Buno or Bru-NO?

Let me tell you...I seriously can't decide! Did I like this or not? Hmmmm. It's my fault really. I still hold Sacha Baron Cohen's Borat to be the funniest film I've seen in recent history. Not only do I own it...I STILL laugh at it every time I see it! For my money Borat was sheer genius, fresh, and absolutely hilarious. Hands down. So, I expected the same from Cohen's third (Ali G being his first) caricature. I have to admit I was a little bit disappointed. But, as I said it may be my fault. Not everything will be as brilliant as the great Borat.

Now, I go on record as being disappointed. BUT that doesn't mean that I hated Bruno or that it didn't do exactly what it set out to do. It set out to be outrageous. It set out to offend all people of all corners of this world. It set out to bring about discussion of society and how we handle topics such as religious intolerance, homophobia, cultural differences, and sex. In short, it accomplished all of these in a way that reminds us we all take the world and ourselves way too seriously. Bruno was offensive, raw, and in your face...and that's exactly what we all expected from Cohen.

Here's the basics. Bruno is a flamboyantly gay Austrian fashion reporter who, just like Borat, seeks success and a new life in America after he gets booted from his cable show Funkyzeit(hopefully translation isn't needed) for destroying a fashion show with his Velcro suit. Once here he finds himself in more trouble which all translate into vulgar and shocking scenes of outrageous comedy. I don't want to give it away because we've all seen the previews but there are plenty of scenes featuring dildos, penises, and horrid attire (it is about a gay man ya know) that follow.

As with Borat, the tension comes from not knowing who is, or isn’t, in on the joke. Did Bruno really ask an officer of the Al Aqsa Martrys’ Brigade to kidnap him to boost popularity? Or tell the Alabama National Guard their uniforms were too “matchy-matchy”? A visit to a swingers’ party feels a little staged but the interview with the mother of a child model feels all to real when Bruno gets her to agree to have her baby lose 10 pounds for a photoshoot. Surely the "God Hates Fags" protestors Bruno encounters while chained to his man slave are real. Once again Cohen pulls out the worst in society in a way that highlights a serious issue while at the same time puts the audience in the floor with laughter. Oh, and I don't think God hates fags...but this is Bruno's spotlight; not mine.

However, and here's where my disappointment comes in, there simply wasn't enough of the aforementioned. There seemed to be more "plot" and "acting" in this installment. Normally this is a good thing but in this case the point of the film is to see the shocked faces of those that Bruno offends. Also, it seemed that Cohen relied heavily on penis jokes and vulgar sex innuendos. Ok, fine..I'm ok with that. But in this case it got old. Talking penises (Yes...talking) and dildos are funny the first time but not the other 49 times. Give the audience a little something more to talk about. Intelligent humor is always better than potty humor. We're worth it and you're better than that, Cohen. So there are my two gripes. Take it or leave it..either way this is still a film you should see if you want to spend the afternoon laughing and repeating OMG and WTF.

Look for a Rusty Trombone feature as well as a collaboration with Elton John, Snoop Dogg, Slash, Bono, and Sting. As for the rest of the film, I'll let you decide whether it is too offensive for you or not. The only caution I can give is that at times comedy turns to idiocy and you almost begin to doubt Cohen's ability. ALMOST. It's still hilariously bold and provoking. Just don't expect it to be BORAT. It's not, and as I said before it's not as funny or as well done either. You'll still laugh and you'll still like it if you're a Cohen fan. Just don't repeat my mistake and expect Borat sized laughs. And don't be jealous...Cohen's ass is hotter than most chicks in this movie. Wonder where he finds those shorts......