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Is Sacha Baron Cohen's Bruno Too Raunchy?
With outrageous sex scenes and racist humor that goes beyond Borat, Sacha Baron Cohen’s docu-comedy Bruno was just given an NC-17 rating. Can he clean up his act in time for the film’s release this summer?
Universal’s Bruno, the widely anticipated Sacha Baron Cohen docu-comedy opening in July, has been slapped with an NC-17 rating on its first submission to the Motion Picture Association of America because of numerous sexual scenes that the ratings board considers over the line, according to the studio releasing the film.
Among the objectionable scenes is one in which two naked men attempt oral sex in a hot tub, while one of them holds a baby. In another, Bruno—a gay Austrian fashionista played by Baron Cohen—appears to have anal sex with a man on camera. In another, the actor goes on a hunting trip and sneaks naked into the tent of one of the fellow hunters, an unsuspecting non-actor.
Among the objectionable scenes is one in which two naked men attempt oral sex in a hot tub, while one of them holds a baby.
A Universal spokesman confirmed the rating on Sunday, saying: "On its first submission the film did not receive an R but it is far too early to say that there is any struggle to get there as the process is only at its inception.”
Baron Cohen is accustomed to pushing boundaries. In his last hit film, Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, the writer and actor orchestrated outrageous real-life situations that challenged anti-Semitic and other stereotypes.
With Bruno, Baron Cohen apparently goes even further, drawing a cutting comic edge that challenges homophobia and racism by embracing both. His method is a kind of cinéma vérité, drawing unsuspecting bystanders into outrageous situations, or provoking them to say outrageous things, and orchestrating NC-17 rated situations.
Individuals close to the film say that Baron Cohen, Bruno’s writer and star, is “experimenting” and still “finding the film,” and tested two different versions with audiences in the past week. Both screenings, they said, were very successful.
Read the full story at The Wrap.
Sharon Waxman is an award-winning journalist and author of the recent book Loot. She is the founder and editor in chief of the Hollywood news site TheWrap.com.
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Sharon Waxman is the author of the recently-released book Loot, an award-winning journalist, and a former correspondent for The New York Times. Waxman is the editor-in-chief of her blog, Waxword, and is preparing the launch of a new online news network covering entertainment, The Wrap News, in January 2009. Her current book, Loot: The Battle Over the Stolen Treasures of the Ancient World, will be published by Times Books in November 2008.
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Sharon Waxman is the author of the recently-released book Loot, an award-winning journalist, and a former correspondent for The New York Times. Waxman is the editor-in-chief of her blog, Waxword, and is preparing the launch of a new online news network covering entertainment, The Wrap News, in January 2009. Her current book, Loot: The Battle Over the Stolen Treasures of the Ancient World, will be published by Times Books in November 2008.
Lovely.... why the heck would anyone wanna see it? I'm far from a prude... but sometimes you just have to ask, "What is the point?"
It's amazing how many people don't get Cohen. I was explaining to a someone who hated "Borat" how the movie wasn't anti-semitic, but made fun of anti-semites. All of the sudden, she got it and thought the concept was kind of brilliant.
@Hawnzz: Why the heck would anyone want to see anything? If you don't like social satire, don't see it. Lots of people like watching Two and a Half Men just like you do. If the only flavor you like is vanilla that's fine...but don't cry because people are making other flavors.
No kidding...good grief, what is the point? I didn't think "social satire" could be any less obvious, especially anyone remotely familiar with Cohen's work.
The movie will do well, a lot of people in fact DO want to see more of his work. He's a brilliant, ballsy and very likable guy, which really comes through in any serious interviews he has given.
I'll be less likely to see it in the theater if the cut the content to an R. I'll end up just waiting for the uncut DVD.
The purpose of dark comedy is to make light of serious and often taboo subject matter, and some comedians use it as a tool for exploring important issues, thus provoking discomfort and serious thought, as well as amusement, in their audience.
He is funny but at the expense of being vulgar, offensive, and rude to the people who were friendly and welcoming. He reached his goal which was to make ordinary people look like dolts and boobs. Sounds like he is just serving up more shit. No thanks.
saw 22 minutes with special intro by Sasha at a screening in Austin (sxsw). it was unbelievably funny. I want to spoil it but I won't. Pricklypear will be best served by staying home. It's off the hook in terms of making people look like boobs. But looking at boobs is sometimes very satisfying.
Scriptdog you rock.
Oh wait, I am scriptdog.
disgregard.
Thank you.
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