Project-Blu Brüno, by M. Enois Duarte

Brüno

By: M. Enois Duarte, 11.12.2009

The Movie Itself:
In 'Brüno', Sacha Baron Cohen returns to the screen with another ridiculously absurd, sideshow attraction. After the bizarre interview stunts he pulled off with HBO's gangsta-wannabe "Da Ali G Show" and the socially deficient Borat, you'd think people would not only recognize Cohen's unique facial features but also see through his charade within a couple of minutes. Amazingly, he does it again and no one person is the wiser - key phrase here pointing towards the lack of being wise. Is it possible people - and sadly, most are Americans - are gullible enough to believe someone as over the top and outlandish as Brüno really exist? Politeness towards another's weird, spaced-out behavior is one thing, but this guy is beyond the far reaches of Pluto, which isn't even a planet anymore.

Brüno is the sort of cat that makes his presence known because he wholeheartedly believes himself talented and worthy of fame and fortune. He was once a popular Austrian fashionista with a talk show called "Funkyzeit", which would explain some of his ego. Unfortunately, he appears clueless that no one outside of his native country has ever watched him on television. It is not until after being fired from the program for ruining a Milan Fashion week that Brüno finally comes to this realization. Feeling desolate and miserable about his failures, the flamboyant trend-groupie moves to Hollywood in pursuit of worldwide super-stardom. Or as he so eloquently puts it, "I am going to be the biggest Austrian celebrity since Hitler."

As stupefying and tasteless as the line may be, the fun and attraction of 'Brüno' is not only in watching the character do crazy things but also in finding Cohen pull off the same antics as before. There's that old "fool me once" saying which comes to mind. But what clever idiom are we to use when fooled a third time? Comparisons to his previous characters and shenanigans are to be expected. However, that would seem to partly miss the point since his actions are intended as a test of compliancy, tolerance, and acquiescence. At one point, Brüno interviews parents of child models asking if they'd allow their child to undergo liposuction or dress in a Nazi uniform and wheelbarrow a Jewish baby into an oven. The answers are appalling, to say the least.

The only time it seems people openly and angrily protest his behavior is during an appearance on "The Richard Bey Show", which brings up the film's source of laughter - the reaction of people in Brüno's presence. From hotel managers finding him in an awkward position with his personal assistant to a focus group's horrified feedback of his TV pilot, real people react to Brüno's insolent and unusual idiosyncrasies. Particularly enjoyable is the über-angry twitch in the eyes of a Christian gay converter and Brüno making-out with his assistant in front aghast spectators at a cage fight. I still can't believe he actually convinced Paula Abdul to sit on a gardener or that he's alive after telling the leader of al-Aqsa Osama bin Laden looks like a dirty wizard.

Ultimately, Brüno is obnoxious, frustrating, offensive, irreverent, embarrassingly annoying, and utterly hilarious. Throughout the film's 80-minute runtime, I found myself consistently laughing at the absurdity - not so much Cohen's performance as the conduct and response of others. From one scene to the next, 'Brüno' is one of the most reckless and daring comedies to come along in years. It is über side-splitting!
Rating: 8/10

The Presentation:
Much like my last review, 'Brüno' arrives with a very specific approach in the photography, making it tricky to assess. Presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio, the VC-1 encoded transfer is mixed with lower quality footage, giving the video that documentary style the filmmakers intended. It's a necessary evil for an otherwise good-looking video presentation.

Contrast is a tad higher than normal, but visibility and clarity doesn't seem affected by any of it, as the picture maintains consistency. Fine object detailing also holds up well and remains somewhat sharp, but textures are bit lacking. Brightness levels are not as strong as they should be, and blacks can come across flat and slightly dull. However, the film does have its moments of greatness with good saturation and variance in the color palette. Although the image may not compare to other newer releases from Universal Studios Home Entertainment, 'Brüno' still earns a passing grade on Blu-ray.
Rating: 7.2/10

The DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack is practically identical to the video presentation, which is not a bad thing considering its source. As a faux-documentary, the filmmakers are not exactly in the best position for creating a convincing soundscape. Action in the rear speakers is very minimal and used sparingly although those few instances of activity are quite attractive. Cohen's musical choices are put to better use in the background, enveloping the listening area with clean, stable dynamics and a healthy, palpable low bass. The lossless mix is mostly front-heavy but balanced nicely within the three channels for an engaging presentation. Dialogue reproduction is also stable and well-centered, despite a few difficulties of intelligibility with sudden bursts of action. While the audio track lacks any real wow factor, fans are sure to be satisfied with it nonetheless.
Rating: 7.4/10

Overall Presentation: 7/10

** 9 - 10 = Reference / 8 = Excellent / 7 = Good /
6 = Satisfactory / 5 = Average / 4 & under = Below Average **

The Extras:
Universal debuts Sacha Baron Cohen's latest creation 'Brüno' onto Blu-ray with an equally enjoyable package of bonus material and all presented in high definition. The entire package also comes with a Digital Copy of the film, and the BD disc is enabled with BD-Live functionality and a Universal News Ticker.

Enhanced PiP Commentary
The track is just as good as the film itself and definitely worth the listening.
Deleted Scenes (41 min)
Nine interviews total and each as uncomfortable as those found in the film.
Alternative Scenes (6 min)
Highlight is the interview with baseball legend Pete Rose.
Extended Scenes (22 min)
Trimmed for time consumption, eight scenes will be found here.
Interview with Lloyd Robinson (6 min)
Brüno's talent agent talks about his faux client and his believing he was real.
My Scene
Standard bookmarking feature found on Universal Blu-ray titles.

Rating: 7/10

Final Thoughts:
This bears repeating as it pretty much sums up my position on Cohen's latest shenanigans: Brüno is obnoxious, frustrating, offensive, irreverent, embarrassingly annoying, and utterly hilarious. The film makes for an uber time at the movies. Universal Studios Home Entertainment debuts the mockumentary with a good A/V presentation and a strong package of supplements. Those easily offended might want to stay away, but folks with an open-mind will enjoy Brüno's irreverence. This irresponsible comedy is über recommended.
Rating: 7/10