Review: Brüno

I will say this first: No film, short of actual hardcore barely legal porno, has ever been this outrageous.

For those unaware, Brüno is a gay, Austrian fashion guru created by the great Sacha Baron Cohen, or Borat if you really are dumb. Broadly, Brüno is Borat, each with an identical style, sense of humor and schtick. However, there definitely are differences.

For me, Borat was always best when Cohen had to be on his toes and was in a situation he didn’t necessarily have total control of. I felt Brüno lacked some of that excitement, though I believe that can be explained by the fact that posing as a “flaming homosexual” (for a lack of a better term) is not the easiest thing to do in the South and Middle East. There definitely are a few of those kinds of scenes, and they are just as funny, if not funnier than what you can find in Borat.

I found myself barely laughing, and wholly uninterested in the first quarter of the film. Its mostly set up to the “story” element of the film. After that it picks up with some very funny bits. The last half of the film puts the story mostly in the back seat and you get what you came for and…its ridiculous.

For the last 30 minutes, you will be constantly laughing, its just indescribable the situations Cohen comes up with and the people he sets up do not disappoint. Combine my dislike for the first 20 minutes, and with my sheer admiration and disbelief at the last 30 or so and it makes for a pretty good movie.

Director Larry Charles has to be given some credit for accomplishing and capturing some of the stuff that happens in this movie. Charles was the second in command on some show called Seinfeld, and has directed a dozen episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm and ofcourse, directed Borat. I think he’s on to something.

As for Cohen, I’m very interested in seeing where he will go from here now that his characters are all behind him. Will we see him write a comedy? Do more classically-driven comedies? I’ll be in line for it I know that.

Grade: B or ★★★ ½ (Out of 5)