Weeks after her assignment at the Miss United States beauty pageant, FBI agent Gracie Hart's cover is blown when her newfound fame results in her being recognized while undercover trying to prevent a bank heist. With Gracie too recognizable to perform field work, she is given the choice between a desk job and a new role as a spokesperson for the FBI.
After being dumped by her boyfriend, fellow agent Eric Matthews, Gracie accepts the position as the "new face of the FBI". Assigned to work with her is Sam Fuller, a recent transfer from Chicago who has difficulty working with others. With the help of her new stylist Joel Myers, Gracie begins to embrace her new position, making television appearances and publishing a book about the Miss United States operation.
Meanwhile, pageant winner Cheryl Fraser and host Stan Fields are kidnapped by brothers Lou and Karl Steele, who hold them for ransom. Gracie is tasked with going to Las Vegas, where the kidnappings took place, to hold a press conference. She is accompanied by Joel and Sam, who reluctantly agrees to serve as Gracie's bodyguard.
In Las Vegas, Gracie begins to investigate the kidnappings on her own, against the wishes of bureau chief Walter Collins. She learns that Cheryl and Stan's limo driver was paid off by a Dolly Parton impersonator to give the kidnappers an opportunity to make their move. When Gracie believes she spots the impersonator and apprehends them, she later discovers it is the real Dolly Parton. The incident receives considerable media attention, causing a furious Collins to order Gracie and Sam back to New York City.
While reviewing surveillance tapes at the airport, Gracie realizes that the kidnappers were not after Cheryl as originally suspected, but Stan. With the assistance of Vegas-based agent Jeff Foreman, Gracie, Sam, and Joel return to Las Vegas. The four infiltrate the nursing home where Stan's mother lives, and learn that he has a gambling addiction, suggesting that Stan was kidnapped by loan sharks over his debts.
Jeff searches an FBI database to find possible suspects, but is caught by Collins, who once again orders Gracie, Sam, and Joel back to New York. Before leaving the FBI, Gracie sees a ransom video of Cheryl sent by the kidnappers. At the airport, Gracie and Sam fight, revealing what Sam calls "the real Gracie Hart", rather than the media-friendly image she has become. The two, along with Joel and Jeff, again escape FBI custody and head to the Oasis Drag Club, where the only Dolly Parton impersonator in Las Vegas performs.
With Sam as a Tina Turner impersonator and Gracie and Joel dressed as showgirls, Gracie and Sam perform to "Proud Mary", earning them access into the club's dressing room. The Dolly Parton impersonator tells them that Karl Steele, who he worked with at Treasure Island, forced him to bribe Cheryl and Stan's limo driver. Collins leads an FBI raid on Lou and Karl's house, only to discover it deserted. Gracie deduces from coded language Cheryl used in the ransom video that she and Stan have been taken to Treasure Island.
Once there, Gracie and Sam fight Lou and Karl. Karl reveals that Cheryl and Stan are tied up inside one of the hotel's pirate ships, which is scheduled to sink. Gracie rescues Stan and Cheryl, but becomes trapped underwater when her costume becomes pinned beneath a cannon; Sam arrives to save her.
Cheryl and Jeff strike up a romance, and Gracie bumps the fame-hungry Collins into the water when he tries to take credit for the rescue. Gracie leaves her spokesperson position to return to field work, with Sam as her new partner.
Sandra Bullock and writer Marc Lawrence initially had no plans for a sequel. While working on Two Weeks Notice, Bullock and Lawrence joked about ideas for a Miss Congeniality sequel, some of which "weren't that far-fetched" according to Bullock. Las Vegas was featured in an early version of the first film, but was ultimately written out of the script. A five-week shoot in southern Nevada began on April 12, 2004. Approximately half of the film's scenes were scheduled to be shot in Las Vegas.
Major filming locations included the Treasure Island and Venetian resorts.
Reception
For its opening weekend, Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous ranked second behind Guess Who with a three-day gross of $14.5 million and a combined four-day gross of $17.6 million. The film grossed $101 million worldwide.
