Brüno is an hilarious adventure that provides stomachache inducing laughs. Sacha Baron Cohen delivered an excellent shocking original film with Borat, but does Brüno live up that? Not quite. The outrageous shock value isn’t at the level of Borat since Cohen’s antics are known by now, but all of his gags still remain funny.
The story revolves around a highly flamboyant fashion expert named Brüno. After a disastrous fashion show in his native country Austria, he decides to embark on a trip to California to become a worldwide star. While on his mission to become a celebrity he encounters homophobes, scary hunters, and even a terrorist leader. He will do all that he can to achieve stardom while he’s oblivious to the people surrounding him.
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Brüno’s journey never feels episodic nor repetitive. Almost every interaction he has is met with varying disgust. Every scene feels fresh due to the fact that each gag feels different and provocative. This doesn’t achieve the level of grander shock that Borat previously had, but that doesn’t mean there is no shock value present. There is plenty here and most of it is due to Brüno’s actions which are understandably questionable. At times there is a sense of freight for Cohen due to the way people interact with him, most notably a hunting trip and an interview with a known terrorist. The way people treat his character isn’t surprising, but at times its even suspenseful Unlike Borat, Brüno actually comes across as if he may be in danger due to some extremist homophobes.
On the downside, the satire feel from Borat is no longer present. There are a few key scenes that convey this factor, especially when Brüno appears on a Jerry Springer-esque show and the satisfying climax, it never quite comes together to grasp that smart satirical tone. In the end its a straight forward comedy lacking any consistent social commentary. This problem was also present in Larry Charles previous film Religulous. While that was a good film, it lacked any voice, it worked more so as an enjoyable comedy with no genuine impact. Although to Charles credit, he brings along factors that elevate the film with his brisk pacing and his way of conveying the hatred that people have for Brüno.
Comedic-timing genius Sacha Baron Cohen earns plenty of laughs with each antic, line, and facial expression. The miraculous thing about Cohen is how astonishing he is when it comes to pushing people to the edge without showing fear or remorse. The acts he commits would generally cause one to fear for his life while Cohen plays out every charade with a straight face. He is capable of committing acts that very few would ever consider doing, which in a way makes him a brave comedic genius of sorts. His actions could of come off as mean-spirited or hateful, but that surprisingly never happens. Brüno isn’t a sympathetic charter nor is likable, but he’s engaging and highly watchable.
Brüno sorely lacks the satirical wit of Borat, but it does contain tearjerking humor. This isn’t by any means a great comedy or groundbreaking, but its a consistent, coherent mockumentary that provides a satisfying amount of shock. The public reaction to this surely be mixed and some will undoubtably despise it. After Brüno ended a teenager next to me exclamied, “I should have walked out and seen Transformers again instead”, while I realized Cohen’s undying motiviation to find out what is wrong with America couldn’t be more justified.