Bruno: I walked out. But not because I was offended.

The other week I went to the premiere of Bruno. I’m not much of a movie watcher. I need plots to be limited to 140 characters or I lose my concentration. Maybe that’s why I walked out.

Not because I was offended, just because I was a bit……bored. I’m sorry Bruno. I wanted to laugh until my sides hurt but I just….didn’t. I think this was because I thought (perhaps incorrectly) that it had all been set up with actors and not real people. Is that right?

I think Sacha Baron Cohen is an extraordinary talent (see the Letterman interview below). A true method comedian. Lives his characters and is apparently always in character during the filming and promotion of his films which must make Isla Fisher’s life pretty interesting. He’s been making this movie for well over a year.

He certainly goes the distance for his characters. What about his Bruno body transformation??? I’m always fascinated by the behind-the-scenes process. I know that journalists have to submit their questions (for Borat and for Bruno) weeks in advance and the answers are scripted and then fed into an autocue that he uses during interviews. Nothing wrong with that, it’s just interesting.

Is it offensive to gay men as some have claimed? I doubt it. As Bruno himself said to a journalist “The astronaut community were not offended by Buzz Lightyear”.

On reflection, I think maybe I walked out because I didn’t pay for my tickets. When you aren’t invested financially in a film, it’s harder to be invested emotionally. Maybe I’ll see it again. On dvd.

What did you think? Fave bits? I think mine was the stunt penis that spoke. SURELY it was a stunt penis……

Below, a rare interview with Sacha as himself about the making of the film.