 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Miss Congeniality
- Review Date: May 4, 2003
- PG-13
- Genre: Comedy
- 2000
Common Sense Media says
Pleasant and entertaining; for teens and older.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this movie has some strong language, a bulimia joke, some sexual references ("No wonder you're still a virgin!"), including a lesbian contestant, and there are various shoot-outs and scenes of peril (no serious damage). Grace makes a joke about praying that some people might find insensitive.
What's the story?
Sandra Bullock plays Grace, an FBI agent who lives for her job. She gets in trouble for not following orders and is considered so expendable that she is the one sent to Starbucks for coffee. She is more at home subduing a suspect than having a conversation with an attractive man, and spends more time with her gun than she does with a hairbrush or make-up mirror. When the FBI needs an agent to go undercover as a contestant in a beauty pageant, she is the only one who might be able to pass. So the Bureau hires Victor Melling (Michael Caine), a consultant, to oversee her transformation and her transition into the world of big hair and baton twirling.
Is it any good?
Bullock the producer found a pretty good vehicle for Bullock the actress in this variation on the classic Hollywood "makeover movie." As in predecessors from Cinderella to My Fair Lady to Pretty Woman, MISS CONGENIALITY is at its core the story of an ugly duckling who finds empowerment and a boyfriend after a few pointers on good grooming and accessorizing. But Bullock's performance and a couple of new twists on the classic formula make it a pleasant and entertaining effort.
There are few new jokes to be made about beauty pageants, but Bullock delivers the lines as though no one had ever said them before. The plot is so flimsy that it would disappear if I tried to explain it, but Bullock plays it as though it is really happening. She gets some fine support from Caine and from Candice Bergen and William Shatner as the pageant's director and master of ceremonies, both far more three-dimensional than Benjamin Bratt as Grace's FBI colleague/Prince Charming.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about why "in place of friends and relationships, [Grace] has grumpiness and a gun." What does the incident from Grace's childhood tell us about the way she turned out? Was she afraid to get close to anyone? Grace gets in trouble for not following orders in the beginning, and it turns out that she was wrong. But later on, she refuses to follow orders again, and urges her colleague to "throw out the rulebook." What rules did she follow? How did she decide? What did she learn from the other girls? What did the villain hope to accomplish? How?
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- Teens & kids
AGE
Perfects for Teens
Funny movie but also has a very good role model near the end when Gracie finds friendship in the other contestants.
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Kid, 11 years old
June 24, 2010
AGE
14+
LOVE MOVIE.
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AGE
Good for Preteens
Awesome!!!! Some sexual references, but not bad at all.
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AGE
Happy film that every girl will laugh at Bullocks tomboy character.
This giddy little movie starring Sandra Bullock is about a tremedously boyish FBI agent that has to go undercover as a pagent princess in Miss America. She HATES pagents, but to keep her job she has to. She has to change her wardrobe,hair, actually put on makeup, walk normally, and look good in a bathingsuit while trying to hide the FBI badge she has stored under sleeve. There is really nothing bad but an explosion. Also pagents is a product of consumerism. Some of the pagent girls do get drunk. Nothing bad happens. It is a very funny and good movie. All ages is actually good for this movie. But I would recommend it for 10+.
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AGE
This Film is Full of Fun and Hart!
Miss Congeniality is a hilarious comedy that you just can't get enough of!!! Sandra Bullock, to me anyway, gives her best performance as Gracie Hart, the ugly duckling turned beautiful, who still delivers quips on or off the pageant stage! The story will maybe even appeal to some male audience members with it's action and FBI story, and girls will certainly love Sandra and the pageant parts. So either if your a guy or gal, Miss Congeniality is sure to have you smiling!
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Kid, 12 years old
July 31, 2011
AGE
Great, funny movie for teens
This movie is great for teens and has a lot of funny moments. Only thing parents might be concerned about would be the language and the violence. There is some drinking in the movie but mostly language and violence is the main thing you should watch out for. In my opinion, I don't think you should let your child watch this movie until they're 11 or 12 because they probably won't understand much of it at a younger age.
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AGE
Amusing undercover comedy for teens and up
Sandra Bullock has again proven she is a delight to watch, and with Michael Caine as one of the best co-stars in any comedy I've ever seen, you can't miss this. Parents: There is a lot of sexual humor, language, and some violence. Bottom Line: With action, heart, and humor, this is a great pick for any families with teens. Thanks for reading! - Movie Man
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AGE
Miss Congeniality Review
Rating: ON 11+ for language, adult content, violence; with our contain to watch out for.
""it's ok to watch at any age" i said but 'bull****' and other words are not ok to let younger kids use, i was the oldest watching it, Off for 5 and under, Iffy for 6-10 and On for 11 and up, i know they are not supposed to repeat or say (bulls--t, and more) should be PG or PG-13."
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AGE
15+? yeah right
This is a funny action packed comedy that will have you laughing, even at the end. It is a good movie in that it says that anyone can do something that no body else thinks they can. This movie has no sex, very mild violence and very little language. It could have been PG and is for anyone like 10+.
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| Studio: | Warner Bros. |
| Director: | Donald Petrie |
| Cast: | Benjamin Bratt, Michael Caine, Sandra Bullock, William Shatner |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Run time: | 109 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | December 22, 2000 |
| DVD release date: | June 1, 2004 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | sexual references and a scene of violence |
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