Miss Undercover

I love Sandra Bullock's character in this because she kicks ass and she's funny as hell. She also glows up when she stops thinking lesser of women who participate in beauty pageants and instead uplifts them because she realises that being feminine isn't something to be ashamed of.

67/100. Okay, it is a stupid movie with a far fetched and ridiculous plot, and it's predictable. But for whatever reason, it is very entertaining. Sandra Bullock has such a winning and likable personality, she has this way of making the films she is in appear better than they actually are. She also has a gift for comedy and a screen presence that is undeniable. I can't think of any other actress that could pull off this role.

The characters in the film do develop well, and you actually begin to care about them. The performances aren't bad, Michael Caine is great and has a field day in his role. I thought it was a fun film, what can I say.

Good-natured and funny comedy has Bullock perfectly cast as an uptight, tomboyish federal agent who—for the first time in her entire life—decides to embrace her femininity after she's assigned to go undercover at a beauty pageant to try and apprehend an elusive criminal. She's never even worn a dress, much less makeup and accessories, and the results are hilarious as she tries to do her job and be a credible contestant as well. Film's setup and execution are predictable, yet kept afloat by a meaningful story, good lines, and big time laughs. Bullock is as appealing as she's ever been, and surrounded here by a first-rate supporting cast. ***

Miss Congeniality (2000)

A funny plot full of clever hooks, and an amazing, charming, full on performance by Sandra Bullock make this movie really funny. And warm. And fun.

It would be a mistake and shame to expect more from it, and there are times where it gets a little too silly for its own good, including some of the last half hour. But what works, works, and the first hour of build up, and of Bullock's transformation (and her sparks of humor and authenticity through it all) are first rate. Michael Caine supports her as he supports everyone in the business, with class and finesse. Benjamin Bratt, playing a kind of distant love interest for Bullock's FBI agent cum beauty contestant, is a little to aware of his good looks and doesn't quite relax enough to make him a star.

He could learn a lot from Caine and Bullock, who are both consummate actors capable of saving, and even lifting up, a mostly routine production. For lightweight fare, it's a joy. By the way, the only "Miss United States" beauty pageant is an "on-line" contest, with a hefty entry fee, and seems to be a commercial and possibly exploitive tie-in to the movie. The famous (and infamous) national pageants are Miss America and Miss USA. This movie is meant to play off the stereotypes of what the contestants are often like, and it provides for some pretty good fodder.

Sandra Bullock's facial expressions, physical comedy, comedic timing, and great lines: Ditto for Michael Caine. Not a great movie, but very good, and those two performances, plus Shatner's as the emcee, make it a very worthwhile movie. When movies like Anchorman get a 7.2 by comparison, I feel like I'm somewhat alien to this planet......Keep forgetting that being concise on this website is not an attribute, so I'll digress. Humor is subjective, so everyone has their own, equally valid opinion, but IMHO Sandra nailed it, was at the height of her comedic prowess in this movie, and it will stand up over time not so much as a great movie (not), but a great performance by Bullock.