Hegemon1414

This isn't really directed at anyone here in particular more at the general reaction of the public at large to the film. Check out LA TImes on how the film has witnessed rapidly diminishing box office revenue and low scores from movie goers:

'Bruno' starts off strong on the box-office runway, then stumbles | Company Town | Los Angeles Times

I've come out of the cellar to ask this question here because it's been bothering me lately and I know this is a good place to get a coherent answer. Full disclosure; I've been a fan of Baron Cohen since well before he had his HBO show. Some of his original Channel 9 UK material when he was just on TV in Britain is his best work.

The times article posits that viewers are put off at all the male nudity. But I think the nudity in Borat was possibly even more gratuitous. The censors left a huge mark on Brüno with all the black boxing. I don't understand why all this is necessary. I'm straight as an arrow, and I merely find it all humorous. I'm sure European versions of the film didn't have all those boxes. Why can't Americans grapple with these issues? Why would an adult, at ease with sex, & sexuality be so viscerally shocked by what is contained in the film? It's obviously an outlandish parody, yet people have such a strong reaction to it.

So that's my question. Why all the hate? Obviously this is connected to a larger question of negativity towards homosexuality at large, but since in is particularly connected to this film I thought this forum was the appropriate place to post.

-Cheers

Baraka_Guru

I don't know.

I wouldn't be surprised if it was because of the uneasiness with regard to male homosexuality. There seems to be more tolerance for gratuitous violence than this kind of thing.

Roger Ebert found it hilarious, but he also found it appalling.

I haven't seen it, but I want to see Borat before I watch this. I don't know what the dealio is with these films, so I'd rather see them in chronological order.

I am intrigued. I have been for a while; I just don't watch many films.

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Plan9

Because it's garbage.

The escalation of garbage out there has gone from cartoons like Ren & Stimpy and Beavis & Butthead to movies like Borat and Bruno.

Don't get me wrong, I liked Ren & Stimpy... but only in small doses. Moderate recreational use of such humor is crucial to its appreciation.

It's the kind of junk food pull-my-finger humor that a 13 year old would snort at and slap his knee, maybe elbow his buddy in the ribs and parrot a few lines.

I don't have to pay $20 to see that... I can see that at a college keg party every weekend. Hardy-har-har... oh, look... a naked man!

This movie may appeal to pothead college kids or post-college thing-chasers, but it doesn't appeal to me.

I'm an idiot, but I'm a tasteful idiot.

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Baraka_Guru

Low culture has been around for centuries. What makes this one any different?

People will laugh at it, while others will be disgusted by it. That's the nature of low culture.

It's not going away.

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Plan9

Obviously, my good man. If anything, it's more pervasive today thanks to the Intarblog and TeeVee.

Hell, I get porn forwards on my fucking cell phone because my friends think it's funny. Totally not.

Ya can't hide from how crude the world is today, but that doesn't mean I'm going stop trying.

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fresnelly

Eh, most people go to see movies for an escape. This one is the opposite of that.

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Hegemon1414

I don't know it was an escape for me. The fly on the wall aspect of it is at times so frightening, and yet also so revealing. There is something to it.

Also I don't know what movie theaters you go all go to but I saw it at a matinee and my ticket was 5 dollars. Just say no to corporate theaters.

Oh, and as far as getting introduced to Brüno, Borat, or Ali G, I would start with a DVD of 'Da Ali G Show'. Season 1 HBO. It is so damn funny. Ali G is my favorite, but I think he is retired now.

SecretMethod70

I haven't seen Borat yet either, but both it and Bruno intrigue me. I find the negative reaction to Bruno interesting as well, and I think Baraka_Guru is right that it probably has to do with uneasiness regarding male homosexuality.

Which, really, when you think about it, would be pretty ironic: the movie that uses humor to highlight homophobia gets low box office numbers because of... homophobia.

Obviously I'd have to see it to see if that's more likely, or if the movie just sucks, but it's an intriguing possibility.

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Plan9

I'd imagine homosexuals would be offended at this film.

Turns out most aren't "short-shorts-wearing UberGays."

What's worse? Homophobia or perpetuating stereotypes?

I don't think a movie that featured enslaved black farmers goin' "Yessa, massa!" or "long-nosed jews" charging ridiculous rent would go over well.

The movie may be funny like a 2 hour stint of fart jokes, but I wouldn't call it a deep, moving social commentary piece.

Eh. First it was racism and sexism. Those got played out.

Now gay is the new approved beater for idiots everywhere.

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Baraka_Guru

Is it perpetuating stereotypes, or is it preying on (harvesting?) them for laughs?

Welcome to low culture.

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Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön

Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot

Hegemon1414

I think the Ft. Smith stunt speaks for itself as far being a pretty explicit social commentary.

As far as stereotyping gays, don't you think the over the topness of it all sort of lays it bare to what it actually is?

ratbastid

I find Cohen's brand of laughing-at humor distasteful. I didn't care for Religulous, either. Same thing.

The slapstick moments in Borat were almost painfully funny. The places where he was doing his actual shtick were just painful. I expect about the same from Bruno.

Fremen

I've seen Borat (it was ok), but I've only seen trailers and tv appearances of "Bruno".

Cohen tries too hard to be funny while trying to get a reaction from the unsuspecting people in his movies.
These are some of the people that will be staying away from his movies, and possibly encouraging others to do so, as well.

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ASU2003

There are much better things for me to do for two hours than to waste it watching this. And there are other comedians that are much better.

IdeoFunk

Dude you're totally missing the point on what both Borat and Bruno were about. The basic premise of Boart was centered around exposing and mocking the xenophobia and general narrow-mindedness that pervades our culture. I'm assuming Bruno has a similar take on homophobia and fashion twerps. The sketches from the Ali G show with Cohen doing Borat and Bruno are pretty hilarious and I suggest them to all. Some of the stunts he pulls are genius, and some of the pretensions in people he uncovers are really what's truly appalling.

That's pretty much why I find this type of stuff funny, you just can't go wrong with satirical humour. And I'll for sure be seeing this flick before I ever see Superbad, Knocked Up, Pineapple Express, Year One, or whatever else that hackneyed true college comedy offers. Although I highly doubt I'll pay to see it :/

KellyC

I didn't know there was male nudity. I'm turned off by the trailer. All I saw was a jack ass trying to be funny.

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Willravel

Laughing because you're uncomfortable isn't as fun as laughing because something is funny.

That's why.

yournamehere

I heard it has little to do with homosexuality and everything to do with not being funny.
A waste of money is a waste of money, regardless of one's sexual preferences or phobias.

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Plan9

Example? Because I can't think of a single one that I can't refute with, "Yeah, but that's crude and extreme."

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tcp

Cohen didn't get a movie deal because of previous box office success, its in continued DVD sales of his movies where the money will be made. Cohen aims to make people feel uncomfortable and expose their prejudices. His jokes seem crude and not at all inventive if you don't take in account that he's acting out stereotypes people actually have. If most people were comfortable with seeing his movie, he'd have missed the mark and not have been relevant.

streak_56

I think the reason this movie is so funny is not really Bruno but the people. He shows a small segment of the american population at their worst, whether you're a christian gay converter, homophobic hunter or want to watch Straight Daves Man Slammin'. It just plays off of sterotypes, ignorance and a persons fear of things they don't understand. I feel that it had less nudity than Borat but if the black boxes were removed, it would make it far more worse. Its like Religulous or Rick Mercers: Talking to Americans, basically putting people in a position where they are out of their comfort zone and either react improperly or the character (like in Religulous) is well read that he can outsmart people. I don't think I'm an idiot for liking it, my humour is not just restricted to one type of humour, I find all things funny and its just a movie, a story.

samcol

I walked out about 40 min or so minutes into it. It just struck me as horrible in the same way as bumfights and the jackass movies. Some parts were pretty funny but the movie just left a bad feeling over me.

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squeeeb

i haven't seen it, but i want to. i saw borat and liked it.

borat, and i assume bruno, are not "ha ha" funny. they are the movie version of trolling (which i found out is an offense here at TFP and can lead to you getting banned) and it's the reaction to the trolling that is funny.

i think his funniest movie was the ali g movie. that was pure humor.

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MonicaCo

Watched it the other day, and all I can say is that I really enjoyed it. It's just not a usual comedy people might expect.