Interesting to hear that he thinks it's still in the dread NC-17 range. In a rare bit of multi-platforming (seriously, it's always texts with that one) he sent a follow up email to elaborate... which gets a bit more spoilery.predictably hilarious. even more shocking and envelope pushing than "Borat" and just as funny. but at the same time it's no longer new, so it feels somewhat "safer" as in you know what to expect. Still awesome, though. Gay stuff will keep it from doing Borat $.
And I have no idea how they got an R rating.
My crowd was largely filled with gay tastemakers and "VIPs" (Ivanka Trump and her loudly-talking douche date were sitting near me), so perhaps the cringeing and revulsion weren't as pronounced/discomfiting as they would have been in a multiplex, but I couldn't believe the sort of things Cohen got away with. Lots of penis and explicit (comic, obviously) gay sexuality. There's an extended sequence early on that is so wildly over-the-top (the capper for me involved a bottle of champagne), that I almost think Sacha Baron Cohen included it as a warning/button-pusher (i.e. if this part doesn't make people walk out of the theater, they should be fine for the rest of the movie).I personally can't wait to see this. Borat hurt me i.e. offended my delicate sensibility -- a remnant of that pesky Mormon upbringing -- but also made me laugh my ass off. Where are you at with Brüno: want to see, must to avoid, will decide later?Like Borat, I know there's been a bunch of talk about whether the satire of homophobia/homosexuality could be misconstrued as mocking of gays (thus validating homophobes in the audience), but it's difficult to imagine too many audience members proud to see themselves in Cohen’s targets. The one who you start to feel bad for is Ron Paul (he looks like a senile grandpa being taunted/seduced)… until he’s filmed angrily calling Bruno “a queer.”
Lots of funny/broad/silly set-pieces, with intermittent bits that resonate/provoke – a short encounter Brüno has with the ‘God Hates Fags’ folks was a highlight for me.
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19 comments:
Bruno should be really good because it had the funniest trailer i've seen in ages.
I agree with that thing that is not "fresh" anymore. But the publicity is way moore agressive then Borat, so the studio and Sasha must be in a hurry to transforme this in a blockbuster. Will see.
"And I have no idea how they got an R rating."
As in, this still is in NC-17 territory even after the cuts, or it could have been dropped down to PG-13?
Borat never appealed to me enough to watch it when it came out in theaters, and when I finally sat down to watch it a couple of years ago on DVD, I didn't regret my initial decision. Yeah, Borat had some pretty hilarious scenes, but in my lil' opinion, it hat genre of gross-out comedy that I don't enjoy and can't seem to develop a taste for. ***sigh*** Can't say Bruno is doing anything for me either, I won't even bother to wait for DVD, I'll just pass.
I'll wait until it plays on the Hallmark Channel.
I really have no strong opinion about the film itself, but for some reason I'm probably going to see it. Though, if it comes down to watching BRUNO or watching MOON or PUBLIC ENEMIES, I'd quickly go for the latter...
Want to see, the talk show gag cinched it for me.
I can't wait to see this film. The Bruno segments on Da Ali G Show were by far my favorite. I've missed them, so I'm glad Cohen's releasing this film.
This segment I especially love, particularly the second part at the "Pro-America" Rally
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnB5vqObkLw
I saw it last night. It wasn't as funny as Borat, but still funny and incredibly offensive... which was expected. But unlike Borat, you feel he isn't making fun of the bigots as much as his own character, Bruno. And while Bruno IS pretty ridiculous, the homophobia in the second half of the film is so extreme without any commentary on how ridiculous the bigots are, it becomes pretty uncomfortable. I know he didn't set out to make a film that is pro-gay... he's looking for laughs. (and for the record, I'm a straight male) It's just not that funny after a while when you realize how bigoted people are in this country, and I wish he had called them out for it a little more.
Im tird of hearing from this guy. He's a disgrace to our community
anon 3:04 he meant that he's surprised that it isn't NC-17, even after the cuts.
I wouldn't pay money to see this, but then again, I wasn't a fan of Borat.
Can.
Not.
WAIT.
To.
See.
This!!!
Just like Franklin, I cannot wait for this. Need it NOW injected into my veins. Borat was, perhaps, the most laughing I've ever done in a cinema and Bruno looks even funnier. While I can't comment on the homophobia aspect until I actually see it, I have a feeling that gay people who have a sense of humour will enjoy it and those boring killjoy gay people who don't think anybody gay should act G-A-Y so as to not offend the delicate hetero sensibilities of the people "we" want to be like. If that makes sense. Eh.
In regards to the rating, the movie actually received an R18+ rating here in Australia, which is the harshest rating possible. While, in that way, it's similar to America's NC17, it's also far less... prudish. As in there have been plenty of mainstream movies that get given the rating and still manage to make it into the majority of the nation's cinemas. There have even been movies with R18+ ratings to make #1 at the box office (Wolf Creek and Chopper off the top of my head), which is something an NC17 movie would never achieve.
this is gonna be a wild ride.
re: gay stuff hurting the box office...
i don't know. people/str8 guys don't seem to mind as much when its presented in an overtly comedic context--think 'chuck & larry', ' birdcage'. Plus, people freakin love this guy.
ryan really good point. We'll see how it does. But Borat business would still surprise me given that lightning rarely strikes twice.
It'll probably get the same kind of box office re: Borat that a typical blockbuster sequel/retread would get, i.e. slightly less, as the novelty's worn off, but in the same league. Isn't that how it usually works? (Dark Knight notwithstanding)
I personally am rather apathetic toward this. I wanna be excited about it, but the trailer did nothing for me. Just didn't find it funny. The Eminem incident was enjoyable, but that was just cause it was Eminem. So I may just wait for video.
And I for the record, enjoyed Borat.
I don't think "Bruno" will get "Borat" type box office. It goes deeper than the novelty's worn off the second time around. I think that this film will actively turn off a lot of the frat-boy contingent, or at least those so homophobic that they wouldn't be caught dead seeing the "fag movie." Not that I have any real insight into the 20-something straight male mind, but I'd guess that that would trump going to see it just for some laughs and being in on Cohen's level of satire. I don't think they would dig that deep at all for insight into a comedy like this. We might, but that's preaching to the choir at this point. I'm looking forward to it, b/c I loved "Borat", "Da Ali G Show", and the trailer to "Bruno" that I thought was great. But I'm skeptical about the "blockbuster" prospects for the film, and I'm very interested about what happens on its opening weekend.
Bruno should be a hit. My straight 23 year old and his friends are all nuts about Borat and can't wait to see this. They don't see it as a gay issue at all. It's just outrageous fun and that's what they like.
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