Brüno's Attempt to Shock

I went to see Brüno this weekend, helping it make $30.4 million on opening weekend. It was precisely what I expected. The movie is made up of attempt after attempt to squeeze uncomfortable laughter out of the audience. Maybe I read too much about it before I went to see it or maybe it was the day I was having, but I just wasn't into it. I found it predictable in its attempts at shock value.

I also found its attempts to expose homophobia a little too obvious. It's not surprising or shocking that those who try to "convert" gays through Jesus or fans of ultimate fighting might not be the most open-minded when confronted with the über-stereotype of gay culture. It seems like the choices of places to expose were rather low-hanging fruit. There are far more interesting and subtle forms of homophobia in today's culture, especially among those that theoretically support gay rights and want to be sure they don't come across as bigoted. That seems a far more interesting nut to crack (ok, I admit, pun intended).

Verdict: Less funny than Borat, but good for a laugh if you've got nothing better to do.