Sacha Baron Cohen is at it again. In disguise and bringing his outrageous and brave sense of humor back to the big screen, Cohen’s humor stays relevant to issues going on in the world and in this country. His character of Borat focuses on the foreigner and how Americans see race after 9/11. Now his character of Brüno represents the taboo of homosexuality and how Americans feel about same-sex relationships. But Cohen’s humor is not subtle. It’s outrageous and in your face.
Brüno is the story of Bruno, another character from “Da Ali G Show.” Brüno is a gay Austrian fashionista. After he ruins a fashion show due to his Velcro outfit, he becomes blacklisted. So he makes his way to Hollywood to become famous. Brüno tries everything from trying to be kidnapped, to making a porn video, adopting an African baby, and even trying to be straight. All of these ideas lead to unbelievable interviews and situations that only Cohen would be responsible for.
In this movie, you really don’t know what’s real and what is not. Some situations seem staged, but you really do not know. Then there are other scenarios and people that Brüno talks to that you hope are staged. Some people in this mockumentary are brutally honest and look so stupid. If you think kids say the darnedest things, some of these adults are ridiculous. But no one is as ridiculous as Cohen.
He puts himself in dangerous situations and meets people who could be dangerous themselves. The over-the-top gay Brüno goes hunting with three men from Alabama. You can only guess how that goes. And he interviews a real terrorist and tells him Osama looks like a dirty wizard. The end of this movie may be the most dangerous of all.
Directed by Larry Charles, Brüno is a funny movie and it goes to the extremes to get a laugh. But Cohen is sending a message as well. A message about the world we live in and what this country is willing to look past and what it will never accept. Cohen has courage by not holding back and being no holds barred. You will be shocked and possibly offended by this movie. You have been warned.
Brüno is not quite as funny as Borat due to the audience knowing how Cohen works. We know what we are getting ourselves into. However, we never know how far he will go and no one knows what he’ll do next. My advice would be to expect the unexpected. Oh and be prepared to laugh.
Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of The Vick’s Flicks Podcast. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
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