Review: Bruno
So… I went to see Bruno on Thursday…
Bruno is the second film from Sacha Baron Cohen, the first one being Borat which was released in 2006. Borat was brilliant (in my opinion anyway) so it is only inevitable that comparisons between Bruno and Borat will ensue… Borat was better.
I had expected to be subjected to the same cringe-worthy side splitting humour of Borat, but Bruno just failed to deliver any laugh out loud response. Ok… I may have actually laughed out loud, but it felt a little laboured!
In my opinion the humour of Bruno is based on a shock response, but in my case I just wasn’t shocked by any of what Bruno’s character did and therefore I didn’t laugh all that much.
Bruno’s character is an extreme stereotype in order to provoke an extreme response from the general public, which I think he does effectively. I do not think that Bruno perpetuates the gay stereotype nor do I think that it promotes homophobia. I think it does a very good job of highlighting the fact that homophobia still exists in many parts of the “developed world” and I felt that it captured the spirit of the anti-Prop 8 movement in California earlier this year.
Personally I don’t understand why some elements of the gay community have been offended by Bruno, but I suppose this kind of thing is unavoidable… there will always be a few who are not happy.
Anyway… I can’t decide whether or not recommend this film. It’s certainly watchable but don’t expect Borat 2.
