Hammerman Ikon

Hammerman Ikon Film Guide

Brüno
2009
***½
Director: Larry Charles
Cast: Sacha Baron Cohen, Gustaf Hammarsten, Clifford Bañagale

Sacha Baron Cohen brings another character from his Da Ali G Show to the big screen. Brüno is a 19-year-old, flamboyantly gay host of Funkyzeit mit Brüno, the most important TV fashion show in any German-speaking country, apart from Germany. When he becomes unpopular in his native Austria, he decides to travel to Los Angeles to become famous. Like Borat, the film mixes scripted comedy and encounters with real life people, who don't know that Cohen is in character. This allows him to ridicule homophobia and make fun of the current crop of celebrities who are famous for being famous. Some parts cracked me up, while others made me squirm in discomfort. It's crass, uneven, and too long even at 80 minutes, but if the main goal of a comedy is to make you laugh, this is a resounding success.