Miss Congeniality

Reviewed by: Suad Bejtovic, Bosnian Movie Critic

Directed by: Donald Petrie

Starring: Sandra Bullock, Benjamin Bratt, Michael Caine, Candice Bergen

A few short years ago, the top of the Hollywood A-List seemed big enough for two women, Julia Roberts and Sandra Bullock. Then Julia strung together a series of smash hits, that culminated with Erin Brockovich, while Sandra was stuck making mediocre romantic comedies, and edgy dramas that weren’t that edgy. With her popularity dwindling, and her value along with it, she needed a hit movie, a star vehicle such as Speed used to be. She got her wish with Miss Congeniality, a very simple movie which is going to live or die with her and her performance. And while she has performed her end of the bargain to the best of her ability, it’s still uncertain whether the movie is going to be her great comeback.

Sandra is an FBI agent Gracie Hart, miles away from the cool and sophisticated Dana Scully of the X-Files. This one doesn’t put on make-up, her apartment is a mess, she’s having a bad-hair decade, she snorts when she laughs, and she only cares about one thing – her job. She’s pretty hard-headed, too, so she’ll fall to the mercy of her boss, and the only way to redeem herself will be to infiltrate a Miss America pageant in hopes to find a serial killer threatening the contestants. An image consultant will be hired, body hair will be waxed, hair washed and brushed and make-up applied, and voila! there comes Sandra Bullock.

A good thing would be that Sandra has an undeniable charm that is capable of keeping the movie together. A bad thing is that there’s not that much of a movie for her to keep together. The script is burdened with stereotypes, from the way the contestants talk and behave to the clumsy plot twists and turns. Caine makes an honest effort to turn his Pygmalion-like image consultant character into something three-dimensional, but he doesn’t have much time or space. However, when devoid of distractions from Sandra, the movie has a little bit of a rhythm and a comedic punch or two. She is truly funny, and she makes even the most unbelievable situations hilarious. Gracie is doomed for a transformation into a woman with a soft spot, but it’s the journey there that is worth watching. From her exposition at the beginning of the movie, where she’s portrayed as an ultimate tom boy, to her answer to the redundant question, "what is the one thing she wishes for as a person", she stays true to herself, and that’s what makes her appealing. And when Sandra Bullock is appealing, there is no use resisting her.