Sacha Baron Cohen is back with another outrageous turn, this time as disgraced fashion reporter Brüno. Similarly to Borat, he looks to America (via the Middle East and Africa) for the answer to his problems, this time in the hope of finding fame and re-invigorating his career. But this time are we laughing with him, or at him?
I really wanted to like this film, and I'm as open-minded and up for a laugh as they come. I'm also a gay man, so perhaps I was anticipating this film just a bit more than the next Joe in the street. I also had a pretty good idea of what I was in for, having seen and largely enjoyed Borat. Not to mention that Cohen is pretty much a genius, someone who lives and breathes his creations, no matter how extreme or dangerous the situation in which he finds himself becomes.
The outrageous jokes are there, as are the stunts. But it's arguable as to what is actually authentic and what has been set up with willing participants (refer to Cohen's MTV stunt with Eminem), and this does take away from the film. I found myself laughing out loud with the audience at a number of these, and just like in Borat, some where I could barely keep my eyes open as I was cringing in my seat with embarrassment for both him and his unwitting victims.
But at the end of the film I was left with a sour taste in my mouth. Whereas I feel the humour in Borat came from exposing everyday peoples' prejudices, he also had an ounce of likability as the naive hillbilly who was out of his depth. Brüno is a different beast altogether - largely unlikeable - and he goes out of his way to provoke reactions in people you might actually have some sympathy for, and also reactions that become downright scary and predictable. That's when the humour disappears and Brüno veers from biting social commentary to mindless provocation 'for laughs'. I'm just not sure anyone was really laughing...
I really wanted to like this film, and I'm as open-minded and up for a laugh as they come. I'm also a gay man, so perhaps I was anticipating this film just a bit more than the next Joe in the street. I also had a pretty good idea of what I was in for, having seen and largely enjoyed Borat. Not to mention that Cohen is pretty much a genius, someone who lives and breathes his creations, no matter how extreme or dangerous the situation in which he finds himself becomes.
The outrageous jokes are there, as are the stunts. But it's arguable as to what is actually authentic and what has been set up with willing participants (refer to Cohen's MTV stunt with Eminem), and this does take away from the film. I found myself laughing out loud with the audience at a number of these, and just like in Borat, some where I could barely keep my eyes open as I was cringing in my seat with embarrassment for both him and his unwitting victims.
But at the end of the film I was left with a sour taste in my mouth. Whereas I feel the humour in Borat came from exposing everyday peoples' prejudices, he also had an ounce of likability as the naive hillbilly who was out of his depth. Brüno is a different beast altogether - largely unlikeable - and he goes out of his way to provoke reactions in people you might actually have some sympathy for, and also reactions that become downright scary and predictable. That's when the humour disappears and Brüno veers from biting social commentary to mindless provocation 'for laughs'. I'm just not sure anyone was really laughing...