Some people know how difficult it feels to present themselves to others while harboring the thought of not doing a good job of fitting in. You’re being assessed and measured-up. It seems to be that way for Bruno, a gay fashionista from Austria.
Culturally, Christians do want to see people turned around, especially if their behavior or lifestyle isn’t reflecting the Christian “norm.” They can have quite a strident attitude in voicing their opinion. This makes it difficult for gays to be present. The message from those in the culture or church who support gay rights is tolerance. Bruno is the latest example of tolerance from Hollywood.
While sectors of the church accommodate gay beliefs and lifestyles; others accept the person while rejecting the lifestyle; while others, probably more to the heart of the matter, tell them to change or face God’s wrath.
The second viewpoint of accepting the sinner and not the sin is a bit fuzzy because gays are wrapped up in their lifestyle, while the first viewpoint isn’t getting to the heart of the gospel’s call of repentance and discipleship or discipline.
It seems any one Christian could be all three depending on their human condition at any point in time: unconditional acceptance, with or without theology; conditional acceptance; or right-out rejection. The last two tend to blur the lines. Older gays are naturally suspicious of Christian attempts to evangelize them and might pull the leg of the Christian who is trying to evangelize them by going along with the bargain. Younger gays have been vulnerable but are gaining more support, traction and confidence in their identity.
Bruno makes it clear that gay people will not be shaken by the Christian community. There is a long “gay convertor” sequence, which makes that clear, topped off by a “gay is OK” message. There are comic appearances from sympathetic celebrities, including Elton John.
Blonde haired, well-toned, blue-eyed Bruno (Sacha Baron Cohen, who starred in Borat three years ago) is an unhappy, wound-up, Austrian fashionista. He is a whole character. The self-esteem gets knocked out of him. His traits in contrast are more confident–unabashed, shameless and extroverted; yet underneath he’s down after suffering setbacks, while he picks himself up again and again. We sense his ultimate frustration. Some things, such as consulting a psychic to channel a once-famous rap star for gay sex–keep him going.
He’s got his own show and a pigmy boyfriend; and he uses slang expressions, which the typical viewer won’t understand. He’s portrayed as a failure on the catwalk, a scene which exaggerates fashion’s follies. He just doesn’t have much talent, and we feel sorry for him. He fights back timidly, yet angrily. These are the movie’s weakest sequences. They aren’t funny, and the fashion world isn’t bruised at all.
In the freshest, most enjoyable part of the movie, Bruno flies to Los Angeles to interview unsuspecting Americans for a show about becoming famous in America, something he wants to be so badly he’s making a documentary-style journal of his endeavor.
Bruno gets in the face of an agent, who can’t promise him fame but does offer a place as an extra on a prominent television series in which stereotypical gay behavior emerges, thereby getting Bruno in trouble. He hopes to go big when he’s on the television producer’s blacklist: He presents a video promoting himself and his genitalia. Unsuccessful, he’s off to “Middle Earth,” where he interviews a terrorist.
Bruno slyly creeps up on you and has an excruciating funny bone that doesn’t allow me to laugh out loud because it’s too much and too hard although not consistently and with the conviction of Borat. It’s an appealingly amusing work of sublimity, flair and fine craft, while sometimes having the cinematic appearance of a baby’s soiled diaper, which looks clean from one angle because it’s done for funnies. The film is rated R and is cutting-edge satire, yet it’s not shouting it from the rooftops. The humorous, seamless point is that Bruno’s judged more for his homosexuality than his abilities. Bruno‘s tied together like a tapestry while the empathy one feels for Bruno is the stiching.
This, I think, is the rub for Christians. Hollywood is fighting the battle for freeing gays in stride without a hint of negative retaliation, whereas Christians are depicted in the media, or actually are, as wound-up in trying to change others. The only winding up happening in the movie is Bruno’s human condition. Could a Christian’s human condition also be trickling over into the battle between the Christian and gay communities? There’s always the easy way of fuelling what we what or desire because it feels right, or is right or because it’s offensive. That’s natural when relating to anybody. In dealing with gays in our ministries, perhaps we could look at what’s going on inside of us first so we could take the speck out of the brother’s eye without causes him so much pain. Even if the brother remains lost, you know you haven’t mistreated him when he’s coming from a background only he knows and keeps quiet about. The question is: Would Christians be able to do that?
