Mean-spirited Bruno dies on the fence
Thursday, July 9, 2009 at 8:01PM 
I wanted to like Bruno. Even though the previews showed a hackneyed gay stereotype, I was hoping that there would be an underlying likability to the character as there was with Borat (which I loved). Unfortunately, Bruno is nothing more than a mean-spirited gay minstrel show. The fact that it grossed $30 million in the first weekend and that so many people will see it after the success of Borat is troubling.
The gratuitous full frontals and sex fetishes may shock some -- to me they felt strategically placed and formulaic (the movie uses the exact same structure as Borat). But having a flamboyantly gay character blatantly making passes at homophobic straight men to try to get a reaction out of them for laughs, is just a comic note the country doesn't need now. I don't understand why critics are suggesting that Bruno is "going after" homophobia, when the movie just re-affirms the stereotypes that create homophobia in the first place.
Like Borat, the character of Bruno is ridiculous and inappropriate. But Borat was also innocent and likable -- the hero we were rooting for. Bruno is insensitive and despicable -- he is the unlikable villain. As an audience, we naturally want the villain to die -- or at least fail. And that is my biggest problem with Bruno -- the movie gives us a self-absorbed gay stereotype and then spends 90 minutes inviting the audience to despise him for being all the things that many straight people unjustifiably fear about gays (bad parents, sexual predators, etc.) At one point, Bruno lies to Republic presidential nominee Ron Paul to get an interview, tricks him into being alone with him in a hotel room, and makes a pass at him by dropping his pants. And for that, Paul storms out and calls him a queer. Does that really show off Paul's homophobia? Or did he just do what most people would do in the same situation? What if a straight male character had lured Hillary Clinton into the room under the same circumstances? Would it illustrate her lack of compassion towards men to see her storm out, offended and calling him names?
Right now more than half the country thinks gays do NOT deserve the same civil rights as straights, and the State of California just upheld that idea. There are plenty of idiots in this country and around the world that think the Bruno stereotype is real, and they use it to justify not only physically and verbally attacking gays, but also denying our basic civil rights at the polls.
I certainly don't think Sacha Baron Cohen has any responsibility to create positive gay role models for the gay community. But for the studio and Cohen to imply that this movie is meant to "skewer" homophobia when it achieves just the opposite effect is ludicrous.
I'm siding with GLAAD on this one.
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Reader Comments (3)
Thank you Paul, I applaud your review, it was perfectly stated and right on target. I can't understand why more gay people aren't getting this point? Are we all so easily seduced my media hype? More of us should be supporting the wonderful, honest, original works now playing at Outfest LA Gay Film Festival.
I agree that Brüno is not a great movie, but I personally laughed and found it entertaining. When the credits rolled, I felt like I'd just eaten an entire cheeseback. Satisfied (?) by the decadence, but ashamed of the glutton I'd become. Sacha's comedic talent is inestimable, and his exploitation of the Brüno character resulted in straight people looking even more barbaric than gays looked conniving and effeminate. I haven't seen Borat, but I gather that Sacha's attempt this time fell far short of the genius he approached in the former.
great review, I will need to bookmark you for I enjoy your humor and honesty.