Starring: Sandra Bullock, Regina King, William Shatner, Treat Williams

Cert: 12a

Released:25^th March 2005

FBI agent come Miss United States runner-up Gracie Hart (Bullock) is back. However things can never be the same again because everyone now knows who Hart is and when an FBI take down is jeopardised as a result of her celebrity status, she is faced with the choice of a desk job or becoming the public face of the FBI. And to top it all, her love interest from the first movie dumps her and moves away.

                The real Miss United States, Cheryl, and pageant host, Stan Fields (Shatner) are kidnapped for ransom and Hart is sent to Vegas to handle the PR. Obviously she is going to get herself involved a little more than requested because she’s out to save her friends - no matter what (disguising herself as an old saggy-breasted woman and then a woman pretending to be a man pretending to be a woman). Along for the ride is a new partner to bounce off, Agent Fuller (King), who is a loose cannon with a chip on her shoulder. Swap the previous beauty consultant with an FBI “Stylist”, Joel; substitute the beauty pageant setting with the glitz of Las Vegas and you get an, at times, very funny, but also at times substance lacking sequel.

My overall criticism of Miss Congeniality 2 would be an apparent overuse of jokes and themes from the first. Obviously a couple of running gags are to be expected but at times it seemed like I was just watching entire scenes from Miss Congeniality and some set pieces were designed specifically to regurgitate old chestnuts.

                On an related issue was the source of some of the comedy; in MC1 Michael Caine played a comical character who’s sexuality was secondary to the jokes whereas in this, not only are we spoon fed an almost identical premise but stylist, Joel (Diedrich Bader) is a performance that relies on an over the top, stereotypical gayness to derive laughs.

                The buddy relationship between Hart and new partner, Fuller is formulaic but plays well with the personality clashes, constant bickering and physical sparring.

                Bullock fans shouldn’t be overly disappointed because she still proves herself to be (probably) the screen queen of comedy and certainly should be given much respect for putting herself through the self-deprecating situations she does; not only appearing unglamorous in the first instant but then being foolish when she does become gorgeous. And she is gorgeous.

                If there was one scene that made it imperative to watch this film then it is one with Dolly Parton making a cameo; it’s outrageous and hysterical. Without giving too much away, Parton finally proves that she is more than a handful.