Top Box Office Movies - Miss Congeniality

Miss Congeniality (2000) Warner Brothers
1 hr. 43 mins.
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Benjamin Bratt, Michael Caine, William Shatner and Candice Bergen.
Directed by: Donald Petrie

Miss Congeniality

Rating:

E-MAIL GIANCARLO DE LISI

Photo: Warner Brothers

In cinematic terms, Sandra Bullock can be related to Julia Roberts. At one time, they were both stars that had major box-office clout. Roberts was at the top of her game with films such as ‘Steel Magnolias’ and ‘Pretty Woman’, and then came her slumps such as ‘Mary Reilly’. Then she disappeared only to reappear years later with two colossal hits within the same summer; ‘Runaway Bride’; and ‘Notting Hill’. As for Bullock, with this film she attempts at also making a comeback. Bullock seems to be in that stage of transition where she also is aiming to make a big impact on the Hollywood market .She also is trying to reappear from under the radar with a hit in order to re-establish herself as one of America’s leading ladies.

‘Miss Congeniality’ is Bullock’s effort at a dash of slapstick and sweet-heartedness simultaneously. The film stars Bullock as an FBI agent who must go undercover at a beauty pageant in order to capture a sadistic serial killer who plans to catch his next victim at the Miss America Beauty Pageant. That said, one could already imagine the logistics within the film as being far-fetched and not very properly thought through. Yet, as far as reality is concerned within the structure of the film, it is very loose and the film manages to ignore completely prevalent issues that would affect such an operation. Yet, we all know this is a movie, but to the intelligent filmgoer, this causes a problem from the very beginning.

The film opens up with a surprisingly engaging action sequence that automatically establishes our antagonist (Bullock) as the tough–as-nails ‘Dirty Harriet’ of the film. This of course makes us understand that if she were to go undercover at a beauty pageant, there would definitely have to be a lot of work done. Enter Michael Caine’s character (Vic Williams) who completely transforms Bullock into a tremendously beautiful woman, compared to her rough façade she had displayed earlier. That done, our character has free reigns at leading an FBI operation at this beauty pageant in which she has despised women such as the contestants all of her life - the pretty, all-American girl next door who simply wants world peace. Yet, you can see the conflict coming a mile away. There seems to be one problem, as time progresses, our Miss Congeniality becomes acquainted with these contestants and actually sees what they go through. And as a result, she slowly becomes what she has hated all her life.

The film seems to want to convey the point that individuality is okay. Then, totally reverses that message by making Bullock keep the ‘sexy-feminine’ look even after the pageantry is over. Perhaps I am being a tad over-analytical, but this weakness does seep into the thinly structured script and weakly written characters. Resulting in an at times a funny and warm film, that simply comes apart at the end with a ridiculous villainous tie-in with an even more ridiculous motive.

As far as this pleasing the women, it will. It contains a story that every woman wanting to be wanted can relate to – ‘a rags to riches’ story. As far as cinematic worth is concerned, there are many other ‘chick flicks’ that can and will satisfy at a greater level.

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Giancarlo De Lisi
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