Film Review – Bruno

The new film from Sacha Baron Cohen is every bit as shocking, politically incorrect and vulgar as you could hope for.

It is becoming more difficult for Baron Cohen to pull off the surprise factor, as people are much more familiar with him since the incarnations of Ali G and Borat. He has become so well known that anonymity is a privilege he can no longer afford – he must be even more creative to maintain the style of humour he is so well known for.

‘Bruno’ appeals to straight men, gay men and homophobes alike. Nobody could resist the comedic physical humour that goes into the sex sketches – they are so far fetched that you can’t help but laugh. Many of my laughs arose from pure shock rather than from wit; he crosses all the lines drawn, often making the watcher squirm with embarrassment.

The character of ‘Bruno’ is overtly camp, daring and fame hungry; the story follows the Austrian’s journey to Hollywood to become a star. Although the plot is a little flimsy, it serves a purpose rather than trying to be deep or meaningful. He goes to non gay tolerant places such as Orthodox Jerusalem and Strict Christian American states, and you can imagine the onslaught that ensues. My personal favourite scene was the anti – gay cage fight, where he goes on to have a full homosexual love scene to the roars of an angry mob. The man is brave, I’ll give him that.

The film is as controversial as you can get, poking fun at everything from religion and adoption to abortion and terrorism. Unsuspecting celebrities show blatant shock at his behaviour – exactly the reaction he was going for. Probably not the most romantic place to take your London escort , but definitely worth watching!