself throughout the film so there is character growth too. It will also give you a new appreciation for what the women in beauty pageants put themselves through. Bottom line...THIS IS A GREAT MOVIE!!
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26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Light, fun - and all Sandra Bullock, September 15, 2001
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!
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20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Joy, Beginning to End, May 13, 2001
By A Customer
This is not a movie about an FBI agent who goes underocover at a beauty pageant. Nor is this a movie about a frumpy girl who finds some self esteem. The plot is only there to create the flimsiest of excuses for some world class comic and ensemble acting.
This film is simply about brilliant humor and the joy of performance. Does anyone criticize the Marx Brothers films because Groucho makes an unlikely African explorer or dictator?
Sandra Bullock's performance is one of the finest comic performances in a generation or two. She deserved, at the very least, an Oscar nomination. Her timing is impeccable and her willingness to uglify herself goes far beyond the level of what most actresses would do. Also, her accent and her gestures are absolutely authentic Jersey City.
The other actors are also wonderful here especially Michael Caine, who is flat out brilliant. William Shatner and Candice Bergen are wonderful. You forget their previous roles as they are so perfectly cast. The other girls in the pageant are marvelous. Even the small part of a video technician is hilarious.
I disagree with the other reviewers about Benjamin Bratt. Of course he's not believable as an FBI agent and he's stiff as a board: he's supposed to be. He's a straight man, pure and simple and his performance is clever, his line readings always surprising.
Great comedy is not about believability or plot. It's about timing and acting. It is one of the most difficult challenges for actors, for writers, and for directors. Miss Congeniality is, in my opinion, one of the great comedies of the decade, up there with the Austin Powers films, albeit quite different. I've seen it five times, three times in the theater, twice at home. I could see it again at the drop of a hat.
I hope that the producer (Sandra Bullock) continues to make such marvelous films. Like Clint Eastwood, she may have to wait years for the critics to catch up, but they will. She is that great.
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