La Presse en Rose

Film Review: 'Bruno' polarizes with questionable gay humor

By Tom Helberg

Here you have it folks, 2009’s answer to “Milk.”

Maybe it’s not as much of a gay groundbreaker, but Sacha Baron Cohen’s “Brüno” is definitely gayer. This guy is all shades of gay. He’d make the “Queer Eye” guys look straight.

Host of “Funkyzeit mit Brüno,” an Austrian fashion program, Brüno is disgraced when he wears an all-Velcro suit to Fashion Week and tumbles out on the runway stuck to everything near him. Being blacklisted in his home country, he flies to Los Angeles with his assistant Lutz (Gustaf Hammarsten) to try to become the “biggest Austrian celebrity since Hitler.”

As in his 2006 hit “Borat,” Cohen puts his character into real situations. Sure, some bits are scripted and acted out, but most are the real thing.

If nothing else, this is the boldest comedy this year: not for depth or ideas but the sheer ludicrousness of the feats Cohen tries to pull off.

Brüno interviews a real terrorist. Their chat is understandably short. There’s also a gay wrestling match before an angry crowd of good ol’ boys. One hurls a folding chair at Brüno.

The weaker moments are typically the scripted ones. The love story between Brüno and Lutz falls flat.

“Brüno” tries to expose homophobia in the United States, but does so with an onslaught of gay stereotypes. Many of Brüno’s antics are so wild that anyone would be taken aback. He’s much different than your average gay man, who’s probably not going to force you to watch a video of his talking penis.

Therein lies the reason this film isn’t nearly as funny as “Borat” – the laughs here are really provoked. Borat let his victims hang themselves, but Brüno gives them little choice. Sure, it exposes gay prejudices and the absurdity of the fashion world, but it’s not saying a lot under such extreme conditions.

But that’s secondary to the jokes. This is a comedy after all. Preposterous hilarity abounds. The sex scene between the lead and his boyfriend is probably the most riotously vulgar sex scene since the puppet sex in “Team America: World Police.”

In places, the film succeeds with both social commentary and big laughs. Brüno interviews parents who try to get their babies hired for a film. They’d be willing to dress their kids as Nazis, strap them to a cross or give them liposuction so they could become stars.

For the most part, “Brüno” is pretty funny. The tension builds between Brüno and his victims to staggering heights and is enthralling to watch. But if less of the material had been scripted, the film would have been much better off. Borat is also a more inherently likable character than Brüno.

While it’s not as strong as “Borat,” “Brüno” hits more than it misses. Prepare to laugh, be shocked, disgusted and back again.

Wal-Mart CEO Backed Gay Adoption Ban

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By Julie Bolcer

The new CEO of Wal-Mart was among those who signed a petition to place an initiative on the Arkansas ballot last November to ban adoption and foster parenting by gay couples, reports the group KnowThyNeighbor.org.

A signature from Mike Duke, with an address that matches the known residence and birth date of the Wal-Mart head, was verified by the state and counted to place Act 1 on the ballot. The initiative, which passed with 57% approval among voters, makes it illegal for unmarried cohabitating couples -- gay or straight -- to adopt or foster children.

Opponents of Act 1 charged that the true intent behind the measure was to limit the family rights of same-sex couples. The proposal included straight couples to ensure its constitutional viability, given that a previous ban targeting only same-sex couples had been struck down.

Last week, KnowThyNeighbor.org posted online the names of more than 83,000 Arkansas residents who signed the petition to place Act 1 on the ballot. The public data, which was provided by the Arkansas secretary of state, can be found here. (link removed)

Duke, 59, became the fourth CEO of Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, in February. He has worked for the company since 1995, most recently being in charge of international operations. In January, Newsweek magazine ranked him number 26 on its list of the world’s 50 global elite.

Get Educated About Homosexuality

From the 2007 documentary film "For the Bible Tells Me So". Narrated by EARL HINDMAN Wilson in "Home Improvement"

"For The BIBLE Tells Me So" FILM SYNOPSIS

Can the love between two people ever be an abomination? Is the chasm separating gays and lesbians and Christianity too wide to cross? Is the Bible an excuse to hate?

Through the experiences of five very normal, very Christian, very American families -- including those of former House Majority Leader Richard Gephardt and Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson -- we discover how insightful people of faith handle the realization of having a gay child. Informed by such respected voices as Bishop Desmond Tutu, Harvard's Peter Gomes, Orthodox Rabbi Steve Greenberg and Reverend Jimmy Creech, FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO offers healing, clarity and understanding to anyone caught in the crosshairs of scripture and sexual identity.

La Press en Rose ©, 2009, The Wizard of 'OZ'