Controversy has surrounded Sacha Baron Cohen's new "gay" film "Bruno" ever since it went into production. In the past few weeks, gay groups have become vocal, calling the film "homophobic" amongst other things. Well, "Bruno" has now hit the theaters and we want to know what gay audiences think. Did you find it homophobic? Or was the hype overblown? Post your review in the comments section below.
Saw it. Very disappointing film. It's a mess, really.
And yes, it does indeed provide Heterosexuals the chance to participate in one of their FAVORITE activities these days...
Which is, to say, the opportunity to laugh, make fun, and generally degrade the very Gay & Lesbian human beings that Hetrosexuals themselves created.
It was QUITE clear sitting in the movie theatre and listening to audience reaction that Heterosexuals are watching this film with their usual full intent of degrading, dehuamnizing, and marginalizing of Gay people.
I left the theatre wondering why the very people who create and give birth to Gays & Lesbians would take such joy and glee in degrading and abusing them in such a vile manner.
A Gay person would NEVER treat a Heterosexual in this manner. (Because most of us HAVE manners, you see.)
How very sad that the very people who are creating Gays are taking such delight in the abuse of their own offspring. Sad. But typical. It is what we have come to expect from Heterosexuals. Yet, they are always screaming about morality?????????????????????????? Makes perfect sense. NOT.
Morailty indeed, Heteros. Morailty, indeed.
Posted by: Bill | 07/10/2009 at 12:41 PM
WOAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! it's the greatest comedy film ever made!!.
It's Sacha baron cohen's best movie, it's really excing!!.
I really enjoyed it, it's not important to talk about what's gonna happen or if the movie is good or it isn't, better go and see it by urself!!.
I really don't enjoyed borat, but this movie is a lot of better, it attacks the peeople with the mind closed, i mean people who are in the tradisionalitsm.
Best COMEDY movie EVER!!!, belive me.
Posted by: Charles | 07/10/2009 at 02:07 PM
I saw this last night and it was... horrible!
I was a fan of Borat (not a HUGE fan but it was ok) so i figured this would be worth a shot to go see...
It was so bad that horrible is not even the word... It degrades the homosexual community and everything that surrounds it. Watching the movie it was pretty obvious that most of the people there liked the fact that homosexuals were being made fun of and degraded. (granted there were a few funny spots that you could not resist laughing, but it was horrible)
I DO NOT!!!! recommend this movie to anyone... Spend your money on something else (even blowing it all at a cheap dollar store would be better than wasting it on this movie)
TRUST ME!
Posted by: James | 07/11/2009 at 04:32 AM
Great movie. Question to those who thought it humiliated or tarnished the gay community: Do you feel that way in other movies where aggressive male stupid heretosexuality (beer, misogynism, ignorance, anger, conflict) that they degrade male heterosexuals? Of course not. The fact that you were uncomfortable with the film reveals less about the commercialization of gay culture but more about yourselves.
Posted by: A | 07/11/2009 at 04:56 AM
On the other hand, "A", your condescending assessement of other's criticisms reveals something about you. Specifically, it reveals you to be clueless about the counterproductive effect that stereotypes and ridicule can have on an oppressed minority engaged in an equality struggle. You seem to think that heterosexual and homosexual folk are perceived more or less the same in this world. Guess what? You're dead wrong. Get back in touch with reality. Maybe watching better movies would help!
Posted by: Stuffed Animal | 07/11/2009 at 02:18 PM
I just saw it. It wasn't homophobic in my opinion, but I can see it being too "smart" for mainstream america. But the truth is the movie just wasn't all that funny. There is one hilarious scene that has to do with sex and the city, but I won't spoil it.
anyway, I was disappointed. No Borat at all. But once again, I didnt find it homophobic and think only non-gays (who are on the dumb side) will think this movie is "real."
Posted by: deanreed | 07/11/2009 at 03:59 PM
It was painful to watch. I went to Borat with my partner and friends, and did the same with Bruno. I am not a fan of this type of satire, since it in fact encourages the base behavior and bad attitudes it purports to mock. If I were a Congressman trapped in a hotel room with a stripping Bruno, it would not be "homophobic" to tear out of there when an "interview" turned into sexual harassment/advances. If I were part of an audience that paid to see cage match wrestling, I would not be particularly pleased with an all-male make-out session in its place (although I would not riot as some did - but that is what the producers of the farce were counting on). The situations used in this movie demonstrate the absurdity of the methods Sasha Baron Cohen uses to achieve his material more than the absurdity of the average heterosexual American.
Posted by: Don | 07/12/2009 at 06:29 PM
This movie is PORN and should not be encouraged as mainstream media.. how Fed up are our kids going to be, seeing depraved shit like this when they're 13-14 ???
Posted by: Joey | 07/12/2009 at 09:57 PM
It was a complete disappointment.
Posted by: TuckerCLT | 07/13/2009 at 05:26 PM
it was funny and at times offensive, i think you just have to look at it at it being a spoof, not realy to be taken seriously
Posted by: graeme johnson | 07/14/2009 at 06:55 AM
Saw it Friday night; it sucked. It is not the appropriate image that we need to be showing to the public. We will never get equal rights or treatment as long as degrade ourselves in this manner. I dont act like that and neither do most homsexuals. But the ones that do revel is this type of behaviour. Its pathetic! The obvious majority of straight people in the audience were not laughing with us; they were laughing at us. They think we are freaks; and this movie proves them right.
Posted by: Robert | 07/14/2009 at 11:36 AM
As a gay married man from Canada, I thought the movie was a blast. The whole gay stereotype with Bruno was used more to show the reactions of the other people in the movie. Just the reactions at the end of the movie was hilarious. I would say that the humor is very British in the sense no one is safe for being satired. It was funny, entertaining, and a bit over the top at times. I think the people that might think it was homophobic are the ones that might be living a bit too much the bruno stereotype and it hit home. It's just a movie, not a chance to improve gay self-concept in the public eye.
Posted by: Luke | 07/14/2009 at 10:58 PM
It's just a movie, in my opinion. People are making a big deal over nothing. all you guys have proven by saying that its homophobic, is that youre insecure yourselves. "They think we are freaks; and this movie proves them right."
When it comes down to it, It seems some heterosexuals are more comfortable with our sexuality than we are. I agree with Luke, It obviously hit too close to home for some of you guys to handle.
Posted by: Bryan | 07/15/2009 at 09:59 AM
Saw the film yesterday. I thought it was disgusting and it made me ashamed to be gay. What the hell is this film all about? No message, except to allow homophobic public to see the lowest form of a sexual being.
Posted by: Gary | 07/15/2009 at 10:47 AM
Worse piece of s@#t I have ever seen.
DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME.
Pure garbage.
If your IQ is about 2 you might enjoy it. Can't believe a studio wasted their film on this.
Gay or not this movie sucks!!!!!!
Posted by: Jod | 07/15/2009 at 01:44 PM
Saw it.
Loved it.
Everyone gets painted over with the same thick brush. Bruno puts everyone in a ridiculous light: gays, straights, fashion models, hunters, adoption advocates, stage paernts, Israelis, Palestinians,etc.
He makes everyone look ridiculous, including himself.
I read GLAAD's overeaction to the film and honestly, it makes the gay community sound like a bunch of sissies who can't take a joke.
In this case, gay 'defenders' are doing way more harm than this silly, stupid movie is.
Get some popcorn and go have yourself a laugh.
Posted by: Francisco Valdez | 07/15/2009 at 04:44 PM
icht fantasticht!
Reality check...its just a movie......If it bugs people so much then easy fix....just don't see it.
Posted by: Ritchie | 07/15/2009 at 09:18 PM
I saw it on Opening day... It is a great movie... graphic... yes... I think it was a very thin line to be a nc-17... cause there are some scenes that even for me (that I consider myself very tolerant) were hard... I liked it very much... probably I will buy it on the time that is released on dvd... go and see it... cause the funny parts are hilarious... but yes... it can be strong for weak people...
Posted by: Albert | 07/15/2009 at 10:11 PM
An over-reaching parody of all things gay. I'm not sure if it helped or hurt emancipation. Every trite, hackneyed, stereotype was present but the humor was great.
Posted by: Miami_Mike | 07/15/2009 at 10:12 PM
Disappointment. There were a few funny lines most of which were used in the movie trailer.
Posted by: Rick7342 | 07/16/2009 at 01:21 AM
i like sacha baron cohen. i liked borat. i liked bruno as a segment on the Ali G show. just didnt work for me as a feature length film. it was pure crap and a waste of money
Posted by: public hairs | 07/16/2009 at 07:36 PM
Its been playing at cinemas in Australia for a few weeks now.I went and saw it last Sunday night. I have to say that I was pretty disgusted at alot of what I saw. Not so much from 'Bruno' himself, Ive seen Borat and the Ali G show used to screen on TV here so I had a general idea of what to expect. But I have never seen so much homophobic hatred in public as 'Bruno'got from Americans.Mabey I should'nt compare how Americans would react to such things vs how Australians would BUT if an Australian politician acted like that Congressman, he or she would have to make a full blown public (televised) apology the next day. And we definatley would'nt call the police if two men were handcuffed togeather on a bed in a hotel, or for that matter throw chairs at two guys kissing in a cage.
Posted by: Den_Bris | 07/17/2009 at 07:03 AM
Weird
It was just weird. It wasn't good, wasn't bad, just weird. It will be quickly forgotten except for a select few people who are into shock effect.
Bruno will quickly be a nobody again.
Posted by: Kaimuki | 07/17/2009 at 06:32 PM
Ok...for those of you who do not think this is homophobic, I want you to consider this: Imagine a movie FULL OF WHITE PEOPLE...EVERYONE...EVERYONE IS WHITE....and there is one main character who is black who drinks grape kool-aid, eats fried chicken all the time...do you think that might offend a black person watching that movie? Get real people. Bruno is homophonic. I would hate to be a black person seeing a white guy going in black face (make up) and eating hamhocks, fried chicken, using food stamps and drinking grape kool aid to amuse a theatre full of white people.
Posted by: e | 07/18/2009 at 05:51 AM
From someone who loved 'Borat', 'Bruno' was not even close. For the first 1/2 of the movie you can tell it was staged and therefore not funny. It was inconsistent. The sterotyes was a big yawner and overdone. Sorry Sacha Baron Cohen, this time around YOU SUCK! Don't waste your money, if you want to see it, watch it on DVD.
Posted by: Joey David | 07/18/2009 at 06:46 PM
Obviously - as the other reviews posted above point out - it makes you squirm where it hits closest to home. In Germany, nobody laughed at the "baby casting" where Brüno tells the "proud Mom" that her baby has been picked to wear a Nazi uniform and push a Jewish baby into an oven ... But the women in the audience howled with laughter when the pastor (the "gay therapist") is explaining to Brüno why dumb women have to be tolerated by "heterosexual" men.
Obviously the man is kicking political correctness wide open, with the usual brazenness. If I recall correctly, there were official voices from Kazakhstan complaining about the Kazakhi-bashing. So now it's our turn, and I suggest we laugh about it (the movie is funny, guys).
Posted by: Matt from Berlin | 07/19/2009 at 01:48 AM
The movie was a great disappointment for me. Most of the people I saw in the movie theatre were straight people, just wanting to laugh at the gay people. It is movies like “Bruno” that give us gay people a bad name. Don’t get me wrong, I love good raunchy humor, just not when it undermines the gay community.
Growing up I remember how badly gay people were stereotyped on TV and in the movies. For the longest time I didn’t think I was gay, I was nothing like those people, we are not all flamboyant hair dressers. You would be surprised to find out that most gay people probably blend in with society, if those people stepped out of their closets maybe our community would be in a better position in life.
Will in Denver
Posted by: Will in Denver | 07/19/2009 at 10:03 AM
I saw it loved it. There were not many times in this movie where i was not on the verge of tears. I was laughing so hard when bruno was visiting the psychic. If anyone says they did not laugh at that scene missed what the movie was about. The idea to get people to react is the purpose of this movie. I was real impressed with how his message was delivered. It makes you think and that is what I feel makes a great movie. This was a brilliant film! I can't wait to see what he does next.
BRAVO Sacha Baron Cohen!!!!
Posted by: jeff | 07/19/2009 at 04:47 PM
I saw it with my girlfriend, her straight female friend, my gay male friend, and his boyfriend, and while I did not find it homophobic in any way shape or form I did find it in bad taste on several occasions. I am ashamed to admit to others that I even went and sat threw the whole movie as I feel like any intelligent person would have left the theater.
Posted by: Colette | 07/20/2009 at 05:54 PM
I saw it and i could not watch half of it. My lesbian friend thought it was the greatest thing since slice bread. Me on the other han felt embrassed for some odd reason. But i did laugh at the place where most of the antics took place. Take that close minded rednecks! And yet no one can tell me that last secene at the cage match with celine deion music was degrading, i felt it empowering. All those staight people and the looks on their faces, priceless.
And yet it will set back gay rights a couple of years in the south, anyone tell me it wont. But all in all a great movie ive never laughed harder at a movie ever, but a little over the top in places.
Posted by: Drac | 07/20/2009 at 06:19 PM
I laughed hard throughout the movie. As a man who is comfortable being gay, I am not sure why so many people are upset. I agree the humor may not be for everybody, but I think people need to lighten up a bit. Most of the jokes are making fun of the homophobes out there, not the gay community. And for the jokes that may be making fun of gay people....shouldn't we be able to laugh at ourselves?
Posted by: Mark | 07/20/2009 at 06:42 PM
This movie was truly a hot mess. It had the potential to be extremely funny but it was just crass, stupid and insulting. I could have lived my life without seeing Sacha Baron Cohen's pee hole talk. Now straight people think we stick the large ends of champagne bottles up our asses and act like ignorant snobs. Thanks a lot for playing up lame stereotypes! If you were gonna make a film parody of a flamboyantly annoying gay man, at LEAST make it funny and entertaining. This was worse than stepping in dog poop barefoot. I'd rather eat a plate full of large beetles from the amazon than watch this turd again. IT SUCKS, and not in the good way! Take the ten bucks and get yourself a manicure instead. As the "Menz on Film" would say...HATED IT!
Posted by: CCC | 07/21/2009 at 09:18 AM
FANTASTIC MOVIE!!!! A+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Posted by: ippo | 07/21/2009 at 12:44 PM
While the movie included some priceless moments of satire it also reinforced horrible stereotypes about gay people being depraved and obsessed with sexuality. I am worried about countless young people being scarred after watching this. It reduces acts of sex into a complete joke and seems to rob humanity completely of its dignity. The detrimental influences I believe it will quietly translate into more subconscious disrespect for our fellow human beings.
This is not to say that there weren't some very golden moments of pranking and satire. Mocking the epidemic of white people adopting foreign non-white children was wonderful because it portrayed it as the truly egotistically-garbed "compassion" that it is (not to expound on the self-identity crisis that such children have to endure for the rest of their lives growing up in such situations).
Whether you liked it or hated it, it was quite possibly the most outrageous film ever made, pushing the envelope of what the public is willing to tolerate.
Posted by: Chadwick S | 07/22/2009 at 11:37 AM
A few funny spots but an over-reaching parody of gay life as imagined by homophobes. I'm not sure if this helped or hurt our cause. I'm glad Cohen made this flick, but I cannot endorse it.
Posted by: Mike | 07/22/2009 at 08:26 PM
I really don't understand why people are so outraged by this movie. I personally thought it was hilarious! Poking fun at gays? Did we watch the same movie? What I saw was a movie that poked fun at stereotypes and the narrow-mindedness of certain people. This is not meant to be a thoughtful and moving film about the plight of gays and their struggle for acceptance and it will definitely not be everyone's cup of tea. I don't know what the percentage of straight to gay moviegoers was when I saw Bruno, but I can tell you that when he finally locked lips with his loyal assistant, the audience cheered with delight. That was the best "f*ck you" SBC could have given to the unwitting spectators in the Arkansas arena. Loved it and I'm going to see it again next week!
Posted by: Chaplin | 07/23/2009 at 09:40 PM
I knew I was going to hate this film. I went in thinking I would just sink lower and lower into my seat as the film degraded gays. I have to say, I LOVED this film! It was really funny. I thought it was kind of slow in the begining, but once it took off, it took off!!! I'm glad I went to see it, and did my best to keep an open mind while watching it. I agree with deanreed, I think it's too smart for mainstream america.
Posted by: Chris | 07/26/2009 at 02:06 PM
I found the movie hilarious. The problem with people these days is everyone is so god damn serious, we have forgotten how to laugh. Part of humour is poking fun at ourselves. Not everything is an insult. People need to get thicker skins.
Posted by: Gary Barbosa-Strickland | 08/07/2009 at 02:33 PM
Strangely enough, I thought the weakest aspect of Bruno was its nearly ACT UP-level, in-your-face intensity. I enjoyed the film overall, and laughed often, but its greatest offense was being far less funny than Borat.
Quite frankly, it felt like a gay activist's rageful attempt at showing how disgustingly homophobic and hateful the straight world is.
Thus, I didn't find it homophobic at all, at least on Sacha Baron Cohen's part. On the contrary, I had the sense that Cohen is very much homo-friendly, and I felt it was almost too gay-biased: OF COURSE Ron Paul is going to freak out, and that's not because he's a homophobe. I'D have felt confused in the same situation, and I'm proudly gay.
I found something politically manipulative in the film, an angry I'm-going-to-shove-gay-in-your-face-'til-you-show-your-true-homophobic-rage 'comedy.' And that provocative taunting dampened some of the comedy for me...I KNEW it was supposed to be funny, but I was more caught up in the confusion of those facing him and wondering if this was a particularly fair game. It's one thing to let the 'dumb homophobes' humiliate themselves on their own, but altogether another to give them no other opportunity than to fall into a rather vigorous, obvious trap.
In fact, the marriage scene felt so tacked on and out of sync with the rest of the film, I could only imagine it was included to further illustrate the cruelty of anti-gay marriage laws. Althought it was a silly scene, the audience knows the love between the two is genuine, thus the enemy would be anyone who denies the marriage. This is a 'joke' any of us could see from a mile away. It wasn't particularly funny or insightful, so I sensed political posturing underneath its inclusion.
Bruno, the character (and what I sense, perhaps incorrectly, from the actor playing him, politically-speaking), is too defiantly, innocently, unashamedly gay to be self-hating, and that same defiance and innocence and lack of shame makes him charmingly out and proud, rather than mocking. He's an exaggeration, but one who seems just fine with that (if Bruno really has that level of self-awareness).
I think for the character to have been homophobically tainted, he would have been made from hate. I don't believe for an instant that Cohen created Bruno out of nastiness or hatred.
Drag queens are a gay exaggeration, but what sets them apart? They're created out of reverence, provocation, celebration, and freedom, not out of hatred for women or gay femininity. There are many other gay caricatures we all love because we know they're created out of love or, at the least, good humour.
Just because something is a seeming caricature does not make it self-hating or hateful. It's the motive and spirit behind that caricature that sets the tone, positive or negative.
Posted by: Jonny G. | 08/18/2009 at 03:50 PM
One other thought: Much like South Park, this is the kind of film (along with Borat) that actually mocks the very people who probably won't get the joke...that the joke is on them (the Palinists), not us.
Posted by: Jonny G. | 08/18/2009 at 03:53 PM
I WAS SO OFFENDED MY GROUP LEFT! DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME!
Posted by: monsterrr | 09/04/2009 at 02:04 PM
Bruno is such an over-the-top, stereotypical character that offended as many queers as straights. If the purpose of the film was to "out" homophobes, this is not the vehicle for it. If the caricature and his behaviour had been much less flamboyant, it would be difficult to justify any homophobic response. Sasha Baron Cohen may have hit a homerun with his first film exposing shallow Western culture but this attempt to shock is a string foul balls- so to speak.
Posted by: Dennis Yeo | 09/14/2009 at 08:31 AM
FORCED TO SEE IT, THEY OWE ME BIG . IT WAS TOTAL CRAP.
IF YOU ARE A 14 YEAR OLD BOY. YJEY LOVE THIS SOPHMORIC BRAIN DEAD WASTE OF TIME. EVEN BORAT WAS BETTER. NO MORE SASHA COEHN REMAKING HIMSELF, AND PLAYING OUT OF MOVIE DON'T BREAK FROM CHARACTER HYPE FILM ROLES.... PLEASE.
BUT WE ARE MORONS AND WILL FALL FOR IT AGAIN TO VIEW CHEAP
ATTEMPTS AT STUPIDNESS/
Posted by: BBOB | 09/22/2009 at 09:53 PM