Big Picture Big Sound

Queer As Joke

Sacha Baron Cohen is rapidly becoming the Peter Sellers of our generation. Three years ago, he released the surprise firecracker "Borat," which grossed over $250 million worldwide, and now he's back for no-holds-barred "Bruno," playing a gay wannabe celebrity. Like grapefruit or country music, Cohen is an acquired taste, but many people will find themselves embarrassed by just how hard they are laughing.

"Bruno," simply put, is an exercise in flamboyant foolishness. Determined to become "the biggest Austrian superstar since Hitler," he tries his hand at fashion modeling (a disastrous affair in which his Velcro outfit gets caught on the curtain); TV producing (his crotch-flaunting show is deemed "worse than cancer" at a focus group); and making peace in the Middle East (not helped by his confusion between Hamas and the tasty chickpea dip).

Watching Bruno travel the world making a fool of himself and others will appeal to the 7-year-old in all of us -- the same reason people keep forking over money to see "The Hangover." The formula works because Bruno, who is the love child of Tom Green and Zoolander, is never afraid to go too far. Stick his balls in a dustbuster? Of course. Simulate an extended blowjob in front of a psychic? Sure, why not. Equally funny is watching real people buy into his act and come off either incredibly stupid or mortified -- the look of horror on Ron Paul's face after Bruno tries to woo him into making a sex tape is priceless.

Director Larry Charles, who shot "Borat" and followed Bill Maher on his quest to mock dogmas in "Religulous," seems to enjoy observing people as they're pushed from their comfort zones. But while "Religulous" tests people's faith and "Borat" reflects the racism of the masses, "Bruno" has less of an agenda. It really doesn't "take on homophobia"; it's more focused on the buffoon behaving badly than making a point. There aren't many straight men who would appreciate a gay guy hopping into their tent naked on a camping trip, so that doesn't exactly suggest sexual intolerance.

"Bruno" can fairly be called a one-joke machine, short on substance and ridiculously over the top. It is all of these things, but it's also a blast at times. Besides, where else can you learn how to defend yourself against a man with a dildo?