14 DAY TRIAL // Late last month, it was confirmed that the Motion Picture Association of America had seen comedian Sacha Baron Cohen’s upcoming film, the mockumentary “Bruno,” and had given it an NC-17 rating in its initial review. Now, Universal is announcing that the film was given a final R by the MPAA, via Twitter.
The announcement is as simple as it gets, “Bruno… has been rated R.” However, movie-oriented media outlets are saying, the studio must be pleased with the outcome, since producers must have known from the start that anything beneath that was virtually impossible when working on such a project with Cohen, who also caused massive waves with his “Borat” in 2006. The NC-17 rating, on the other hand, was no good because it would have meant a very limited release for a film in which Universal had invested a lot of money.
“On its first submission, the film did not receive an R, but it is far too early to say that there is any struggle to get there as the process is only at its inception.” a Universal spokesperson was saying at the time. Following the initial rating, Cohen was back in the studio, deciding what scenes to take out and which to leave so as to allow the MPAA to lower the rating to an R. Judging by the latest announcement, the British comedian completed the task successfully.
Early buzz for “Bruno” has it that Cohen may have another monster hit on his hands, even bigger than the 2006 “Borat.” Moreover, people who have seen previews of it say that, while definitely funnier, it will also be more controversial, touching upon subjects that Cohen shun in “Borat” – which may have brought the initial rating, it is being said.
“With ‘Bruno,’ Baron Cohen apparently goes even further, drawing a cutting comic edge that challenges homophobia and racism by embracing both. His method is a kind of cinema verite, drawing unsuspecting bystanders into outrageous situations, or provoking them to say outrageous things, and orchestrating NC-17 rated situations. Individuals close to the film say that Baron Cohen, Bruno’s writer and star, is ‘experimenting’ and still ‘finding the film,’ and tested two different versions with audiences in the past week. Both screenings, they said, were very successful.” TheWarp was saying a short while back.