Bruno is borderline aka "edgy" (Spoilers)

[Renew Deal]

I saw Bruno tonight. I knew the main character was some sort of european gay model, but not much more than that. This is my opinion of Bruno. Others might see it differently.

Bruno is an Austrian gay model and entertainer. He is flamboyantly gay in a way that plays heavily on stereotypes. He's very well maintained and "fashionably" dressed. He's sex crazed and this includes sex with small mice. He loves talking about penis and sex with other men.

The movie can give the impression that gay men are sex crazed perverts that love orgies, sex toys, bondage, and small animals. The movie is very funny at times, but the portrayal of gays may be over the top in a bad way. I'd love to know how other see it.

[imdjh]

1. I only saw the teasers and he looked like David Alan Greer doing screaming black queen.

Ass and stomach stuck out, pouting, prissing, wearing clothes that would make a 16 year old Dallas cheerleader wiggle with glee.

HIlarious. Brilliant. Fucking genius.

[Renew Deal]

2. The funny thing is that's how the movie is portrayed in trailers.

But that's not necessarily what it is.

[imdjh]

3. I probably won't see it, but not due to the trailers.

I watched Borat the other night, as much as I could stomach. I just don't care for him. It's like Mel Brook's movies, a little Borscht Belt humor goes a long way with me, a steady barrage of corny jokes and puns get's annoying.

[Fearless]

7. You're right... it really isn't...

I think the trailers are supposed to get people to go to it that might not normally do so. Maybe some of them stay. The worst that could happen is that they leave.

[Fearless]

4. I saw it tonight... P.C. people and the squeamish will HATE it, but it's necessary...

First I am a gay 22 year old male from MA. So lets get that out of the way.

The movie was ridiculous in the most amazing ways. The antics of Bruno were completely out there and at points crazy (and very naked), but there was an underlying point to the film which, like Borat before it, tried to expose the bigotry of this nation, from formerly gay ministers to straight over-machismo to showing Ron Paul for the bigot he is.

There are a lot of people who are going to be very offended by this movie because they will say that it detriments the GLBTQ movement. That it is too over the top to be taken seriously. I disagree. I sat in a theater with people my own age, straight couples and gay alike, in a not openly gay town. And we laughed. For the right reasons. There were points during it where two to three hundred people fell silent and stared in awe at the virulent bigotry that our nation of freedoms and liberties hides just beneath its surface. In our senators, in our ministers, as I said, but also in our citizens. They sat dead silent.

This movie helps expose those who don't normally realize there are non-hetero people to them and to their challenges. (Towards the end, Bruno tries to marry a man in California after Prop 8 passed and the minister soberly refused and walked from the room. You could hear a pin drop in the theater.) In the end a bunch of GLBTQ people had their laughs and astonishments (I know I did -- stared agape at the Straight Ultimate Fighter scene) but we weren't the only ones staring and we weren't the only ones cheering Bruno on. More than 95% of the theater stayed for the whole movie, some kind of fidgeting, some really fidgeting, but I think they learned something.

We're not something to be afraid of. We have hopes and dreams too. I think the average viewer (at least in my theater- my location prefaced) and I think it both shows us how far we've come that it could be shown at all in a theater (more than just brief glimpses at penis and all) and how much we can still go.

Night all,
Fearless

[cboy4]

5. Here's my take. I don't think the movie is particularly helpful.

I understand the way the movie is being packaged: an 83 minute satire of homophobia.

And I haven't seen it, but I've watched clips and read up on the film extensively.

I don't have any problem with a theater full of gay friendly progressives laughing at the ridiculous over the top stereotypes, and the obvious pokes at the homophobes.

I'm sure a lot of gay people will watch the movie and find it funny, but I bet the same number won't be admitting they find it hilarious outside of the gay community.

The question is, is the primarily young male audience the movie is targeting laughing at teh gays or are they laughing at the homophobes?

You know, if a bunch of rednecks in Texas (no offense, Texas) or (Oklahoma, no offense Oklahoma) are deciding to make a night of it laughing at the queers at the local multiplex, I'm not real happy about that.

I will say I'm happy they changed the ending .. one that was over the top and unfunny, to say the least.

And I completely understand Cohen's sense of humor, and track record of dryly mocking everyone.

I just feel like here's a movie where non-gay friendly people get to laugh and point at and mock teh gays.

I don't believe I'd feel comfortable watching this film in a theater with strangers .. no knowing their true motives .. I can tell you that.

So there you have it.


edit: grammar

[Fearless]

6. See it. Read my comment for why.

[cboy4]

8. For a fair evaluation, I would of course need to see it. Yes.

But let's not fool ourselves into thinking this movie was made for any other reason than to make money.

Sasha Cohen will hardly go down in history as a pioneer for the advancement of gay civil rights.

[Fearless]

9. I think your wrong.

Of course he's making money. But, I don't think, granted having never met the man, that anyone who would subject themselves to the real danger he does during the movie, could have ignoble causes regarding GLBTQ rights. IMHO of course.

[cwydro]

10. Agree.

I think this movie is playing to people who want to laugh at gay people.

I saw him being interviewed (in character) the other day and thought it was just stupid.

[Fearless]

11. Did you see the movie?

[mnhtnbb]

12. Hubby went to see Bruno tonight. I didn't go because I didn't think I'd like it.

He said there were a few funny lines, but by and large he didn't like it.