MovieChat Forums > Brüno (2009) Discussion > Does any of this backfire on Cohen?

Does any of this backfire on Cohen?

posted 14 years ago by Gauis-the-wise
24 replies | jump to latest

I haven't seen the movie yet although I've just ordered a copy of the DVD off amazon but I just read a review which states:

“...And so a succession of innocent people fall victim to comedy to comedy set-ups designed to highlight their prejudices. While some of these work, exposing their targets as the bigots, they are, others – notably Bruno's attempted seduction of a politician – backfire, leaving Baron Cohen looking like the stupid one”.

Is there any truth in this in any one's personal opinion and how often does this happen, hopefully people can shed light on this without giving too much away. I know I should watch the film my self and make up my own mind but I would be interested in what other people have to say.

[–] Drtimk 14 years ago

Backfire ??? He gets angry---Fair enough , but calls him a queer --. Akin to the N word for Gays.It definitely exposes him as a bigot.

[–] firstwinsgop 14 years ago

Yeah. Cohen comes across very bad in the politician segment. I don't think his advance team served him very well on that. Rep. Paul is known as being one of the most polite and tolerant members of the US Congress, and he fully lives up to his reputation in the skit, going above and beyond what any rational person would put up with in an attempt to be courteous to Bruno. Bruno basically had to resort to near sexual assault till Paul had enough and stormed out of the room. And he didn't call Bruno a queer. He said, "that guy's queer as blazes!" as he was walking down the hallway, which describes pretty much to a tee Bruno's outrageous, over the top behavior in that scene. It was a very ugly skit that seemed to perpetuate the ugly stereotype that gays are aggressive, sexually depraved predators.

[–] tkk037 14 years ago

Your comment is complete *beep* Please explain to me how dancing in front of someone and then dropping one's pants in front of that same person is "near sexual assault"? I agree with the first response, it definitely exposed Paul as a homophobe. A "rational person" would either laugh at the absurdity of the situation and/or make up an excuse to leave - they wouldn't become disturbed and angrily stalk off while spitting out "he's queer as blazes!" like being queer was the most disgusting thing in the world.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] Phoenix_is_the_City 14 years ago

Haha really? If you were in a room with someone who you didn't know and try started doin that, you would laugh? Well I guess that proves you are a homosexual.

[–] dmb-87 14 years ago

You are out of your damn mind if you think the NORMAL thing to do would have been to just sit there and laugh - you really are. I am a GAY MAN and even I understand the boundaries of human beings. Yes, I thought the skit was funny. But people in this thread have the correct opinion in that Cohen did make gays look bad in this film. His sexual assault on Paul was evidence of this. I'm lucky enough where I don't really care either way.

And yes, if you take your pants off in front of someone, that is considered sexual assault. You can absolutely get arrested for that.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] venanttout 8 years ago

If you do that to any woman, it's sexual assault, right ?

Do the principle of ...equality, it's sexual assault on everyone.

[–] veryape 14 years ago

That was very well written...
You summed up that whole scene perfectly. Ron Paul came out on top in a scene where he was set up to look foolish, yet it was in fact Cohen that looked like the class A moron that he is.

I'm surprised they left the scene in...

[–] Flowbeer 14 years ago

Doesn't it seem like Cohen only did that scene with Ron Paul in order to hurt him politically? To ruin his chances in the Presidential race, by getting a 'bad reaction' out of him, by getting him to say "This guy is a queer" or whatever it was he said? I mean, once you start going after political figures and 'punk' them the way 'Bruno' did, you are HOPING to provoke an incident that will make it to the news programs and will hurt them politically.
In a sense, what Cohen did was like political terrorism! Or is that too harsh a word?

"Now, I know I'm pretty, but I ain't as pretty as a coupla titties!"

[–] salimy3k 12 years ago

"Doesn't it seem like Cohen only did that scene with Ron Paul in order to hurt him politically? To ruin his chances in the Presidential race, by getting a 'bad reaction' out of him, by getting him to say "This guy is a queer" or whatever it was he said? I mean, once you start going after political figures and 'punk' them the way 'Bruno' did, you are HOPING to provoke an incident that will make it to the news programs and will hurt them politically"

Too True - Ron Paul wants to abolish the Federal reserve - The Fed is NOT part of the government - it is a privately-owned bank that keep the US Government in debt for it's own benefit through excessive borrowing to fight wars - Paul is regarded as a VERY dangerous man by certain people who want us to remain in debt and keep the Fed running - Ron Paul also wants to stop imperialist policies in the Middle East - this will halt wasteful expenditure but will be VERY bad for Israel - Oh, and just an interesting titbit: Both the Federal Reserve and Israel are run exclusively by Jews; Sacha Baron-Cohen, the guy who plays Bruno, is a Jew, it's NO coincidence that he targeted Paul for embarrassment.

All Cohen did do is display his true zionist colors and vindictive nature ... and make all gay men look like sexual predators.

[–] eru0527 12 years ago

Haha salimy3k, come ooon... Come frickin' on. I mean... Come on.

[–] salimy3k 12 years ago

"Haha salimy3k, come ooon... Come frickin' on. I mean... Come on. "

Wow. There ACTUALLY ARE people in this world whose posts consist almost entirely of the words 'Haha' and 'Come on'!

[–] DocAimster 14 years ago

"Rep. Paul is known as being one of the most polite and tolerant members of the US Congress, and he fully lives up to his reputation in the skit, going above and beyond what any rational person would put up with in an attempt to be courteous to Bruno."

Ummm...what Ron Paul are you talking about?! Polite and tolerant are 2 words I have never heard used to describe Rep. Ron Paul(R, TX) who is, along with his son Rand, an intolerant bigot. I, for one, felt no sympathy for him and laughed hysterically during that scene. Perhaps, Rep. Paul should hire aides that will, in the future, do a better job vetting interviewers.

"...we in the killin' Nazi business. And cousin, business is a-boomin'." -Lt. Aldo Raine

[–] firstwinsgop 14 years ago

Please explain to me how dancing in front of someone and then dropping one's pants in front of that same person is "near sexual assault"?

Isn't that kind of self explanatory? I don't know what country you live in, but in the US if you used fraud to trick a 73 year old man or woman in to your room and then dropped your pants in front of him/her face you're going to be in some trouble with the law. And legality aside, attempting to force yourself on someone is always a repugnant act. To do it to an elderly person is just that much more vile. If you think it makes you a "homophobe" to storm out of a room where a crazy freak is trying to sexually assault you, I really don't know what you say. That bit wasn't funny, it seemed to lack any purpose, and it made Cohen look very, very bad.

[–] cswellma 14 years ago

How does it backfire on Cohen? I really don't see how it backfires on him at all. People here who seem to think this film will be the end of his career really aren't watching this film as it was intended to be viewed. He's playing a character, and his character is a sexually voracious gay man. I'm sorry this scares Americans to no end, but lets think about the number of straight men who are just as sexually aggressive. Wait, that's okay because we as a society are used to it, and that makes it as right as rain. Straight America needs to lighten up!

[–] Theoden_of_ODU 14 years ago

I'm sorry this scares Americans to no end, but lets think about the number of straight men who are just as sexually aggressive. Wait, that's okay because we as a society are used to it, and that makes it as right as rain. Straight America needs to lighten up!

The scene was extremely offensive. It should be even more offensive to someone who actually is gay.

As another poster here said, it seemed to perpetuate the ugly stereotype that gays are aggressive, sexually depraved predators. It was pretty much a gay version of a minstrel act. It may not have set back the "gay movement" but it certainly did it no favors.

Do you think people would be defending this scene had "Ali G" tried to do this to a woman?

"You've shown your quality sir. The very highest."

[–] Theoden_of_ODU 14 years ago

While I can buy the comments that Bruno and Borat were made to "highlight their prejudices" - especially commonly mentioned about "middle America" or whatnot, there were only a few notable scenes that really conveyed this in both films. The guy at the rodeo who they captured on camera making racist and bigoted comments is one of the few genuine moments of the film.

The problem is, even when he was able to pull a fast one on someone and get them to say something bigoted, racist, or sexist, a lot of coaxing was needed to get them to that point. The college students they got liquored up started playing loose with their tongues is one of those situations that took a lot of work to get them to "show their true colors."

In some cases this "experiment" backfired. It took Cohen to cr@p in a bag and bring a hooker to the house to drive the people who had been *very* accommodating and respectful to Borat all evening at the dinner party to finally kick him out. Even with some suspect editing, it wasn't until he started singing the fake Kazakhstan National Anthem (long after he butchered the US National Anthem) before the crowd erupted in boos.

Some other instances didn't really show a particular group in a bad light, but was there to make fun of it. The Evangelical Church for instance was accepting of Borat, they welcomed him in, were kind to him, and apparently even helped him get out to where he needed to go. In turn, people mocked the guy "speaking in tongues" and labeled then as insensitive as the a$$hole at the rodeo.

All in all I enjoyed Borat, and was only surprised with the *reaction* and opinions some people took away with the film.

I however, can't say the same about the 81 minute feature film, Bruno. It was made to shock and offend first, not entertain. People are thrown into situations with a character so over-the-top and offensive that there's little recourse but to become offended or angered by what he says or by his actions. Borat was naive enough that you could write off quite a bit of his behavior as being unaware of the impact of his words. Bruno came off as more of a twit with reckless behavior. It dawned on me that people who were in the presence of the Cohen-as-Bruno *knew* he was "reckless" and not just ignorant.

"You've shown your quality sir. The very highest."

[–] veryape 14 years ago

Great post...
You should put this in the review section, alot of people would appreciate it.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] jnatch 14 years ago

I dont get the concept of buying a film before watching it

[–] mcgmcgmcg 8 years ago

He thought it was a porno?

No cash here!! Here, no cash!!! Cash, no!!!! Robbo? No Cash!

[–] jmaneuv011 14 years ago

I wouldn't say it was a "backfire" so much. His intention isn't always to embarass people-sometimes he's just looking to get a big reaction, which he did. If it was that big a failure he wouldn't have put it in the movie!

[–] 14 years ago

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