Wikipedia

Miss Congeniality(film)

Miss Congenialityis a 2000 Americanactioncomedy filmdirected byDonald Petrie,written byMarc Lawrence,Katie Ford,and Caryn Lucas, and produced by and starringSandra Bullockas Gracie Hart, atomboyagent who is asked by theFBIto go undercover as a contestant when a terrorist threatens to bomb theMiss United Statespageant.Michael Caine,Benjamin Bratt,Candice Bergen,William Shatner,andErnie Hudsonstar in supporting roles.

Miss Congeniality
A woman in a dress holding roses and an American flag
Theatrical release poster
Directed byDonald Petrie
Written by
Produced bySandra Bullock
Starring
CinematographyLászló Kovács
Edited byBilly Weber
Music byEdward Shearmur
Clyde Lawrence
Production
companies
Distributed byWarner Bros. Pictures
Release date
  • December 22, 2000(2000-12-22)(United States)
Running time
110 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$45 million[1]
Box office$212.7 million[1]

Miss Congenialitywas released byWarner Bros. Pictureson December 22, 2000 to mixed or average critic reviews and was a box office hit, grossing $212 million worldwide against its $45 million budget, and earned Bullock a nomination for aGolden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical.It was followed by thesequelMiss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulousin 2005.

Plot

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In 1982, 10-year-old Gracie Hart breaks up a school fight between two boys, one of whom is a bully and the other, her crush. The boy she likes is humiliated, being saved by a girl, and he rudely rejects her; Gracie punches him and the latter leaves.

18 years later, 28-year-old Gracie is a toughspecial agentfor theFBI.During a sting against Russianmobsters,she ignores protocol to save amob Bosswho appears to be choking, causing one of her fellow FBI agents to be shot; Gracie is then demoted to a desk job. Soon, the agency receives news of a bomb threat from notoriousdomestic terrorist"the Citizen", alluding to an act of terrorism at the upcomingMiss United Statesbeauty pageant inSan Antonio, Texas.Gracie's partner, Eric Matthews (Bratt), is put in charge of the mission; he relies on Gracie's suggestions, only to take credit for them himself. One of Gracie's ideas is to plant an agent undercover at the event and reach the top five contestants so they have access to everything in the pageant. When all possible candidates are deemed unfit, Eric suggests that Gracie take on the role, replacingMiss New Jersey,who was to be disqualified anyway.

Beauty pageant coach Victor Melling teaches Gracie how to dress, walk, and behave like a "lady". Although she is initially appalled, Gracie comes to appreciate Victor's thoroughness. She enters the pageant as "Gracie Lou Freebush", representing New Jersey, and becomes friends with Cheryl Frasier,Miss Rhode Island.As the competition begins, Gracie impresses the judges during the talent competition with herglass harpskills and self-defense techniques.

Several suspects are identified as being "the Citizen", including the current competition director and former pageant winner Kathy Morningside, her assistant Frank Tobin, veteranMCStan Fields, and even Cheryl, who has a history of involvement with a radical animal rights activist group. Gracie convinces Cheryl and the other contestants to go out one night and drink. Gracie uses the chance to try prying into Cheryl's past, and learns from the others that Kathy's past as a pageant contestant is truly suspicious, including the fact that the year she won, the original winner came down with food poisoning. Gracie deduces Kathy is a "Citizen" copycat. When Gracie reports this to Eric and the team, she learns that "the Citizen" has been arrested on an unrelated charge. As there is no perceived threat, their superior, Harry McDonald, pulls the mission. Gracie insists that she suspects something is off, but Eric and the team leave, unconvinced. While on their way home, Victor informs Eric that Frank is actually Kathy's son, a fact they had tried to hide from the FBI because of his criminal record. Eric returns to Texas to help continue the investigation, against FBI orders.

In the final round of the pageant, Gracie is stunned when she is named first runner-up. Cheryl is named Miss United States, but as she goes to accept the tiara, Gracie realizes that Frank impersonated "the Citizen" to make the pageant bomb threat, and that the bomb is in the crown. Gracie fights Cheryl for the crown as Eric wrestles with Frank, who is about to detonate the bomb. Finally, Gracie manages to throw the tiara up at the stage scenery, where it explodes and sets the stage on fire. As Kathy and Frank are arrested, Gracie determines that the two wanted to kill the pageant winner on stage as revenge for Kathy's own termination from the pageant organization. Afterwards, Eric asks Gracie out on a date, and they kiss. Soon thereafter, Eric and Victor trick Gracie into attending the pageant's farewell breakfast, where Cheryl names Gracie "Miss Congeniality". Gracie tearfully accepts the honor, finally understanding the true spirit of pageantry.

Cast

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Production

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Development

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Ellen DeGeneresclaims that the writer was inspired when watching her training to walk inhigh heelsand adressin preparation for her role co-hosting the Emmys.[2]Although DeGeneres's first time hosting the ceremony on her own was not untilNovember 2001,nearly a year after the film had been released,[3]she did co-host the46th Primetime Emmy Awardsin 1994 alongsidePatricia Richardson.[4]

Casting

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Eight actors read for the part of Eric Matthews, includingHugh Jackman.[5]Matt Dilloncame close to getting cast as Eric Matthews, but the part went to Benjamin Bratt.[6]

Filming

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The story is set inNew York CityandSan Antonio.Scenes showing the exterior of theSt. Regis New York,as well as a few street scenes, were shot on location in New York, andWeehawken, New Jersey.[7]TheAlamoandRiver Walkscenes were shot on location in San Antonio. The majority of the film was shot inAustin, Texas:scenes depicting the interior of the St. Regis were shot in Austin'sDriskill Hotel;the pageant scenes were shot at theBass Concert Hallat theUniversity of Texas at Austin;and scenes depicting the pageant contestants in their hotel rooms were shot in the Omni Austin at South Park.

Distribution

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Miss Congenialitywas distributed byWarner Bros. Picturesin most countries, and byRoadshow Entertainmentin Australia and New Zealand.[8]

Reception

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Box office

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The film was the fifth highest-grossing film in North America on its opening weekend, making US$13.9 million. It had a 5% increase in earnings the following week—enough to make the film reach #3. Overall, it was abox officehit, grossing more than$106 million in the United States, and more than $212 million worldwide.

Critical response

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OnRotten Tomatoesthe film has an approval rating of 41% based on review from 116 critics. The critical consensus reads: "Though critics say Bullock is funny and charming, she can't overcome a bad script that makes the movie feel too much like a fluffy, unoriginal sitcom."[9]OnMetacriticthe film has a score of 43 out of 100, based on reviews from 20 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[10]Audiences surveyed byCinemaScoregave the film a grade of "A−".[11]

A. O. Scott ofThe New York Timesdescribed it as "a standard-issue fish-out-of-water comedy" which "seems happily, deliberately second-rate, as if its ideal audience consisted of weary airline passengers".[12]Roger Ebertfor theChicago Sun-Timeswrote: "It isn't bad so much as it lacks any ambition to be more than it so obviously is" although he had some praise for Sandra Bullock's performance.[13]

It was nominated for several awards, including twoGolden Globes:Sandra Bullockfor Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical, andBosson's "One in a Million"for Best Original Song in a Motion Picture.[14]

Home media

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The film's firstDVDedition, released in 2001, included twoaudio commentaries,somedeleted scenes,thetheatrical trailer,and two documentaries about the making of the film.[15]A deluxe-edition DVD, released in 2005, featured different cover art and contained the same features as the other DVD version plus a quiz hosted by William Shatner and a sneak peek at the upcoming sequel.[16][17]In 2009, a double feature edition was released that included thesequel.[18]

Sequel

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A sequel,Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous,was released on March 24, 2005.[19]The film starredSandra Bullock,Regina King,Enrique Murciano,William Shatner,Ernie Hudson,Heather Burns,Diedrich Bader,andTreat Williams.The sequel was less successful both critically[20]and commercially, earning only $101.3 million.[19]

The song "Miss United States" was written by the writerMarc Lawrence's sonClyde Lawrencewhen he was only 6 years old.

Soundtrack

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Miss Congeniality: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Soundtrack album
ReleasedDecember 22, 2000
GenreFilm soundtrack
LabelCapitolTVT Soundtrax
  1. "One in a Million"-Bosson(3:30)
  2. "If Everybody Looked the Same" -Groove Armada(3:40)
  3. "She's a Lady(TheBTRemix) "-Tom Jones(4:21)
  4. "Anywhere USA" -P.Y.T.(4:06)
  5. "Dancing Queen"-A-Teens(3:50)
  6. "Let's Get It On"- Red Venom (3:26)
  7. "Get Ya Party On" -Baha Men(3:20)
  8. "None of Your Business"-Salt 'N' Pepa(3:34)
  9. "Mustang Sally"-The Commitments(4:59)
  10. "Bullets" -Bob Schneider(4:25)
  11. "Liquored Up and Lacquered Down" -Southern Culture on the Skids(2:26)
  12. "Miss United States (Berman BrothersMix) "-William Shatner(3:38)
  13. "One in a Million (Bostrom Mix)" - Bosson (3:33)

References

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  1. ^ab"Miss Congeniality (2000)".Box Office Mojo.April 29, 2001.Archivedfrom the original on July 14, 2019.RetrievedSeptember 24,2016.
  2. ^"Oscar Host Ellen DeGeneres: Why I Love the Movies".Parade. February 28, 2014.Archivedfrom the original on July 20, 2018.RetrievedJuly 20,2018.
  3. ^Ford, Rebecca (August 2, 2013)."Oscars: Ellen DeGeneres' Hosting History".The Hollywood Reporter.Archivedfrom the original on August 1, 2023.RetrievedAugust 1,2023.
  4. ^IMDb."The 46th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1994 TV Special) Full Cast & Crew".IMDb.Archivedfrom the original on August 21, 2023.RetrievedAugust 21,2023.
  5. ^"Hugh Jackman Lost 'Miss Congeniality' Role Because He Couldn't Keep up with Sandra Bullock: 'Holy S—! She's Amazing'".October 26, 2022.Archivedfrom the original on November 20, 2022.RetrievedNovember 20,2022.
  6. ^"Today Is the Perfect Date To Reveal 25 Secrets About Miss Congeniality".E! Online.December 14, 2021.Archivedfrom the original on January 15, 2023.RetrievedJanuary 25,2023.
  7. ^Nash, Margo (December 9, 2001)."Hollywood on the Hackensack".The New York Times.Archivedfrom the original on April 19, 2021.RetrievedApril 19,2021.
  8. ^"Film Distribution - Village Roadshow Limited".Village Roadshow Pictures.February 11, 2014. Archived fromthe originalon February 25, 2014.RetrievedFebruary 11,2014.
  9. ^"Miss Congeniality (2000)".Rotten Tomatoes.Archivedfrom the original on October 1, 2023.RetrievedFebruary 24,2019.
  10. ^"Miss Congeniality Reviews".Metacritic.December 22, 2000.Archivedfrom the original on February 6, 2023.RetrievedFebruary 24,2019.
  11. ^"Cinema score".Archived fromthe originalon December 20, 2018.RetrievedFebruary 25,2019.
  12. ^A. O. Scott (December 22, 2000)."Movie Review - Miss Congeniality; Operation Ugly Duckling: Fighting Terrorism in Heels".NYTimes.Archivedfrom the original on October 15, 2014.RetrievedMarch 13,2016.
  13. ^Ebert, Roger."Miss Congeniality movie review (2000)".Roger Ebert.Archivedfrom the original on July 15, 2013.RetrievedFebruary 25,2019.
  14. ^"Miss Congeniality Awards".IMDb.Amazon.Archivedfrom the original on February 18, 2021.RetrievedDecember 7,2019.
  15. ^"Review:Miss Congeniality (US - DVD R1)".dvdactive.Archivedfrom the original on December 7, 2017.RetrievedMay 22,2017.
  16. ^"Miss Congeniality: Deluxe Edition DVD (2001)".BBC.March 21, 2005.Archivedfrom the original on May 23, 2019.RetrievedMay 22,2017.
  17. ^"Miss Congeniality: SE (UK - DVD R2)".dvdactive.Archived fromthe originalon October 10, 2023.RetrievedMay 22,2017.
  18. ^Miss Congeniality.OCLC646661720– via Worldcat.org.
  19. ^ab"Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous (2005)".Box Office Mojo.July 7, 2005.Archivedfrom the original on December 13, 2018.RetrievedSeptember 24,2016.
  20. ^"Miss Congeniality 2 - Armed and Fabulous (2005) - Rotten Tomatoes".Rotten Tomatoes.Archivedfrom the original on May 31, 2023.RetrievedSeptember 24,2016.
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