Brüno (2009)

Director:

Larry Charles

Writers (WGA):

Sacha Baron Cohen (screenplay) &
Anthony Hines (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

10 July 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Borat was so 2006

Plot:

Flamboyant Austrian fashionista Brüno takes his show to America.

Plot Keywords:

Austrian | Fashion | Gay | Fame | Los Angeles

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Sacha Baron Cohen	...	Brüno
Gustaf Hammarsten	...	Lutz
Clifford Bañagale	...	Diesel
Chibundu Orukwowu	...	O.J.
Chigozie Orukwowu	...	O.J.
Josh Meyers	...	Kookus
Toby Hoguin	...	Mexican Gardener #1
Robert Huerta	...	Mexican Gardener #2
Gilbert Rosales	...	Mexican Gardener #3
Thomas Rosales Jr.	...	Mexican Gardener #4
Marco Xavier	...	Mexican Gardener #5
Bono	...	Himself - 'Dove of Peace'
Chris Martin	...	Himself - 'Dove of Peace'
Elton John	...	Himself - 'Dove of Peace'
Slash	...	Himself - 'Dove of Peace'

Also Known As:

Brüno: Snipped (UK) (recut version)
Untitled Brüno Project (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive strong and crude sexual content, graphic nudity and language.

Runtime:

81 min | Philippines:75 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #45372) | Ireland:16 | Iceland:14 | USA:NC-17 (original rating) | Australia:R (original rating) | UK:18 | Portugal:M/16 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Finland:K-15 | Sweden:11 | Netherlands:12 | Germany:16 | UK:15 (cut) | Belgium:KT | Ukraine:(Banned) | Canada:18A (Nova Scotia) | France:-12 | Singapore:R21 (cut) | Brazil:18 (cut) | Mexico:B15 | Hong Kong:III | Philippines:R-18 (MTRCB) (heavily cut) | Australia:MA (edited for re-rating) | Australia:R (DVD) | Ireland:18 (DVD rating) | Malaysia:(Banned)

Filming Locations:

Anniston, Alabama, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

'Sasha Baron Cohen' and his crew reportedly illegally accessed a fashion show in Milan using fake IDs. After he entered the stage, the lights were dimmed and Baron Cohen was escorted out of the fashion show by security.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the diner scene where Bruno commits "carbicide" the exterior light goes from night to day then back to night.

Quotes:

Brüno: It's just this bear took my clothes. He took everything apart from these condoms.

Movie Connections:

Edited into "De wereld draait door: (#4.136)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

Tainted Love

Absolutely hilarious – although certainly not for everybody

Calling Sacha Baron Cohen's latest delectable concoction, Brüno, a divisive film, would be a gross understatement. Some people will call it offensive, trashy, distasteful and absolute garbage, with these negative superlatives continuing on in great length. On the other hand, others will dub this film as 'one of the funniest films of the year', 'absolutely hilarious' and 'so damn funny', or something along the lines. I myself fall into the latter category. I saw Brüno, laughed, was reviled and went out with a sense of satisfaction derivative only from movies which have great entertainment factor.

Many people in the cinema also shared this sense of satisfaction with me. However, I can certainly understand why some people would criticise this movie for its content. Brüno is a film which is not for everybody. There are prolonged camera shots of genitalia, openly-displayed homophobia, scenes which reek of sexual nature – and not conventional sexual nature I can assure you – and so on and so forth. Consider this a warning.

Now, onto the movie itself. Brüno is somewhat of a sequel to the mega-successful Borat, released in 2007. Sacha Baron Cohen returns to the silver screen in one of his alter egos, this time as gay Austrian fashionista Brüno, who has no known surname. The film follows the same formula which was so successfully undertaken in its 'predecessor'; Cohen, dressed in the various homosexual apparel that is currently in fashion, arranges fake interviews and TV spots with unsuspecting celebrities, public figures and so on, who perceive Brüno as a legitimate Austrian television interviewer. Naturally, Brüno has other things on his mind, and what usually results is the interviewee walking out in disgust, or a crowd being shocked and infuriated by Brüno's antics.

The story goes as following: Brüno, after losing his job as the host of prominent Austrian fashion show after a fashion show fiasco, immigrates to America in search of a new job, a new life and some fun. What he wants most is to make it big in America – to become a celebrity, an A-lister, a superstar. His methods of doing so are certainly questionable, but boy are they hilarious. Let me give you some examples. Nothing too explicit or revealing, don't worry. Brüno airs a pilot for his new revamped fashion show to a test audience at a major television studio, one of the audience members being a high ranking producer. The show lasts under five minutes, discusses the most politically-incorrect celebrity stories, and features on-screen nudity which is only found in pornographic films or in movies with Sacha Baron Cohen.

Only Cohen, a British comedian, could think up of such crude things. However, out of everything that is wrong about his jokes, comes humour, and the doses in which it is delivered are large, heavy-handed, and joyously plentiful. I applaud Mr. Cohen for his work here. There are few comedians who are audacious, brave and courageous as he is in Brüno, and all of that just to make a point. In this movie, his third feature film, Cohen and filmmakers are trying to expose America's latent but noticeable homophobia; what better way to do that then to come to America as an open gay (and I mean open) and to terrorise the unsuspecting citizens with the most shocking acts? Indeed, Cohen makes his point in Brüno. However, that is not what people will go to see the movie for.

In fact, audiences may not even recognise this 'theme', if you may call it that. No, movie-goers will most likely be distracted by the film's ubiquitous comedic nature and humour. They will not notice the satire behind Brüno, as they will be too busy laughing, being reviled, crying from laughter or disgust or leaving the theatres. Isn't this what Brüno is all about? To make people laugh, to offend, and be a comedy? Yes, that is exactly what the film intends to do. Does it achieve its goal? Oh yes.

Brüno is not a film for the faint-hearted. One requires a fair knowledge of the sexual world, as well as a strong stomach, to be able to both understand a fair deal of the film's jokes, as well as be able to sit through them. For everybody who falls into this category, then a good majority of these viewers will think of Brüno as comedic treasure, and they will be entertained to no bounds. They will walk out of the theatre happy that they spent their money on something worthwhile. And then they will proceed to recommend this movie to other people. To all unsuspecting viewers who are eager on seeing Sacha Baron Cohen's latest crazy concoction, I say this: assume nothing, and expect anything.