Et, Tu Bruno

Sacha Baron Cohen takes uncomfortable to a new level in his follow up to the immensely successful Borat, with Bruno (2009). For those who don't know Cohen plays the title character a gay Austrian fashionista who tries to make everyone feel uncomfortable about his sexuality.

I have always been impressed with Cohens go for broke performances. He really does know what he is doing and what he is trying to get at, unfortunately in Bruno what he is going for is humiliation and awkward moments, not social commentary. In Borat we saw him cross over that line a couple times but for the most part he was able to make a point about intolerance and bigotry. In Bruno I think that was his ultimate goal but he really failed miserably. I think he just assumed that his audience was going to take for granted that he was working for the greater liberal good, I certainly didn't. I mean really, is Ron Paul the bigot for getting upset at a man for putting him in a closed hotel room and then coming onto him and taking off his pants. There was also a section with some "redneck" hunters who for all intensive purposes would be the antithesis of homosexuals and be the poster boys for gay haters. They actually come across much better than Cohen had hoped, to the point where I was amazed they didn't punch him out, I certainly would have.

There is a segment of Cohens television show with his Bruno character that is better and more poignant than this whole movie. In this segment Bruno is interviewing a bunch of frat guys and making them do provocatively gay gestures and when in the end it is revealed they are doing it for gay television the frat guys flip out. It is simple, hilarious and makes a point. Bruno on the other hand is overt and over the top.

I am not saying there are no funny parts of this movie, because there are. Its just if you are going to go this balls out (literally) have some more depth and in a weird way, conviction. Don't just try to shock and awe us, but try to make a point. Also, I don't know exactly how Cohen works, but even more than Borat he blurs the line between fact and fiction. Concocting almost exactly what he wants in every scene.

I say that if you really want to see an inappropriate movie trying to make a point then just go rent Borat.

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