Blu-Ray Review: ‘Bruno’ Lacks Freshness, But Delivers Plentiful Laughs

Printer-friendly versionPrinter-friendly versionE-mail page to friendE-mail page to friendPDF versionPDF version
No votes yet

CHICAGO – “Fearless” is the best way to describe the comedy of Sacha Baron Cohen. People who find his humor too vulgar and over-the-top have missed the point. Cohen’s goal is to be as vulgar and over-the-top as humanly possible.

HollywoodChicago.com Blu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0
Blu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0

I’m reminded of Mel Brooks’ oft-quoted quip, “My movies rise below vulgarity.” His comic personas are deliberately outrageous caricatures that seem to have been spawned directly from conservative America’s fear of the “other” (whether it be a homosexual or a Khazakistanian). When Cohen plunks his fictional creations into real-world situations alongside unsuspecting citizens, the results range from “Candid Camera”-style shock gags to brilliant evocations of repressed prejudices. At his best, Cohen is a triumphant champion of tolerance. He’s like Mel Brooks, Norman Lear and Peter Sellers all in one side-splitting package, and his package has never acquired more screen time than it does in “Bruno.”

Bruno was released on Blu-Ray and DVD on November 17th, 2009.
Bruno was released on Blu-Ray and DVD on November 17th, 2009.
Photo credit: Universal Home Video

Bruno was my favorite of Cohen’s three characters he embodied on his short-lived yet extraordinary “Da Ali G Show.” He’s a flamboyantly gay fashion reporter who exposes both the inherent mindlessness of the fashion culture, and the aggressive homophobia that exists in many Americans. Yet in his film, fashion quickly takes a backseat to homophobia, as Bruno finds himself fired from his reporting job, and decides to become a big-time celebrity in America…by any means necessary. That includes adopting an African baby, filming a sex tape (in which he mistakes Ron Paul for RuPaul), and becoming straight. On his quest for fame, Bruno is considerably more bitchy and self-obsessed than he was on the TV show, but that’s a minor quibble. The main problem with “Bruno” is…well, the exact same problem with “Borat.” What works in short vignettes on television tends to run out of steam at feature length on the big screen.

Bruno was released on Blu-Ray and DVD on November 17th, 2009.
Bruno was released on Blu-Ray and DVD on November 17th, 2009.
Photo credit: Universal Home Video

When “Borat” jettisoned into mainstream theaters in 2006, only a small die-hard fan base was familiar with his comedy. To the masses, “Borat” was fresh and cutting-edge. “Bruno” has the misfortune of being made after “Borat,” and thus may seem like just more of the same. Its slick, MTV-style look (appropriate to its character) isn’t as inventive as the foreign documentary structure of “Borat.” Some critics have accused Cohen of selling out to become a commercial product, but they are confusing the artist with the character. While Oscar winners like “Milk” are still limited to art house circuits, “Bruno” is the most mainstream call for gay rights American audiences have had the opportunity to see at their local theater.

For all of its shortcomings, “Bruno” still made my throat sore from laughing, and for all of its hit-or-miss gags, it delivered several unforgettable moments of comic genius. There’s some acrobatic sexual activity that may boggle the most liberal mind, and an uproarious TV pilot Bruno plays for appalled test audiences that builds to what may very well be the single most outrageous image ever to be granted the R-rating by the MPAA. Bruno’s graphic “kissing” of an invisible male spirit is some kind of dirty tour-de-force, and a climactic sequence set in a violently heterosexual cage match manages to equal “Borat”’s great rodeo scene while achieving a kind of beautiful poignance amidst the raucous hilarity. At the end of “Bruno”’s slight 84 minutes, the prevailing feeling is not of embarrassment or disgust, but rather gleeful elation at Cohen’s gift for finding vital truth in outlandish humor.

“Bruno” is presented in 1080p High Definition (with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio), and is accompanied by English, Spanish and French audio tracks. Though the BD-Live-enabled disc includes over an hour of additional footage, no deleted scene proves to be as memorable as Borat’s trip through the supermarket. The true highlight of the film’s Blu-ray edition is a thoroughly entertaining video commentary by Cohen and director Larry Charles. It provides a surprisingly candid look behind the scenes, as the duo discusses their endless battles with disgruntled citizens, confused cops, and the MPAA.

‘Bruno’ is released by Universal Home Entertainment and stars Sacha Baron Cohen. It was written by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Dan Mazer & Jeff Schaffer and directed by Larry Charles. It was released on November 17th, 2009. It is rated R.

By MATT FAGERHOLM
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com

User Login

Free Giveaway Mailing

TV, DVD, BLU-RAY & THEATER REVIEWS

  • Manhunt

    CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on March 21st, 2024, reviewing the new streaming series “Manhunt” – based on the bestseller by James L. Swanson – currently streaming on Apple TV+.

  • Topdog/Underdog, Invictus Theatre

    CHICAGO – When two brothers confront the sins of each other and it expands into a psychology of an entire race, it’s at a stage play found in Chicago’s Invictus Theatre Company production of “Topdog/Underdog,” now at their new home at the Windy City Playhouse through March 31st, 2024. Click TD/UD for tickets/info.

Advertisement



HollywoodChicago.com on Twitter

archive

HollywoodChicago.com Top Ten Discussions
tracker