Review: ‘Bruno’

If The Refreshments taught us anything, it was that the world is full of stupid people.  If it weren’t, Sacha Baron Cohen would surely be out of a job.  Three years ago, he brought one of the strange characters from his “Da Ali G Show” to the big screen with ‘Borat.’  That film was among one of the funniest films of the year, as Cohen strung his many mock interviews and scenes of real people acting really stupid into a cohesive narrative.  Now, with ‘Bruno,’ he does much the same thing in much the same fashion.‘Bruno,’ for better or worse, is a film that runs parallel to ‘Borat.’  Cohen introduces us to his lead character, this time a homosexual fashion reporter from Austria.  He brings the character to America for certain, plot-driven reasons.  Bruno’s intentions, after being fired from his talk show, are to come to America and become the most famous, gay Austrian “since Arnold Schwarzenegger.”  At first, Bruno wishes to break into movies, and he auditions in front of an agent, doing his best dramatic take on a favorite scene from ‘Jerry Maguire.’

It should be noted at this time that, for the film’s sake, most of the “interviews” and interactions Bruno has with the other characters in the film are supposedly real.  When Bruno is acting out his scene in front of the agent, it is a real agent who believes what is happening in front of him hasn’t been staged one bit.  Of course, us being in on the joke, it is quite hilarious to see Bruno coerce people into more and more uncomfortable moments.

However, with ‘Bruno,’ there comes a feeling that much of what takes place is, in fact, quite staged and many of the people in the film are just as on the inside of the joke as we are.  Probably more so, in fact.  You can’t help but think how ridiculous much of what is going is, and, moving along from that, you can’t help but think that there are people this clueless in the world.  There are, of course.  Don’t let that delusion set into your heads just yet.  Some of what occurs in ‘Bruno’ is 100% real.  At least, everything outside of Cohen, how, like a chess player, moves the pieces into place just right to cause maximum discomfort on those around him.  Some of these moments make the audience just as uncomfortable as those involved.  When Bruno has Ron Paul along in a hotel room, you’re just waiting for all hell to break loose, and Cohen works unpleasantness with a surgeon’s precision.  When Bruno introduces his adopted, black baby (who he has tastelessly named O.J.) to the audience of a Dallas talk show, you’re holding your breath waiting for a riot to break out.

There is some real to ‘Bruno.’  There is some fake.  Unfortunately, unlike ‘Borat,’ it is easier to spot this time around than it was in Cohen’s first film, which, as a side note, was also directed by Larry Charles.  There are certain characters in ‘Bruno’ that you just know were part of the staging.  There are certain events that just feel staged.

Of course, the great thing about Cohen, Charles, and everyone else involved with these films, is that they realize regardless of how staged something feels or regardless of how cynical an audience member might be, they have to make them laugh.  Everyone involved in ‘Bruno’ pulls that task off.  ‘Bruno’ is a very funny film, and, after two years jam packed with R-rated comedies, it’s amazing to see a film that can still push buttons and push envelopes.  ‘Bruno’ does just that.  It’s a statement that has been used countless numbers of times for countless numbers of hard R-rated films, but it must be said that one has to wonder just exactly what was cut out of ‘Bruno’ to get the MPAA to give in on the NC-17.

An early scene, probably the point in ‘Bruno’ where the film peaks in terms of both hilarity and bite, centers on a focus group who are sitting in to watch the pilot episode of Bruno’s new talk show.  What they, and we, as the audience, are subject to is image after image of full male nudity, Cohen gyrating to the techno music in the background, and probably the funniest cameo in years.  It is specifically built up earlier in the scene, so it is no spoiler to tell you Harrison Ford makes an appearance during this talk show.  It is probably the best timed and most precisely placed cameo ever put to film, and it is as brilliant as it is hilarious.  Good on Ford, who is clearly in on the joke with the rest of us, for having no bones about appearing in this film.

The one segment where the comedy subsides in ‘Bruno’ is when he decides to head over to the Middle East.  After his talk show fails at the focus group stage (I can’t imagine why), the fashionista decides if he is ever going to become famous, he has to do it by bringing peace to the region.  It’s not all that uncomfortable, even when Cohen decides to introduce his character to the leader of a terrorist group.  I would have to say this part is real, but it’s not particularly funny.  This isn’t because it’s so eye-opening that Cohen would have the audacity to do this.  It is surprising and applause-worthy that Cohen would put himself in this position.  The scenes just feel bland and they drag the rest of the film’s flow down.  Fortunately, this segment isn’t long, and, before you can say “Hamas,” Bruno is back in the states.

There are those out there who are sure to think of ‘Bruno’ as distasteful, offensive, abhorrent, grab a thesaurus and look up vile, and those people will surely not be the ones to go see ‘Bruno.’  However, if you can look past that, you won’t be disappointed by how truly funny the film is.  Despite the nature of the beast that makes us more aware now than we were three years ago and able to spot staged acts of stupidity, ‘Bruno’ is a very funny film.  Save for the ten minutes or so near the middle where Bruno acts out his foreign relations, there really isn’t a joke in ‘Bruno’ that fails to elicit some form of laughter.  Cohen’s hit with this character may not be as ostensible as the one he had with ‘Borat,’ but it is definitely a long way away from being considered a failure.