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Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous
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The original Miss Congeniality (2000) was a relatively entertaining example of that pop genre known as the makeover movie: tough FBI agent Gracie (Sandra Bullock) needed to loosen up and discover her feminine side. In this sequel, the direction of the plot is reversed. Gracie becomes too much of a glamourous celebrity as the FBI’s poster girl. She has to unmake herself in order to re-find some of her old aggression. Neither Michael Caine nor Candice Bergen is present for this mediocre sequel, directed by John Pasquin (Jungle 2 Jungle, 1997) and written, once again, by Marc Lawrence (Two Weeks Notice [2002], The Out-of-Towners [1999]). Instead, aspects of Gracie’s personality in the original film are displaced onto a police partner with the intriguing character name of Sam Fuller (Regina King). As before, the project tries to mix comedy with a mild action plot – and falters. Gracie takes it upon herself to investigate the kidnapping of her best friend, Miss United States Cheryl (Heather Burns), and Master of Ceremonies, Stan (William Shatner), from the beauty pageant. The only decent laughs in this film are provided by a cameo from Dolly Parton, and a talent contest in which – shades of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994) and Connie and Carla (2004) – Gracie and Sam must perform as famous pop-rock stars (eg., Tina Turner). © Adrian Martin March 2005 |
