
While the film is less than 90 minutes, there's enough material in Sacha Baron Cohen's latest comedy, 'Bruno,' to either make one very angry or hysterical over laughter.
Picking up where his other alter ego in the uproarious movie 'Borat,' 'Bruno' is just as much filthier and certainly more bodacious than any comedy you've seen. Either you'll admire Cohen for his guts or despise him for the audacity of displaying such crudeness on screen.
Inspired from his hit TV show 'Da Ali G Show,' Cohen takes his Australian alter ego, the gay fashion reporter Bruno, worldwide in his quest to become an American star.
After a mishap on a catwalk leaves him banned from the fashion world and shunned by his few friends, Bruno moves his bloated ego to Los Angeles where, like in 'Borat,' he has the aid of an assistant, Lutz (played by Gustaf Hammarsten), who's at his beck and call. An ordinary person with no distinguishing looks, Lutz is the sort of lackey that most celebrities with huge egos would want.
In meeting with several producers, Bruno's attempts at doing celebrity interviews for a new reality show goes awry when his lack of respect for employees and the talent, including Paula Abdul and LaToya Jackson, puts him so far from the gates of stardom that not even cockroaches can walk through. (Incidentally, Universal Pictures pulled the clip with Jackson out of respect to the family since her brother's death.)
To fuel one's anger or gain attention, Bruno goes so far to 'adopt' an African American baby whom he names 'O.J' and goes after an unsuspecting Republican congressman Ron Paul to film a sex tape. When his antics fail, he decides to do things differently and try life as a heterosexual.
Without revealing most of the gags Cohen uses in the film, some of them are downright hilarious. In one scene, Bruno is being interviewed by talk show host Jerry Springer over his adoption and the reaction from the audience will crack a smile from you. You have to go in there knowing he purposely is looking to offend every race and culture. As funny as it starts, the jokes wear thin half way into the film.
The extensive use of graphic nudity makes you question the MPAA for its R Rating.
The film moves from comedy to drama as a plot now takes place and we are left wondering if his quest for fame will come. For 83 minutes, it sure did. Then you leave wondering, 'Who expanded his 15 minutes?'


Comments: (3)
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By: cassandraferguson@att.net on 7/11/2009 11:00AM
BRUNO, WAY TO GO. I WILL BE GOING TO THE MOVIES TODAY TO CHECK YOU OUT. I NEED A GOOD LAUGH.PEACE
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By: dawn welsh on 7/14/2009 7:38AM
Not a bad review, but you grossly misidentified the talk show host as Jerry Springer. It was Richard Bey.
Otherwise, I found the movie absolutely hilarious, but that's because I understood the comments and portrayals (and the messages Cohen wanted heard). Unfortunately, the average teen or movie-goer will miss the point and remember it only for all of the homosexual references and visuals.
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By: Chris on 7/16/2009 12:27PM
That, and he's 'Austrian', not 'Australian'...someone needs an editor.
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