MISS CONGENIALITY 2: ARMED AND FABULOUS

US, 2005, 115 minutes, Colour.
Sandra Bullock, Regina King, Enrique Murciano, William Shatner, Ernie Hudson, Heather Burns, Diedrich Bader, Treat Williams, Eileen Brennan.
Directed by John Pasquin.

The original was an entertaining piece of fluff with Sandra Bullock as an accident-prone FBI agent infiltrating a Beauty Pageant to unmask a killer while making friends with the contestants and parodying the airhead aspects of the pageants. Audiences seemed eager for more so writer Marc Lawrence has obliged and Sandra Bullock has returned as producer and star.

It’s easy and undemanding watching.

As before, it is a mixture of sugar and spice with sugar winning out. However, for a lot of the time Bullock’s agent Gracie Hart is rather abrasive, taking the glamorous makeover she has undergone to be the PR face of the FBI too seriously. The trouble was that the public was recognising her in the middle of stakeouts and ruining the undercover work. When her old friend Miss World and pageant chaperone (William Shatner) are abducted, Gracie is back in action, eventually aided by a partner, the tough Sam Fuller (Regina King), despite their vigorous mutual antagonism. She is once again groomed by a gay designer, a campy Dietrich Bader. The Las Vegas FBI chief, Treat Williams, is hostile. But, the agent assigned to get them away falls under Gracie’s spell and, at the last moment, the very last moment, she solves the case and saves the hostages.

If you like Sandra Bullock, you won’t have too many problems. Otherwise, there are some funny lines, an episode in a Vegas drag club with Tina Turners, some variations on FBI action. Though it all ends up sweetly, Gracie is not exactly Miss Congeniality all along the way which gives the film, depending on your point of view, some edge or some nasty taste.

1. The popularity of the original, its appeal, the need for a sequel? Audience entertainment? The satiric tone of the film – the FBI, the media, Miss World Pageants, the style of Las Vegas, stumbling criminals?

2. The appeal of Sandra Bullock as Gracie Hart? The old Gracie, awkward, gawky, unkempt and the repeat of this at the opening of the film? The thematic and character links with the first film? Miss World? Gracie’s love for Eric and the break-off of the engagement, the effect on her? Her having a new entourage? Public relations and the solving of a case of abduction?

3. The New York settings, the FBI, the bank for the hold-up? Gracie’s apartment? The glamour of the makeover? The book-signing? The transition to Las Vegas, the police precinct, the glitz of the Las Vegas world, hotels, the clubs, the drag club? The contrast with the desert and the hut? The hotel and the pirates display? The blend of comedy and action?

4. The musical score, the songs, especially in the drag club, “Cabaret” and the Tina Turner songs? Costumes and style – gaudy and glitz?

5. The title, Gracie as armed and fabulous? Not so congenial at various times during the film? Her having to relearn congeniality?

6. The aftermath of the episodes in the first film, Gracie’s public? The contrast with her own appearance, hair, her snorting laugh…? The robbery, the fan asking for the autograph and spoiling the cover? Mc Donald and his exasperation?

7. Sam Fuller and her background, Chicago, tough, knocking down the martial arts teachers? The transfer to New York, the initial clash with Gracie in the office, the confrontation, insults? The background of the race differences? Mc Donald making her Gracie’s partner? Bodyguard during the visit to Las Vegas? And the audience knowing that eventually they would both change and strong bonds would follow?

8. Gracie, in herself, skill as an FBI agent, pining over Eric? The PR job and her accepting it? Joel and his style, manner, the transformation, her appearance, clothes? The book being ghost-written? Her believing the propaganda and it turning her head?

9. Meeting Cheryl again, the memories of Miss World? Meeting Stan Fields? The strong friendship, the two gossiping, the past? Las Vegas, the news of the abduction? The presumptions that Miss World had been kidnapped – but the truth being that loan sharks were after Stan’s money? Gracie and Sam going to Las Vegas?

10. The encounter with Collins, the tough management of the FBI office? His work, disdain, following the leads? His assistant and her relationship with Jeff and the affair with Collins? Gracie and the clash with Collins? The reliance on Jeff? The various clues, following through, examining the videos? Jeff taking the women to the airport – and their not going?

11. Cheryl, the experience of the abduction, the criminal, the two thugs and the takeover? The hut, their plans, making the video, the ransom? The second video and Cheryl providing the clues and using unladylike language and references? Stan and his wanting to get free? The jokes about William Shatner’s singing?

12. The various clues, the agents and their work? Gracie disguising herself and getting Sam to take her to meet Stan’s mother, the discussion, the information about gambling, the loan sharks? Noting the information about the driver, going to the bar, his confession about the pay-off? Her technique of handling him in public? The information about the loan sharks?

13. Sam, her personality, irritation with Gracie? Exasperation at her behaviour? Having to be her bodyguard? The clashes and insults? In Las Vegas, the taunts? The fans and her strong-arm tactics at the airport? Tackling people? The hotel, Gracie going out for interviews without telling her? Their beginning to work together, the stances against Collins, being held by Jeff, his own romantic disillusionment? The agreement to work together and the pact?

14. Jeff, young, inexperienced, becoming friendly with Gracie and Sam? Helping them? Mooning about his girlfriend, discovering her relationship with Collins? His helping? The other agents at the airport, the buying of the tampons? Gracie and Sam going to the house, getting the clues, the information about the abductors? The drag queen? Going to the club, disguised as Tina Turner, the various acts, the glitzy performances, Joel enjoying himself, as Tina Turner? Finding the final information?

15. Joel, personality, extravagantly gay? Helping them in the case, continually transforming Gracie, at the drag club? The hairdressers and their staying at the bar? Following through the clues, the information about the pirates, the abductors putting Stan and Cheryl below the exhibit, the water coming up? Gracie and the split-second saving of them, Sam rescuing her?

16. The contrast with Collins, his going to the hut, finding it abandoned? His comeuppance?

17. The finale, great success, Cheryl and Gracie reconciled, Sam reconciled, changing her appearance, Jeff and the attraction towards Cheryl? The put-down of the sour FBI agents? Glamour and success?