When a terrorist threat is made to the Miss United States pageant/scholarship program, the FBI must send in one of their undercover agents to find out the truth and stop disaster from occurring. But who can they send? Their list of possibilities is quickly narrowed to a single contender, Gracie Hart (Sandra Bullock), who is slender, pretty and fetching in a swimsuit. Now for the snag... she's also a hard-hitting, gun-toting tomboy whose demeanor is about as feminine as Dolph Lundgren. Can they teach her how to be a girl in time for the pageant?This 2000 movie was followed by a 2005 sequel, Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous.
Baby Talk: When Eric (justifiably) balks at helping Gracie finish her self-defense demonstration, Gracie uses baby talk to gather support and encouragement from the crowd, and to shame him into helping her finish. He regrets it later (see below).
Belligerent Sexual Tension: Hart and Matthews, big time. The more refreshing part is that the sexual tension is clearly present before she gets the makeover, which keeps him from being a Shallow Love Interest.
The Cast Showoff: An in-movie example. When Gracie is stuck without a talent before the show, she decides to improv and show her FBI combat training instead.
Demoted to Extra: Understandably, most of the pageant contestants. The only ones that were actually in the movie for any decent amount of time (aside from Gracie as New Jersey) were Rhode Island, California, New York, Texas, and Hawaii.
Also, Shinji Ikari makes an uncredited appearance as a bar guy.
Hidden Wire: Gracie wears one of these, unless she's just had an argument with someone at the FBI.
Improbable Age: Miss USA contestants have to be between 18 and 27. Sandra Bullock was 35 when the first film was made (an in-movie case of Dawson Casting, since Gracie mentions in an off-hand remark that she's at least thirty, but the FBI are still trying to pass her off as being in her twenties.
Inspirationally Disadvantaged: Mentioned as the one time one of Victor's girls didn't win the crown during his heyday:
"The year we lost, the winner was a deaf-mute. You can't beat that."
Ironic Echo: "It is not a beauty pageant - it is a scholarship program!"
What Kind of Lame Power Is Heart, Anyway?: In the movie, Miss Rhode Island's baton twirling talent is treated this way. But during the talent scene at the Alamo, one girl's talent seemed to be making balloon animals.
Chickification: A major plot point. A result of her Becoming the Mask after the first movie. Even after the real story comes out and Gracie becomes the face of the FBI, the girly-girl persona sticks.
Hostage Video: The one of Cheryl and Stan began the entire plot.
Sam Fuller: You didn't just call me sister, because I don't recall seeing a skinny, white-ass girl growing up at the table. Gracie Hart: Okay, first of all... thank you for calling me skinny.
Sam Fuller: I am not going out there as a woman pretending to be a man pretending to be Tina Turner. I can't afford therapy on my salary.
Recycled Soundtrack: During the scene where Sam and Gracie rescue Cheryl and Stan, you can hear Building the Crate and The Chickens Are Revolting from Chicken Run in the background.
Ruined Forever: Gracie's undercover career after the epic fame she earned saving the Miss United States Pageant.
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