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Search - Miss Congeniality Deluxe Edition / A Cinderella Story widescreen Edition on DVD

Miss Congeniality Deluxe Edition / A Cinderella Story widescreen Edition
Actors: Hilary Duff, Chad Michael Murray, Jennifer Coolidge, Sandra Bullock, Michael Caine
Directors: Donald Petrie, Mark Rosman
Genres: Action & Adventure, Comedy, Kids & Family, Mystery & Suspense

PG-13 2005 3hr 25min

It's a good thing Sandra Bullock knows her strengths and weaknesses, because without Bullock as star and producer, Miss Congeniality would be an insufferable mess as opposed to being a mildly enjoyable trifle that is custo... more »m-made for Bullock's established screen persona. Only Bullock's fans could really appreciate this fluff (even then they'll wish its ripe premise had been more intelligently handled), but it's not without some highlights to accompany Bullock's reliable charms. Here she plays clumsy, nerdy FBI agent Gracie Hart, who is given the horrific pseudonym Gracie Lou Freebush (one example of the movie's juvenile tendencies) when assigned to infiltrate a beauty pageant to investigate threats of a terrorist attack. Transforming Bullock from frumpy to stunning is a piece of cake (although she gives pageant coach Michael Caine a run for his money), so the movie's premise is trivial at best. More enjoyable is her character's uncouth disdain for pageant contestants and her mistaken perception that they're all a bunch of bimbos. The movie nicely charts Gracie's realization that her own pageant makeover provides a much-needed ego boost. In addition to Caine's effortless scene-stealing, pageant host William Shatner and organizer Candice Bergen are smart choices for comedic support (Shatner's a perfect Bert Parks wannabe), but the movie desperately needs a credible foundation for its comedy to really pay off. Bullock's bureau boss (Benjamin Bratt) is an unconvincing dimwit, and none of the plotting is as smart as say Beverly Hills Cop in combining procedure with laughs. That leaves Bullock to carry the burden of a comedy that just barely works in her favor. --Jeff Shannon If you are one of Hilary Duff's most ardent pre-teen fans, chances are you'll find something to enjoy in A Cinderella Story, but everyone else should proceed with caution. It's an updated fairy tale for the age of instant messaging, which is how Sam (Duff) develops a crush on Austin (Chad Michael Murray) before realizing that this Tennyson-quoting poet-at-heart is actually her San Fernando Valley high school's star quarterback and most desirable hunk. In a role that squanders her proven comedic gifts, Jennifer Coolidge is Sam's Botox-injected evil stepmother, and lame attempts at comedy turn her dimwitted stepsisters into buffoons, like many of the other cast members who struggle to find anything funny in the screenplay. So we're left with the bland, blonde charms of Hilary Duff, who fared better in The Lizzie McGuire Movie, but manages to salvage her mainstream appeal in a comedy for which "cute" is not necessarily a compliment. --Jeff Shannon

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Movie Details

Actors: Hilary Duff, Chad Michael Murray, Jennifer Coolidge, Sandra Bullock, Michael Caine
Directors: Donald Petrie, Mark Rosman
Creators: Bruce Berman, Clifford Werber, Caryn Lucas, Katie Ford, Leigh Dunlap, Marc Lawrence
Genres: Action & Adventure, Comedy, Kids & Family, Mystery & Suspense
Sub-Genres: Crime, Romantic Comedies, Sandra Bullock, Family Films, Mystery & Suspense
Studio: Warner Home Video
Format: DVD - Color,Widescreen - Closed-captioned
DVD Release Date: 04/05/2005
Original Release Date: 12/22/2000
Theatrical Release Date: 12/22/2000
Release Year: 2005
Run Time: 3hr 25min
Screens: Color,Widescreen
Number of Discs: 2
SwapaDVD Credits: 2
Total Copies: 0
Members Wishing: 0
Edition: Deluxe Edition
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Languages: Czech, English, French, German, Russian, Spanish

Movie Reviews

Miss Congeniality Great, Cinderella Story Horrid

03/27/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Miss Congeniality is a great movie for the entire family,but A Cinderalla Story is soooo bad dont buy the set. Buy Miss Congeniality"