Definitely a showstopper of a film that established the acting abilities of Sandra Bullock and propelled her career to a new high among the fans of rom-coms. Intelligent comedy is the suit this film follows and you will find yourself immersed in it from the first moment.
Grace Hart (Sandra Bullock) has been a tom-boy ever since she could remember. Now working as a federal agent for the FBI, she wonders whether her work is really her top priority. With a recent fiasco at work, her self-esteem plummets to an all time low and she's wondering what she can do to redeem herself and hopefully start off with a clean slate. Luckily for her, an opportunity presents itself but it doesn't exactly suit her profile. A top-listed criminal is expected to strike at the upcoming Miss America pageant and Grace is their only chance to get the inside scoop. Unfortunately she looks nothing like a beauty queen and it's going to take a real professional to turn her even remotely close to the epitome of beauty. After an intensive makeover from one of the best pageant coaches in the industry by the name of Victor "Vic" Melling (Michael Caine), she not only looks exquisite and utterly gorgeous, but also begins to come out of her element day by day. Mingling with the other contestants and getting to know their individual backgrounds helps to open her mind up and clears her misconceptions about the typical beauty queen which she thought she knew like the back of her hand. Getting caught up in the situation along the way, Grace finds herself enjoying her experience more and more but doesn't let herself forget the sole purpose of her participation at this event. Troubled by the presence of her overbearingly demanding coach, partner, and entire team, will Grace step up to reclaim her dignity at the conclusion of the arrest or will she succumb to her despair over her past and continue life like before?
May I just say that the acting of all the star players was close to perfect and Candice Bergen really stood out as the chairman (or woman) of the pageant -- or as her character would emphasize, scholarship program. She really nailed the psychotic mindset of her character and had some previous experience as a beauty queen to contribute to her role as well. Michael Caine is witty and charismatic as always and brings that much more joy to the picture with his words of wisdom. The presentation of the pageant was absolutely well done with the inclusion of all the glitz and glamour as well as the set design. My favorite scene in the film would have to be at the conclusion of the makeover, when the weary beauticians have finally accomplished their mission and are treading out of the hangar with their masterpiece. Like astronauts who made it back from the great beyond, strolling out in slow motion to some rock and roll. But the real spectacle is harbored at the core of this film with the help of the plot and its memorable characters.
This film is tipping over the edge with important messages for women all around the world. Bullock's character Grace goes from being a highly strung klutz to a sophisticated, well-behaved and stylish woman while at the same time retaining the intelligence she has accumulated throughout her life. Most women who value their minds and focus their life on educating themselves think that being pretty rots your brain because you have it so easy in life but this film turns that theory around and presents pageant contestants with college degrees and jobs just like Grace herself has. Women don't need to be afraid to look good in order to be an intellectual and it certainly helps to look presentable while working at a job. Just ask yourself, if you looked like a mess everyday, you think you'd be better off with people treating you like a mess? It's one thing to be defiant against the conventional ways of society, but it's another to deny yourself happiness while doing it. In a matter of a week Grace has transformed herself into a model citizen with class and spunk all in tow but it wasn't like she didn't have any motivation to push herself to the limit. This may have been just another assignment, but it not only exposed her to what a woman should feel like inside and out, it gave her the opportunity to teach some of the other women how to have fun and be a well-rounded individual with the abilities to stand up for herself. You could say they exchanged favors, but Grace altered her life forever with the presence of all the ladies who befriended her, as well as her co-workers and makeover artist/pageant coach Vic, who taught her patience and poise not just for the pageant, but for life too.
Beauty is not superficial and a person who takes care of their body and mind is the one who will succeed in life. Light-hearted comedy and romance bloom on the screen as Sandra Bullock plays the role of the ugly duckling while teaching women in the audience a few useful safety maneuvers which are sure to be handy against some salacious dogs and shady assailants. Definitely a chick flick to go see with some girlfriends so feel free to express your girl power once the film concludes.
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