Watch Miss Congeniality

Miss Congeniality is a 2000 American comedy film directed by Donald Petrie and starring Sandra Bullock, Michael Caine, and Benjamin Bratt. The movie tells the story of Gracie Hart, an undercover FBI agent who is tasked to go undercover as a contestant in the Miss United States beauty pageant to stop a terrorist plot from happening. Gracie Hart (Sandra Bullock) is a tough, no-nonsense FBI agent, who is respected for her work but criticized for her lack of social skills. She despises anything related to femininity, such as dresses, heels, and makeup. Her team leader, Eric Matthews (Benjamin Bratt), receives intelligence about an ongoing plot by a group of terrorists called “The Citizen.” They have threatened to bomb the Miss United States pageant and kill everyone as a political statement about the objectification of women in beauty pageants.

The bureau decides to send Gracie undercover as a contestant, believing that her tomboyish demeanor would make her an unlikely target for the terrorists. To prepare for the pageant, she seeks the help of Victor Melling (Michael Caine), a renowned consultant who specializes in training beauty queens. Under his guidance, Gracie undergoes a complete transformation to become a sophisticated and polished lady, including learning the proper posture, speech, and behavior.

Gracie quickly realizes that the Miss United States pageant is far more than just parading around in high heels and sparkly dresses. It’s a competition full of intricate and challenging rounds, such as swimsuit, talent, and evening gown, that requires a lot of hard work and skill. While training, Gracie develops close relationships with some of the contestants, such as Cheryl Frazier (Heather Burns), Miss Rhode Island, a clumsy girl with a heart of gold, and Miss Texas, a sassy and confident woman who becomes Gracie's roommate and closest ally.

As the competition heats up, Gracie begins to suspect that something sinister is going on behind the scenes. She discovers that the terrorist's plan is much more elaborate than they initially thought, and the person behind the plot is someone who was with the Miss United States pageant for years. She uses her skills and wit to solve the mystery before it's too late.

Miss Congeniality is a hilarious and heartwarming movie that showcases Sandra Bullock's acting talent perfectly. Bullock, who was also a producer on the film, brings Gracie to life with her charisma and comedic timing. Michael Caine as Victor Melling is the perfect foil to Bullock's Gracie, and the two share some of the film's funniest moments, like when Gracie tries to learn how to walk in high heels, or when Victor has to show his skills to walk in swimwear.

The film also has a strong message about inner beauty, self-acceptance, and female empowerment. Gracie's transformation from a rough and tough FBI agent to a poised and confident woman is inspiring and shows that femininity and strength can coexist. The movie challenges the notion that beauty pageants are shallow and meaningless, highlighting the hard work and dedication required to compete and the camaraderie that develops among contestants.

In conclusion, Miss Congeniality is an entertaining and uplifting movie that showcases the talent of its cast and delivers a positive message to its audience. It's a perfect movie for a girls' night in or for anyone who loves a good comedy with a heart.

Miss Congeniality is a 2000 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 49 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.3 and a MetaScore of 43.