As Good As It Gets

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

Sandra Bullock is one of the top Comedy Actresses yet she has shown power as a dramatic star (BLIND SIDE) She knows comedy, has great timing, and though sometimes her characters are a bit extreme or daffy, she comes off as very smart. Someone we can watch and laugh with, who brings us joy and realize we have watched a terrific actress.The movie is a delight, with the deadpan Caine, Shatner, and Bergen sometimes stealing the show. So much fun, I have no idea why this has a low rating...we don't have very many good comedies to watch.Sammy

Comedy starring Sandra Bullock as Gracie Hart, a tough girl cop who is obsessed with her job, doesn't have time for relationships and despises anything girly. After bungling a police operation, Gracie is consigned to go undercover as Miss New Jersey in the Miss USA beauty contest, resulting in hilarious elocution and posture lessons from an etiquette coach, excellently played by Michael Caine. As she just about convincingly gets through the extensive eliminating rounds, the cynical Gracie gets to know some of the other girls and is gradually transformed in her outlook to femininity and love. Inevitably she spots the saboteur, saves the day and ends the film as a more understanding heroine.The plot idea is extremely thin and it's only the charming performance of Bullock that gets the viewer through. She's ably assisted by the wonderful Michael Caine who pops up in the great role of Victor Melling, the man that must transform Gracie into a beauty queen and William Shatner makes good work of his role as Stan Fields the master of ceremonies. It's great to see these two old actors hamming their parts up for all they are worse. I'll also mention the cute and appealing Heather Burns who as Miss Rhode Island personifies every cliché of the pageant scene and yet still makes a lovely character. It's not a classic comedy by any stretch of the imagination, but it's still immensely delightful and immensely watchable.Overall rating: 8 out of 10.

Miss Congeniality finds Sandra Bullock as FBI Agent Gracie Hart, who must go undercover in the Miss United States beauty pageant to prevent a psychopath from committing untold homicide.The premise is simple, it's a Pygmalion/My Fair Lady scenario that transforms the rough and tough Gracie into a viable contestant for the pageant. Thus we have all the comedy that comes with her literally battling everyone, including her own opinions on pageants, as she is being asked to be something she doesn't believe is in her make up. The mystery of who the killer is who's on the loose is strong for a good portion of film, and even once it's known and drama takes centre stage, it's still hard to get the smile off of your face. The jokes are plentiful, with Bullock finding chemistry with all of her co-stars. She's a very under valued comedy actress, and her ability to bond with an entire cast is marvellous to observe. Reference sexual tension with Benjamin Bratt, the jousting hostilities with Ernie Hudson, the way she bounces off of the other beautiful girls, and best of all the by-play with Michael Caine, who is playing a camp stylist and walks in to lift the laughter roof off the rafters in every scene he is in.It doesn't push the boundaries of comedy, but it's thankfully a consistently funny piece of work, aided by a super cast on form who make a better comedy out of what the screenplay suggested it had any right to be. 7/10

All right, I admit it. I really admire Sandra Bullock.Heck! I even added her to my Blockbuster Video account (back when there was a Blockbuster Video) as an authorized user, just in case she ever wanted to rent a movie and didn't have any cash on hand.Miss Congeniality is typical "Fish-out-of-Water" comedy, with one big difference. They happened to have cast the perfect person to play the "Fish", and the resulting film surpasses all other films of the same entertaining format.Her down-to-earth attitude, sharp wit, good looks, physical and acting skills pulls off this role as no other actress could have done.A perfect example of what happens when making a movie, any type of movie, when everything and everyone meshes together.If you ever what to just sit down, relax, escape your own troubles and just enjoy the next couple of hours, watch this movie.