Sandra Bullock is back as Miss United States runner-up Gracie Hart in "Miss Congeniality: Armed and Fabulous," a 2005 sequel to "Miss Congeniality." Since the pageant, Gracie is now a celeb, to the detriment of her work. Undercover and trying to take down bank robbers, she's recognized by one of the bank customers. The Bureau decides that she would do better for them as the face of the FBI. Gracie hesitates until she is dumped by her boyfriend, Eric. Then she accepts, is assigned a stylist (Diedrich Bader) and a bodyguard, Sam Fuller (Regina King) and sent on the talk show circuit. However, when two people from the pageant, the reigning Miss United States (Heather Burns) and the host (William Shatner) are kidnapped, Gracie works to get them back, despite orders from the bureau and to the consternation of the head of the Las Vegas bureau (Treat Williams).
There are some very funny scenes in this, including the drag show that Gracie, Sam, and her stylist participate in, which includes King channeling Tina Turner and Gracie channeling Lucille Ball Gracie chasing a woman she thinks is a fake Dolly Parton who has info on the case, Gracie going undercover as a potential resident in an old folks' home.
I have to agree with one of the reviewers, on the shoulders of another actress, this thing would have died an early death. Because it's the always charming Bullock, who is likable and has a great turn with a line, the sequel manages to be amusing. It's not the worse sequel I've ever seen - I don't think it's as bad as Legally Blonde: Red, White, and whatever, for instance.
Nice performances from Eileen Brennan as Shatner's mother, King, Diedrich Bader, Shatner - it's well cast.
For me, the important thing about this type of film is that a) if you're not a fan of the star, you're going to hate it; b) if you're expecting Long Day's Journey into Night, you're going to hate it; and c) if you go in ready to take it for what it is - light as air, not very original, and with some talented people - you'll like it. I did.
There are some very funny scenes in this, including the drag show that Gracie, Sam, and her stylist participate in, which includes King channeling Tina Turner and Gracie channeling Lucille Ball Gracie chasing a woman she thinks is a fake Dolly Parton who has info on the case, Gracie going undercover as a potential resident in an old folks' home.
I have to agree with one of the reviewers, on the shoulders of another actress, this thing would have died an early death. Because it's the always charming Bullock, who is likable and has a great turn with a line, the sequel manages to be amusing. It's not the worse sequel I've ever seen - I don't think it's as bad as Legally Blonde: Red, White, and whatever, for instance.
Nice performances from Eileen Brennan as Shatner's mother, King, Diedrich Bader, Shatner - it's well cast.
For me, the important thing about this type of film is that a) if you're not a fan of the star, you're going to hate it; b) if you're expecting Long Day's Journey into Night, you're going to hate it; and c) if you go in ready to take it for what it is - light as air, not very original, and with some talented people - you'll like it. I did.