Comments on: Review: A Decidedly Gay take on Brüno

By: anon

anon — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:55:17 +0000

Doesn’t Sasha also make fun of the anti gays as well? Like when he goes to the priest to “change his ways” but it ends up blowing up in his face?

Also are you offended that gays don’t have complete civil liberties or that Bruno made fun of gays? Because in your response to Laura’s comment it seems that a movie that makes fun of Jews is ok because they are given all of their civil liberties. But since gays don’t have full liberties it’s not ok.

If that’s the position you’re taken, then what about the viewers of Bruno in many European countries where gays are all0wed to marry? If you lived in Europe I guess you wouldn’t have been as offended? Or would you have been offended if you lived in California, Iowa, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, etc where gays are allowed to marry?

“and making fun of the oppressed amidst their struggle for rights doesn’t really do much to help them out. ”

surely Jews are still being oppressed in parts of the world. Does this mean that jokes about Jews are inappropriate? What about a movie?

By: Jon Cox

Jon Cox — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 21:28:00 +0000

Laura,
I think you’ve failed to understand the root of my disappointment. Sure, we live in a world of Jewish stereotypes. But tell me what civil liberties are no longer afforded to Jews. Now tell me what civil liberties are not afforded to gays.

The fact is, Jews are historically a second class while gays are currently a second class. And making fun of the oppressed amidst their struggle for rights doesn’t really do much to help them out.

By: lawa

lawa — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 20:08:00 +0000

I understand that you were offended by this–just reading about it made me shake my head a little bit. However, being the ‘token Jew’, I was often reminded of the point in Borat where he throws money at the cockroaches, thinking they are the nice Jewish people whose house they’re staying at. I did take a little offense to this just because the stereotype is that we’re greedy, but I still laughed! I understand gay rights is an enormous issue in America, but please take a little time to laugh at yourself also <3 remember that you too fit some gay stereotypes, as I fit some Jewish ones. Jews have been persecuted through all history, and gay acts were once accepted in societies such as in ancient Greece.

By: Thomas French

Thomas French — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 03:53:47 +0000

I was afraid this would end up being what Bruno was like. I hoped that it would not be the case, but you’ve confirmed my fears. Thanks for seeing it so I wouldn’t have to.

By: Christopher Spencer

Christopher Spencer — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 00:54:13 +0000

Enjoyed reading your post, Jon. There’s plenty to take offense to in this movie, and that’s pretty much the filmmaker’s thing – offending people. Unfortunately, the stereotype territory he mines doesn’t pan out and the whole thing comes off as rather mean-spirited. I laughed at several points, but several times because of nervous shock. Funny and offensive and without many redeeming factors.

By: Jon Cox

Jon Cox — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 23:16:36 +0000

@oh come on
I saw the movie so that I could assuage or verify my biases. Unfortunately they were verified. I am sorry that you cannot understand why I would be offended, but I take my civil rights rather seriously.

By: kelly

kelly — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 23:11:29 +0000

So, I keep up with the things you write through twitter. I saw Bruno yesterday. The person I was with thought the entire movie was absolutely hysterical. He was laughing throughout the whole movie and there were a lot of parts that offended me. I know a lot of people who do not have the right to get married or adopt children and the way it was portrayed in Bruno made it all seem like a big joke.
I completely agree with this whole thing.
There were a few parts of the movie that made me laugh, but for the most part I only laughed to not seem like I was having an absolutely awful time.
Thank you for writing awesome entries like this.

By: oh come on

oh come on — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 23:11:21 +0000

Sasha baron Cohen already played the racial tension card. he played a middle eastern man when every man who even remotely looked arab was considered a terrorist. He loves to play devil’s advocate and piss people off. If you formed the opinion before you saw the movie you should have just boycotted it and been mad and made a point with out adding $8.50 to his bank account. Plus it is purely satire. he’s not even american, he’s just pointing out huge flaws in american culture.