14 DAY TRIAL // Comedian Sacha Baron Cohen is no stranger to pushing boundaries and stirring up controversy, especially in front of the camera, as all fans must know from his 2006 “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.” His latest film, though, “Bruno,” is pushing boundaries to such an extent that the MPAA has given it an NC-17 rating in its initial review, TheWrap reports.
The Motion Picture Association of America has already confirmed the rating, the same media outlet informs. While, for some, an NC-17-rated film with Cohen will still make for a hearty laugh, the problem is that the comedian must now cut whatever he still can from it so as to deliver Universal an R rating. No major studio releases movies with the much dreaded NC-17 rating, it has been said, because of the financial downsides that come with a limited theatrical release.
“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 told the other day, confirming the initial rating.
The problem is, as noted above, that Cohen must now struggle to cut out all that the MPAA found offensive in the film so as to get the desired rating. In this sense, the comedian already has two versions of the film ready, both of which he previewed to audiences in different cities this past week, and which have been hugely successful.
“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.” TheWarp writes about the reason behind the initial rating.
“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.” the same media outlet further points out.
The NC-17 rating was only recently introduced (in the ‘90s), coming to replace the former X rating, which has begun to have different connotations than the ones initially assigned to it. It means “Adults only. No one under 17 admitted.” and is the type of rating that most movies shun because it implies a limited release, therefore, less revenue. When a major movie studio is behind the film in question, this only means that the NC-17 rating is all the more to be avoided, since big money goes into marketing the film, it has been noted.