Oh boy. Where to begin. First off let me just say that Sacha Baron Cohen's got balls. Huge wrecking ball size balls. His followup to the mega hit Borat goes farther than I had imagined or dared to imagine and had such an effect on me that I spent most of the time watching the film with my hands over my eyes and saying to myself "No no no no no! This isn't happening." At one point I had to close my eyes and and put my hands over my ears because I couldn't bear the tension that was on the screen. I have a very hard time watching these types of comedies where people are put in to awkward situations, like the UK's The Office and Extras, Alan Partridge and such because I get an actual physical reaction to what's happening on screen. I want to be somewhere else, be able to shut it off if it becomes to unbearable and I can't do that in the cinema unless I simply walk out. That's why I've only seen Borat once and that was in the cinema.
I live in a very liberal and easygoing society and it takes allot to shock us but the people at the screening were stunned after watching this thing. So I can't imagine the reaction this film is going to get in the states where sex and homosexuality is still taboo in many people's minds. But man the film is funny, I haven't laughed like that at a movie since, well Borat I think.
Brüno is very much like Borat in that a foreigner explores America and shows the viewer its ugly and ignorant side and gets us to laugh uncontrollably while he's at it.
The plot revolves around our hero, a super gay fashion show host who gets black listed and eventually fired after an incident at the Milan fashion week. Distraught he travels to America with his more than loyal assistant Lutz (Tilsamman's Gustaf Hammarsten) where he hopes to find fame and fortune. After many failed attempts, a TV show, adopting a baby from Africa, trying to resolve the conflict in the Middle East, he comes to the realization that he's maybe too gay for fame and decides that he might have to "straighten up" to get to where he's going. To the top.
I am willing to put money on it that this film is going to be the most controversial film this year and I expect walkouts by the droves. The lengths this man goes to, to get his point across and to crack a joke are staggering and actually life threatening is some, well many instances. And I'm willing to bet that this film will set a record in lawsuits against it (Pauly Shore got his down already).
I'm not sure how I would take this film if I was red blooded American since it's mostly making fun of American culture by tackling racism, homophobia, parenting, ignorance and hypocrisy. All things that we all knew existed there and in every country around the world. Is it fair to focus only on the States? They are the most powerful country in the world and are not afraid to say so, so I would imagine most people out there would say that they are fair game, knock them down a peg or two. Plus we all love to laugh at rednecks.
The social commentary the film is trying to make is irrelevant really, we all know these things exist and we saw it in Borat anyway. But what it does have is Funny, lots and lots of Funny. It is the funniest and most shocking film of the year by far. You thought the BJ photos at the end of The Hangover were shocking? Compared to what goes on in Brüno you could put them in your baby album.
Sacha Baron Cohen handles his part well of course, never breaking character in the most extreme situation, the last scene in the film makes me wonder how he got out of there alive. Gustaf Hammarsten as Lutz is wonderful as well and brave to do the things he had to do to get ticket holders to laugh. And you have to wonder if placing yourself in such danger is really worth it. Cohen seems to think so. What I really liked was how they've managed to hide the staged scenes better this time around where as in Borat you could really tell where those were. This manages to fool the viewer better in to thinking that this whole film is real as it gets.
If you are a redneck, homophobe, have a hard time looking at penis on screen or think the UFC is the greatest thing on earth then this film is not for you. But if you love to watch people get themselves in to weird and awkward situations then this film will knock your balls off.
Gayt! Looking forward to laugh my ass off to this, like I did with Borat.
Just got home from watching Transformers 2 which was just okay. But before the film started there was a short commercial with Brüno telling everyone to be quiet during the film. So funny.
wow..sounds sick!
Movie must really be good, but I just don't like the gAy/queer concept:/
Definitely gave me the cringe-inducing effect! Great stuff
"You’re going to show how racist people is by annoying them and doing stupid shit with a weird accent?"
Wow you....just really, really missed the point of Borat. Like, by about as wide a margin as I can imagine.
And thanks for speaking for everyone else, too.
Oh, i get his point, it's just that is a poorly developed point. Also, not a very funny one.
Nice subtle America bashing in this review. I like how you describe American culture. "racism, homophobia, parenting, ignorance and hypocrisy". Genius.
I can't wait to read the pamphlet on Iceland's incredible cultural achievements. One more thing, I love this line you wrote.
"they are the most powerful country in the world and are not afraid to say so, so I would imagine most people out there would say that they are fair game, knock them down a peg or two." That might be one of the dumbest comment I've read on this site .
Easy there Piker, did you not read this: "All things that we all knew existed there and in every country around the world."
Talking about things within a culture doesn't mean the culture is defined by those things. However, it doesn't stop them from being there. Mr. Cohen has made a killing off that fact and Swarez was commenting about it. That's all.
It was rather impressive mind you, in your distaste for the (incorrect) assumption that someone was mocking another's culture (yours), you turn around and mock someone's culture.
Walkouts? I expect widespread vandalism of theaters and possible shootings after what I just saw. Absolutely hilarious. A scathing look at American culture in all its racist, homophobic, poorly parented, ignorant, hypocritical glory. The most powerful country in the world gets the movie it deserves.
Piker501's post is hilarious. Thanks man.
ChevalierAguila made a comment about most people not catching the social commentary, and I concur. I live in southern Indiana and would likely be considered a redneck, but I'm not a fucking racist or a homophobe or a hypocrite. Contrary to what's being suggested here, rednecks are not the sole representation of America's social diseases. As an American, you can't watch a film like this and laugh and think that Cohen is making fun of everyone else but you, consequently deeming yourself superior to people you don't know. Cohen is making fun of all of us.
The poster featured here, by the way, is the censored one. My local multplex has a version where the pants need a... a bikiniline, so to speak.
:-S