Film Reviews & Movie Analysis

“Why is New Jersey called “The Garden State”?”
“Because “Oil and Petrochemical Refinery State” wouldn’t fit on a license plate?”

The Why

After watching The Blind Side last month, I’ve got Bullock on the brain and realised I couldn’t remember anything about one of her most noted roles; Gracie Hart in Miss Congeniality.

All I knew was that an FBI agent gets an extreme make-over, Federal edition, so she can go undercover at the Miss USA pageant. I mean yes that’s pretty much the basic summary of the movie but I couldn’t remember anything to do with the actual plot let alone who else starred in it, other than the brown hair bombshell that is Sandy B.

The Rewatch

I get now. You know how everyone is always talking about how good this movie is? Well I understand now, and here are my reasons why.

First and foremost is the characteristic of Gracie Hart aka Gracie-Lou Freebush. She may have undergone a massive beautification but she was still a clutz, had her dorky laugh, and was funny as hell. She didn’t change on the inside even though she changed on the outside. And as annoying as it was that this is what it took for her male colleagues to see her as “attractive” it was still nice that she began to see herself that way.

It never gets old watching how much society has changed through cinema. When Gracie’s colleague repeated slapped her ass, my jaw literally dropped and I thought; you can’t do that any more! Not to mention the male FBI agents crowding around a tiny pixilated screen jeering like its sport as they watch Miss America contestants walking around in swimsuits. Strange because in the context of the movie it’s not something you think that deeply about – in fact, it’s funny, it’s supposed to be funny. But nineteen years later it all holds a brand new meaning.

Something that struck me is, when you think about it, this movie has all the stylings and makings of a rom-com, but it managed to (mostly) steer away from being categorised as such. Miss Congeniality put a female as the lead in an action-comedy movie at a time when the likes of How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Failure to Launch and Bridget Jones’ Diary were reigning supreme. Even though they had to put her in a “girly” setting for that to happen, I’m not mad at it.

A funny movie fantastically led by Sandra Bullock with a surprising all-star ensemble cast.

Bonus: I watched Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous straight after this movie. It’s nowhere near as good, turns the whole concept into a bit of a slapstick mess.