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The Vow

A saccharine and paint-by-numbers slice of romance, which is largely boosted by the appeal of its two leads.

Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace (3D)

The under-utilised 3D adds little to this prequel, which only serves as a sore reminder of the brilliance of the original films.

Any Questions For Ben?

The talented bunch of actors ably cut through the surface gloss, but it’s tough to remain invested in the plight of the self-absorbed lead.

Shame

It starts off as brutal but arresting stuff, and the two lead performances are scorching, but disappointingly dissolves into a case of tragedy for the sake of tragedy.

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Bruno (Film)

by Erin Free | July 07, 2009 16:42 | Edited July 08, 2009 18:55

Sacha Baron Cohen once again takes his audience on a hilarious journey, exposing prejudice.

After the gut-rippingly hilarious Borat, the big question was whether comic fireball Sacha Baron Cohen would be able to do it again. On achieving worldwide notoriety, would he be able to dupe people with his provocative, candid-camera antics unaided by the veil of anonymity? Wouldn't everybody know who he was, and thus cramp the joke? Well, for his follow-up film Bruno, the devilish Mr. Cohen has managed to find people who probably not only have no knowledge of Borat, but who are also most likely unaware of the existence of things like the wheel and the telephone. Cohen seems to have an almost pathological hatred of America, and he once again proves that it is indeed home to the dumbest, most screwed up people on the planet.

 

In the guise of Bruno - a flamboyant gay Austrian fashionista and TV presenter dripping with campy double, nay single, entendres - Cohen traipses across America (and briefly The Middle East), metaphorically lifting up rocks and poking at the disgusting creatures (religious "gay converters", sick stage parents, swingers, homophobes, redneck hunters, self serving celebrities) that he finds underneath. Cohen is absolutely scathing in his approach, setting up these bottom-feeders in a series of stunts as disturbing as they are hilarious. When Bruno meets with a pair of moronic blonde dolly-birds who work in "charity PR", you will literally be convinced that humanity has hit a new low.

 

While many of the "marks" in Borat were innocent, just about everyone in Bruno has it coming. Though narratively structured in exactly the same way as its predecessor (is the joke on the audience?), and treading very similar satirical ground, Bruno remains profoundly uproarious. Indeed, Sacha Baron Cohen might be a one trick pony, but he sure knows how to give the audience, ahem, a good ride.