A poor effort from Baron Cohen (Bruno (DVD))

Member Name: Siamese

Product:	Bruno (DVD)
Date:	13/11/09 (19 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: None, left me feeling quite uncomfortable

Disadvantages: Too many to list!

Brüno (DVD)

Description: Genre: Comedy

I am a big fan of Sacha Baron Cohen and am not embarrassed to admit that I loved Ali G - yes it was infantile and stupid, but it was also wickedly funny and so inappropriate that I couldn't help but laugh. It has been quite some time since Ali G and yet it can still make me laugh, so it is fair to say that I was expecting great things from Brüno.

Oh was I disappointed! Brüno is supposed to be a gay fashion icon who upon being sacked, becomes shunned from the European fashion world and instead, decides to conquer America. So far, so good. From there though, this film deteriorates rapidly. I would like to describe the plot to you but unfortunately, there isn't much of one as the film just seems to look for ways to shock the viewer, without worrying about following any kind of logical sequence.

I actually found it difficult to watch this film as it made me feel quite uncomfortable in places. It basically follows Brüno around America, where he meets with groups of strange, fanatical and sometimes downright scary people. The idea is similar to that of Ali G, yet it doesn't have the same humour, in fact, it becomes quite alarming in points.

Whereas Ali G was based around the idea of mocking the guests, the point of this film is not apparent. The issues that are highlighted are too close to the bone to be seen as harmless mocking, and again, leave the viewer feeling uncomfortable. It jumps from scene to scene and lacks any real watchability, while being so disquieting that you may want to turn it off before the end.

In summary, I wasn't just disappointed by this film, it left me feeling slightly ill at ease. I'm sure it cost plenty to make, yet came across as a low budget effort which replaced the plot with controversy in an effort to make it topical. Even if you are a Baron Cohen fan, I suspect that this film won't thrill you so don't go out of your way to watch it - and if you want a laugh, then avoid it at all costs!

Summary: Don't waste time or money watching this