First of all i’d like to mention that i’m typing this in my brand-new WordPress admin, which will probably mean nothing to most of my readers but it’s something that makes me happy. Essentially, i’ve successfully installed an update to my (somewhat superfluous) user interface, and the sense of accomplishment it’s given me is exactly why i’m a web designer.
**SPOILERS!**
Nathan and i went to see “Bruno” last Friday. To give you an idea of how outlandish the film is, suffice it to say that they were actually checking each person’s ID at the theater entrance. It’s more suggestive than actually graphic, but its contents are enough to turn the stomach of any red-blooded straight man. Which actually makes it all the more hilarious to the female audience, in my opinion. See it while it’s new in theaters, ladies, and listen for the men’s reactions. 
I actually thought the naked fight scene in “Borat” was a little over the top when i saw that movie. However, it was used to present a contrast to the American way of life and to of course garner a reaction from passers-by, making it a doubly humorous scene for the movie audience. “Bruno” is composed almost entirely of this sort of awkward physical confrontation, and the film is a little less brilliant than “Borat” for that reason. It still manages, however, to take a telling glimpse at the dark underbelly of our country, even if, as Anthony Lane of The New Yorker points out, the chosen targets are proverbial fish in a barrel. It’s by no means challenging to expose the homophobia of the South, the bigotry of the Church, the phoniness of so-called “psychics” and the vacuity of Hollywood, but oh my god is it funny to watch.
Sacha Baron Cohen’s brilliance does shine through at moments. I was amazed to hear professional PR consultants talk about how hot the issue of “Dafor” is, and agree that it’s, like, near Iraq and stuff. I had to collect my jaw from off the floor after hearing a woman agree to make her thirty-pound daughter lose ten pounds in a week if it meant she’d get a modeling gig. I laughed at the delightful irony as Paula Abdul agreed to sit on the back of a latino man and then proceed to discuss her humanitarian efforts. “Bruno” may be more gruesome and less witty than “Borat,” but it was definitely the most hilarious movie i’ve seen in a long time.
Tuesday, July 14th, 2009 1:10 pm • movies
RSS 2.0 feed •
leave a comment •
trackback
July 15th, 2009 at 7:18 am
I’m so glad you mentioned the naked fight and compared Bruno to that scene… I was totally grossed out by that and weirded out by that, so i have a feeling I won’t enjoy Bruno. I’ll save it for the dollar theatre.