In another scene, the actor goes on a hunting trip and sneaks naked into the tent of one of the fellow hunters, an unsuspecting non-actor.

The Wrap writes:

A Universal spokesman confirmed the rating on Sunday, saying: "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."

Baron Cohen is accustomed to pushing boundaries. In his last hit film, "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan," the writer and actor orchestrated outrageous real-life situations that challenged anti-Semitic and other stereotypes.

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.

But Cohen needs to deliver an R-rated film to Universal, which will not consider releasing an NC-17 "Bruno," according to an executive there.

The difference between an R and an NC-17 in terms of financial reward is vast. "Borat," which cost a piddling $18 million to make, took in $261 million in worldwide box office. Universal paid $42 million for the English-language rights to "Bruno," but will spend far more than that in marketing the film. Major Hollywood studios almost never release films with NC-17 ratings.

Cohen is currently appealing the decision while simultaneously struggling with cutting the film to suit the ratings board. But the ratings board, a secret panel of parents appointed by the studio-owned movie association, is notoriously inexact about what it requires to move from an NC-17 to an R.

We don't know how graphic the sex scenes are in "Bruno" but it's sad to see that extremely violent movies have no problems obtaining an R rating while a movie with some man-on-man action gets axed.

Last update: 03-30-2009 19:34