(Long Island, N.Y.) In my recent review for Crank: High Voltage, I called it (among other things) the “craziest movie I’ve ever seen.” Well, it’s not anymore.
First off, I have to say that British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen is one of the bravest people alive today. This man is willing to do anything, and I mean ANYTHING to get a laugh, including putting himself in situations where he could possibly be arrested, sued, hurt, or killed. I’m not going to go into what I think makes Cohen tick and why he would constantly put himself in these situations, but suffice it to say that he’s either a genius or completely insane (the likely answer: both).
Long-known in his native Britain for Da Ali G Show, a TV program where he played three separate journalists (Ali G, a wanna-be gangster; Borat, a well-intentioned but clueless reporter from Kazakhstan; and Brüno, a flamboyantly gay Austrian fashion correspondent), Cohen conducted ridiculous interviews with unsuspecting celebrities and politicians. The genius of Da Ali G show is that no matter how angry a guest got, or how outrageous a situation turned, Cohen never ever broke character. Unfortunately, Cohen became too well-known in England to continue conducting his covert interviews, which hinged on his subjects not knowing who he really was. Thus, he hightailed it to America where he was still relatively unknown, and continued his series for another two seasons on HBO. To date, he has starred in films based on all three of these characters- Ali G Indahouse (2002), Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006), and the subject of today’s review, Brüno.
Brüno, directed by Larry Charles, is a fake documentary-style comedy where Cohen reprises his role as the title character (albeit with a slightly different look from the TV show- gone is the fauxhawk in favor of a wispy emo hairdo). Host of the Austrian fashion program “Funkyzeit mit Brüno” (Funkytime with Brüno), Brüno is fired after a bizarre runway mishap involving a Velcro jumpsuit. Despondent, he decides to head to America to become a celebrity, accompanied by his assistant’s assistant Lutz (Gustaf Hammarsten).
What follows is a series of interviews, skits and pranks, all connected by Brüno’s desperate desire to become world-famous. Among the things you’ll find yourself subjected to are comedically over-the-top gay sex scenes, bondage, American Idol’s Paula Abdul using Mexicans as furniture (while talking about how important it is to help people), Southern swinger parties, a staged talk show where Brüno unveils his fashionable adopted African baby (named “OJ”) to a hostile black audience, the most offensive (and hilarious) test screening of a television pilot ever, professional gay converters, attempts to mend Middle-East relations, and an Ultimate Fighting event turned blatantly homoerotic before the horrified eyes of an outraged redneck audience. In Brüno, nothing is taboo or out-of-bounds- this is a film that pushes the boundaries of the “R” rating as far as it’s like to ever be pushed. It makes me laugh when I think of the old 1980’s R-rated Friday the 13th films and how sanitized they were (by today’s standards) to avoid an X rating. It’s a testament to how relaxed the modern ratings system has become when Brüno’s bare penis can literally look into the camera and scream his name (I am not joking).
Brüno is one of the few films that have actually made me laugh so hard I cried. But, after it was all over, I felt almost…violated. It’s hard to explain- I had been bombarded by visuals I never thought I’d see in a major studio release. Yes, there is a lot of blatant homosexual humor, but Sacha Baron Cohen ingeniously uses it as a ploy to uncover gay prejudice in his subjects much in the same way he used the Borat character to uncover misogynistic and anti-Semitic traits. Borat as a character was (to me) funnier and more likeable, but he certainly didn’t push the buttons that Brüno does. Borat’s outrageous behavior was tempered by the innate compassion his victims often felt for simple foreigners unfamiliar with American customs, whereas Brüno more often than not just disgusts his prey with his sexualized antics. While one might argue that this proves homophobia is still very much alive and well in our country, but considering how hard Cohen tries to adhere to every gay stereotype in existence it’s hard to cite Brüno as concrete proof. I understand that this is the point of the character, but anything taken to its extreme is likely to cause an uproar.
Brüno is a film that gleefully crosses the line time and time again, so much so that I experienced equal amounts of shock and awe. Yes, it’s super-offensive and certainly not for your kindly old grandma (and if you actually bring your kids to see it you should be shot), but it’s also fresh and enthralling to see a movie break free of the confinements of the hum-drum garbage that we’re force-fed on a daily basis. I’ve heard of people storming out in the middle of Brüno fully disgusted, but if they went into this movie not knowing what they were in for beforehand I have no pity for them.
In closing, Brüno is a must-see, but only if you’re open-minded and 100% sure of your own sexuality. It’s a shame that this is probably the last movie of this type that Sacha Baron Cohen can ever do, as Brüno wrings the very last drop out of The Ali G Show characters (all of which are now too engrained in pop culture to continue to be effective, unless Cohen travels to Antarctica next). But considering the man’s raw talent and fearlessness, I’m sure his career in Hollywood is far, far from over.
