Miss Congeniality, starring Sandra Bullock, Michael Caine, and Benjamin Bratt, remains one of Bullock's best performances. As Gracie Hart, Bullock is an FBI agent transformed into a beauty pageant contestant — despite her abhorrence of the events. The tomboy-turned-knockout competes at the Miss United States Pageant to investigate threats and violence against her fellow contestants, with pratfalls and gaffs at every turn.

The success of Miss Congeniality resulted in a sequel in 2005. Released five years after the original, Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous, united Bullock with Regina Hall in a female buddy comedy. Gracie Hart, too high-profile to be an effective FBI agent, becomes the face of the Bureau with Agent Sam Fuller (Hall) as her partner.

The first Miss Congeniality earned Bullock a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress, was a huge box office success, and was fairly well received by critics. The sequel was far less successful and,...