Drop Dead Gorgeous Movie Review (1999)
A hilarious mockumentary about a small town beauty queen contest with a stacked cast and tons of one-liners, it’s no wonder Drop Dead Gorgeous has become a cult classic.
I have to admit that I’ve never been to, watched, or been part of a beauty queen contest. The closest I’ve ever gotten is watching Little Miss Sunshine repeatedly, so that is what I imagine they are like. Well, that and Miss Congeniality, but I hope that no one is trying to kill the winner. But then I watched this movie and – maybe they are?
Drop Dead Gorgeous is a comedy about a Mount Rose, Minnesota beauty contest that has taken place every year for 50 years. It is very competitive and the winner gets to go to the next level where they compete against girls from out of town – a big deal. Various teens enter and, with the encouragement of their moms and local friends (many of whom were in the pageant years ago), they go through the pageant process.
This is a black comedy where not all of the contestants or people in the town live to find out the results. One of the girls works in the funeral home applying makeup to the deceased and none of the deaths seem particularly shocking to her or the town – which in and of itself is shockingly funny to you.
The cast is killer, with actors like Kirsten Dunst, Brittany Murphy, Kirstie Alley, Amy Adams, Denise Richards, Allison Janney, and Ellen Barkin to name a few. Most have thick Minnesota accents and excellent Midwest lingo.
Drop Dead Gorgeous is shot in documentary form (much like “The Office,” which was produced a few years after this), interviewing different characters throughout the film. Each and every person in town is quirky in their own way and, as the bodies start piling up, you begin wondering if all of the deaths are random or if someone has an agenda.
The script is genius, with innumerable quotable lines – I can’t believe we don’t hear more of them in day-to-day conversation. “Once a carnie, always a carnie” and “Jesus loves winners!” are just a few to wet your palate, but there are so many great ones.
Overall, this is a very funny movie about small town girls (and their moms) trying to live their dreams (and the dreams of their moms) if they are able to make it through the entire experience alive. It is one of those movies where every scene is funny, so it’s a great time and goes by very fast. I will definitely watch this one again.
Runtime: 97 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: PG-13
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? Yes, it’s very funny
Did I Cry? Nope
My Rating: 4/5 Stars
Available: Free on Tubi and Xumo Play or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
