Brüno (2009)

Flamboyant and gay Austrian Brüno looks for new fame in America.

Director:

Larry Charles

Writers:

Sacha Baron Cohen (screenplay), Anthony Hines (screenplay)

Stars:

Sacha Baron Cohen, Gustaf Hammarsten, Clifford Bañagale

2 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sacha Baron Cohen	...	Brüno
Gustaf Hammarsten	...	Lutz
Clifford Bañagale	...	Diesel
Chibundu Orukwowu	...	O.J.
Chigozie Orukwowu	...	O.J.
Josh Meyers	...	Kookus
Toby Holguin	...	Mexican Gardener #1 (as Toby Hoguin)
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'

Storyline

Brüno is a gay Austrian fashion guru. He has his own fashion based television show, Funkyzeit, the most popular German-language show of its kind outside of Germany. After he disgraces himself in front of his Funkyzeit fan base, he is ruined in German speaking Europe. He decides that in his quest for worldwide fame, he will move to Los Angeles and reinvent himself. Accompanying him to the US is Lutz, his former assistant's assistant. Lutz is the only person left in his circle that still believes in Brüno's greatness. Brüno goes through one reinvention of himself after another, ultimately straying to areas far removed from his own self. Perhaps when Brüno finds an activity that he truly does love, he will also find that über-fame he so desperately desires.

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Plot Keywords:

fame | austrian | vicarious embarrassment | embarrassment | provocation | 

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Taglines:

Borat was so 2006

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Genres:

Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

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

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [Brazil]

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English German

Release Date:

10 July 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Brüno: Delicious Journeys Through America for the Purpose of Making Heterosexual Males Visibly Uncomfortable in the Presence of a Gay Foreigner in a Mesh T-Shirt

Filming Locations:

1880 SW Gage Blvd, Topeka, Kansas, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$42,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£5,000,229 (United Kingdom), 10 July 2009, Limited Release

Opening Weekend USA:

$30,619,130, 12 July 2009, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$60,054,530

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$138,805,831

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures,Media Rights Capital (MRC),Everyman Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

81 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ayman Abu Aita filed a lawsuit against Sacha Baron Cohen for falsely depicting him as a terrorist and lying about the interview. Aita previously served in Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade, a Palestinian terrorist group, and spent two years in an Israeli prison for shooting Israeli soldiers. At the time of filming, Aita was a representative of Fatah, which is not considered a terrorist group. David Letterman and Larry Charles are also named as defendants in the suit. Allegedly, Sacha Baron Cohen had claimed that he had received death threats from the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade.

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Goofs

When Brüno is at the swingers party and with the Blonde; his Underpants change between black and white stripes to a black posing pouch and back again twice before he jumps out of the window.

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Quotes

Elton John: [singing] War's just based on hate and fear / Stop fighting, North and South Korea.
Brüno: [singing] You're both basically Chinese.
Chris Martin: [singing] He's Brüno, dove of peace.
Snoop Dogg: [rapping] Hey, yo Brüno, where the bitches at?

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Crazy Credits

The U in the Universal logo is spelled with an umlaut (Ü) like the movie's title.

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Connections

Referenced in Peep Show: Seasonal Beatings (2010)

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Soundtracks

Stravinsky's Bass
Written by P.P. Pigmans
Performed by 3 Steps Ahead
Courtesy of Be Yourself Music

User Reviews

Eccentrically funny

As a child of the age of Aquarius, I found myself liking this movie. I thought it was completely hilarious in an unusual way. When Brüno puts himself in various situations (and some dangerous situations), and finds himself speechless; it almost makes you think that Sascha Baron Cohen couldn't possibly come up with any semblance of a clever retort. But exactly at those times is when he wows you with his virtuoso-like skill of improvisation. If I wasn't when I saw Borat, I am now completely convinced that Cohen is a genius. I highly recommend watching the DVD for its alternate, deleted, and extended scenes; and a highly pertinent interview with Brüno's unknowing agent after the fact. I highly recommend this movie, if for his skill at making a story into the various peoples he meets.