As we
plunge ahead into the new century, no doubt the ideas of what makes a
woman will continue to blur. Certainly, Gracie Hart in Miss
Congeniality holds firm to her conviction that being tough, crude,
and militant makes a superior example of where the gender should be
headed. Although Miss Congeniality is another typical Hollywood
formula product, it achieves a heartwarming touch of authenticity
as its heroine faces the challenge of finding her true identity
somewhere between living like a man and acting like a beauty pageant
fruitcake.
Gracie (Sandra Bullock) has fought hard
all of her life to be anything but a typical female. As a gun toting,
martial arts adept FBI agent, any attention to her physical appeal and
feminine nature would mean a submission to misogynist stereotypes
antithetical to Gracie’s sense of self-respect. When a notorious
terrorist threatens to bomb the Miss America pageant, Gracie gets the
assignment of going undercover as a one of the contestants. The
assignment appalls Gracie because the contestants seem only valued for
their body parts. At the same time, Gracie is terrified of the challenge
to act and look like a lady. Enter Victor Melling (Michael Caine), a
beauty consultant, whose task is to transform Gracie into a Miss America
material within 48 hours.
Sandra Bullock, who also helped produce
the movie, simply shines as Gracie Hart. As the plot set-up suggests,
Gracie’s transformation is fraught with delicious conflict and brings
many chuckles. Miss Bullock’s power and appeal is in no so small part
helped by Michael Caine. Brilliantly cast as the gay, wise, avuncular
beauty consultant, Caine adds the emotional challenge Gracie needs to
find her true place. There is a methodical, almost militaristic
discipline needed to compete on the beauty pageant stage, but one more
in the province of the somewhat snippy gay task master, commandeering
his army of bikini waxing, primping, make-up, costume, and talent
minions than a typical drill instructor.
Director Donald Petrie and the casting
directors ensure that Sandra Bullock is always in the right place with
the right emphasis. First, we can’t help holding our breath when she
emerges from her first make-over in a slinky dress and high heels.
Later, during the pageant group scenes, Bullock is always center frame
and always the most dazzling woman. Of course, the formula wouldn’t
work if Bullock didn’t deliver believable outbursts of crudeness even
in the most sophisticated occasions and attire.
Ultimately, though, Miss Congeniality captures
our hearts as Gracie realizes how she has been denying herself the
opportunity of expressing the Aphroditic, femme fatale side of her
nature. Her place of real power and confidence lies where grace,
refinement, and sensuality meet toughness, audacity, and directness. In
the end, it is the heroine’s teary-eyed admission that she will
wholeheartedly cherish all of her attributes that makes Miss
Congeniality such a satisfying entertainment.
