Another Big Brother blog? Ich don't think so!
I don't read reviews of films I'm going to go and see because I like to make my own mind up, but was seriously concerned when reverse-taste barometer Christopher Tookey in the Daily Mail gave Bruno four stars. How!? He hates everything, especially anything with a whiff of gay in the vicinity! Also, there were various tweets in the air saying it was crap/funny, so I wasn't sure quite what we were going to get. So what was (my version of) the truth?
First, I don't like Bruno's new hair. I liked his old hair! I enjoyed the opening music of Euro-trance, and the fashion bits were really good. I think there should have been more of him crucifying the fashion industry, but I guess people are too aware of him now. Plus the plot line is him losing his fashion credentials...
I thought the story had a very similar structure to Borat; the love story, the set ups (obviously) and the big bang at the end (and I don't mean Bono being unnecessarily shoe-horned in).
It was a LOT more graphic that Borat; the sexual stuff was pretty outrageous, but very funny. I cried with laughter watching Borat; I think I was cringing more during Bruno- setting up that politician was just horrendous, and that swingers party was just disturbing.
The audacity of him going out to Iraq was bloody amazing; I mean, Sasha Baron Cohen is BRAVE. The shit that he gets up to is unreal. The talk show was mainly just funny, and a lot of bits did seem completely set up (ie. fake), but when he visited the psychic!!! Oh my god. Words fail me. He has got some balls as an actor. As for those parents selling their babies down the river; are we really surprised?
At times the film felt a little thrown together and it seemed to whizz-by. There was nothing as brilliant as Borat butchering the US national anthem, and THAT naked fight in the hotel, but the wrestling match almost got there. It was just brilliant; totally bold, quite moving and definitely dangerous! It felt like a real message; like it totally blew the redneck mind apart. And if it makes one ignorant bonehead think twice, then hurrah.
Sasha Baron Cohen has been recycling decade old ideas for so long; he must be bursting with new characters and comedy; and I'm looking forward to them. Let's just hope he doesn't shoehorn Isla Fisher in.
3 comments:
I genuinely thought that Borat is not only one of the funniest films of all time, but also one of the most important. It's a masterpiece. So I'm looking forward to seeing Bruno, and have also steered clear (on the whole, I've read this for example) of reviews. I suppose my current outlook is that I'm 90% sure such golden lighting won't strike twice but despite that I know I will enjoy it.
As a huge fan of Borat and of pretty much everything Sacha Baron Cohen has done I was really looking forward to Bruno. It's been everywhere the past few weeks!
However, I summed it up in a tweet in one word shortly after seeing it.. awful.
Like you say, found it more cringe than funny. I thought it never really got going, over exaggerated generic stereotypes, flitted carelessly from one sketch to the next with no cohesion. People at work think I'm nuts but there you go!
I like the clips I've seen, and I loved Borat, so I'll check it out, but probably on DVD.
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