Bruno (B or 3/4 stars)
Boy, oh boy, is Sacha Baron Cohen crazy. Crazy talented, crazy funny, & just plain crazy. But I'm glad he's around. 2006's Borat was, for me, a HUGE hit & miss affair. I laughed, cried, was bored, outraged, laughed again, bored, laughed ... & back again. This time, in 'Bruno', I was similarly entertained. Except, I actually think my laugh quotient was even higher. Don't get me wrong, there are slow parts, misfires, & absurdly offensive material ... but I laughed. I laughed hard for more than half of the movie (only 85 min. in length). So, based on that, I give this "thing" (you can hardly call it a cohesive movie) a thumbs up. Will I re-visit 'Bruno' in the future? Perhaps. Will I laugh as hard the next time around? I'm not sure. All I know is that I enjoyed myself while watching it.
The plot (really, just a series of satirical skits): flamboyant, homosexual, Austrian TV host Bruno makes a runway faux pas (involving a Velcro outfit, hysterical) and is thrust out of Austria. And he has to say goodbye to his creepy pygme boyfriend (their bedroom activities are extremely raunchy). From here, the over-the-top, disturbed fashionista decides to make it big in America; you see the immediate similarity with 'Borat' (another similarity is the path the interviews take. Both films show Cohen starting an interview with an interviewee only to have it turn sour or even mayhemic). Accompanied by his assistant (Gustaf Hammaresten), Bruno aims to become a celebrity at all costs (and I mean it). Each attempt to be popular fails miserably. But those attempts are why this movie exists.
First, Bruno shoots a promiscuous TV pilot featuring celebrity interviews (Paula Abdul, Harrison Ford, Ron Paul). His pronunciation of the various celebrity names is fantastic ('Bradolf Pittler'). Then, members of a focus group for his pilot are rightfully abhorred by everything they see. In another segment, he interviews 'Middle Earthians', aka Palestinians & Israelis; confusing Hamas with Hummus. Later on, CPS catches up with him after he swaps an African baby (naming him O.J.), takes him in a hot tub with naked men, & brings him on a Jerry Springer-like show. Finally, disillusioned by his failures, Bruno decides to become straight; leading to some memorable scenes involving a gay deprogrammer, redneck hunters, boot camp, a swingers party (with sexual acts abounding), & a wrestling riot in Arkansas. That segment, in particular, shows both the idiocy of some Americans, AND how homosexual stereotypes are still reinforced.
Provided the viewer is not easily offended, I think 'Bruno' will be successful & mostly well-liked. The end credits are great; including performances from Bono, Sting, Slash, Elton John, & Snoop Dogg. Much of what we see onscreen is provocative, astonishing, filthy, cringe-worthy, & shocking (never thought I'd ever see Sacha Baron Cohen's penis sing at me, haha). You know, I'm a fairly desensitized American; one who's not easily shocked. But I was shocked by portions of 'Bruno'. Sacha Baron Cohen targets two groups of people here: homosexuals (obviously) & celebrities. He aims to show how ridiculous homosexuals can be; but also, that they can't change who they are. There's a perception that all gays are like Bruno (superficial, immoral sex addicts). And while a small population is like that, I would think that most audiences will get that he's satirizing them to show just how ridiculous those stereotypes are.
My favorite aspect of the film is his making fun of the fame that celebrities achieve & how they'll do anything to get it (exploit children, oversees adoption, etc.). Cohen shows how hypocritical & stupid people can be. And watching that stupidity can be both bewildering & amusing in the right medium (like this movie). Now, while parts of 'Bruno' are absolutely BRILLIANT (where I exploded into fits of shameful laughter), there are also some poorly thought-out patches; where the tone of the skit was off, or I didn't find it funny, or I was grossed-out. Also, some of the events in 'Bruno' are staged. i.e., the talk show, & the army scene. But overall, 'Bruno' definitely delivers the goods ... or the bads, whatever it is you're looking for from a Sacha Baron Cohen mockumentary.
The plot (really, just a series of satirical skits): flamboyant, homosexual, Austrian TV host Bruno makes a runway faux pas (involving a Velcro outfit, hysterical) and is thrust out of Austria. And he has to say goodbye to his creepy pygme boyfriend (their bedroom activities are extremely raunchy). From here, the over-the-top, disturbed fashionista decides to make it big in America; you see the immediate similarity with 'Borat' (another similarity is the path the interviews take. Both films show Cohen starting an interview with an interviewee only to have it turn sour or even mayhemic). Accompanied by his assistant (Gustaf Hammaresten), Bruno aims to become a celebrity at all costs (and I mean it). Each attempt to be popular fails miserably. But those attempts are why this movie exists.
First, Bruno shoots a promiscuous TV pilot featuring celebrity interviews (Paula Abdul, Harrison Ford, Ron Paul). His pronunciation of the various celebrity names is fantastic ('Bradolf Pittler'). Then, members of a focus group for his pilot are rightfully abhorred by everything they see. In another segment, he interviews 'Middle Earthians', aka Palestinians & Israelis; confusing Hamas with Hummus. Later on, CPS catches up with him after he swaps an African baby (naming him O.J.), takes him in a hot tub with naked men, & brings him on a Jerry Springer-like show. Finally, disillusioned by his failures, Bruno decides to become straight; leading to some memorable scenes involving a gay deprogrammer, redneck hunters, boot camp, a swingers party (with sexual acts abounding), & a wrestling riot in Arkansas. That segment, in particular, shows both the idiocy of some Americans, AND how homosexual stereotypes are still reinforced.
Provided the viewer is not easily offended, I think 'Bruno' will be successful & mostly well-liked. The end credits are great; including performances from Bono, Sting, Slash, Elton John, & Snoop Dogg. Much of what we see onscreen is provocative, astonishing, filthy, cringe-worthy, & shocking (never thought I'd ever see Sacha Baron Cohen's penis sing at me, haha). You know, I'm a fairly desensitized American; one who's not easily shocked. But I was shocked by portions of 'Bruno'. Sacha Baron Cohen targets two groups of people here: homosexuals (obviously) & celebrities. He aims to show how ridiculous homosexuals can be; but also, that they can't change who they are. There's a perception that all gays are like Bruno (superficial, immoral sex addicts). And while a small population is like that, I would think that most audiences will get that he's satirizing them to show just how ridiculous those stereotypes are.
My favorite aspect of the film is his making fun of the fame that celebrities achieve & how they'll do anything to get it (exploit children, oversees adoption, etc.). Cohen shows how hypocritical & stupid people can be. And watching that stupidity can be both bewildering & amusing in the right medium (like this movie). Now, while parts of 'Bruno' are absolutely BRILLIANT (where I exploded into fits of shameful laughter), there are also some poorly thought-out patches; where the tone of the skit was off, or I didn't find it funny, or I was grossed-out. Also, some of the events in 'Bruno' are staged. i.e., the talk show, & the army scene. But overall, 'Bruno' definitely delivers the goods ... or the bads, whatever it is you're looking for from a Sacha Baron Cohen mockumentary.