Miss Congeniality (PG-13, 2000)

common sense media says

Pleasant and entertaining; for teens and older.


parents & educators say

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.

Violence: Shoot-outs, characters in peril, one almost blown up.
Sex: Some sexual references.
Language: Some strong language.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Characters drink. Pageant contestants drink to excess.

More on Miss Congeniality

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
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?

What's the story?

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?

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.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Warner Bros.
Director: Donald Petrie
Cast: Benjamin Bratt, Michael Caine, Sandra Bullock, William Shatner
Genre: Comedy
Run time: 109 minutes
Theatrical release: December 22, 2000
DVD release: June 1, 2004
MPAA Rating: PG-13
MPAA explanation: sexual references and a scene of violence

This review was written by Nell Minow
 
 

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What parents & educators say

11

Most useful reviews by all members

mcguire217
kid, 10 years old
 
14+
LOVE MOVIE.

lolakitty12
teen, 14 years old
 
Perfects for Teens
Funny movie but also has a very good role model near the end when Gracie finds friendship in the other contestants.

MovieFan777
teen, 16 years old
 
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!

 
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

xBVBxARMYx
kid, 13 years old
 
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+.

Twilightgirl137
teen, 14 years old
 
Laugh, violence, and beauty!
This movie has it's funny moments. I love Gracie's answer for when she is asked "Why is New Jersey called the Garden State?" I also like when she did the whole women's self defense! That was funny! Parents should watch out for sexual stuff, but its not that bad.

acaciab28@hotm ...
kid, 12 years old
 
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."

sona622
teen, 14 years old
 
Good for Preteens
Awesome!!!! Some sexual references, but not bad at all.

 
I loved this movie and so did my kid.

dancing girl
kid, 12 years old
 
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.

lozzie98
kid, 13 years old
 
Awesome
This is one of my favorite movies!!!!

butterflydust
kid, 13 years old
 
Great for preteens and up! :D
I Love this movie, there's some language, but it could be rated PG. This movie is adorable!!!

MikaylaaMadisonn
teen, 16 years old
 
e.g. Perfect for older kids, but not for tweens
I love love love this movie. [: It is very funny.

savvyanna13
teen, 17 years old
 
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+.

lolhope97
teen, 14 years old
 
One of my favorites!
I love this movie! It's just plain hilarious! There are a few concerns if you really don't like your kids to be subject to any language or sexual references. There is some mild innuendo, and the vary rare word, but that is really it. Except for that, it's hilarious and a great movie.

emailsydney
teen, 13 years old
 
really liked it-good story line
characters got drunk a lot, pretty bad language, sexual referances, but not too explicit, theres a bomb that almost explodes on a pageant girl. overall, great story line, and a good lesson learned at the end of the movie.

RhythmofLove1997
teen, 14 years old
 
awesome movie i watch it all the time!!!!

FutureActress
kid, 13 years old
 
Funniest movie eva!
LOL LOL LOL LOL! One of my favorite movies ever! Sandra Bullock did a great job on this movie! There is some violence and some guns. There is a little bit of sex talk. The most inappropiate thing is the language and it isnt that bad. This movie will make you smile and cry(of laghter) and smile all over again. A must see movie.

Phil1995
kid, 13 years old
 
Cool movie! Sandra did a great job.
I love this movie! Its so funny and cool. Sandra did a great job and is really funny in this movie. There is some fighting and shooting, a little bit of sexual content and some bad words. In think this movie is fine for kids 11 and up, but a little iffy for 9 and under. You should really see this movie. Another funny movie with Sandra Bullcok in it.

gymnast
teen, 15 years old
 
i saw it when i was 6
That was because my grandpa didnt look at the rating i still love the movie it is deffinitly on for 11 yearolds not much of anything bad the volince is not scary i hate scary things even the last mimzy scared me so its not bad

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ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
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