Movie: The Brother’s Grimsby
My Rating: 3 stars
I guess it shouldn’t have surprised me that this was such a filthy movie. Sasha Baron Cohen has never shied away from raunchy body humor. But, I’d figured that after his switch from the improvised mockumentary format to this sort of scripted narrative that the butthole jokes would be tamed down a bit. But, they weren’t. Perhaps they’re even a little more exaggerated since fiction allows for in depth exploration of ridiculous ideas.
I was aware of this movie when it came out, and I probably would have gotten around to watching it sooner or later. But, the thing that really prompted me to pull the trigger was hearing Sasha Baron Cohen being interviewed on a podcast. He said that this movie was different from his previous ones. He had described it as a full-budget action thriller (like Mission Impossible), that his ridiculous character just happens to stumble into and totally ruin. And, that’s a very funny idea. However, it didn’t turn out to be quite what he described. True, this movie is a lot bigger in scope and budget. It’s about two young brothers, separated as small children. One grows up to be a super spy. And, the other (Cohen) ends up being a bumbling, minimally employed, drunk townie. Life is going well for each of the brothers until the fateful day that they’re reunited. And, that’s where the comedy begins. The beginning of the film really does feel like an action flick with a heavy dose of sentimentality to heighten the drama. But, the movie quickly devolves into Cohen’s usual fare of dick and ball jokes. And as always, he manages to find a way to make them shocking.
I guess the movie is still funny enough even though it isn’t quite what I was expecting. The humor is super awkward though. It’s almost too embarrassing to watch with other people in the room—certainly not with your parents or a date. It’s all totally cringeworthy. But, I had a fun enough time watching it. This is by no means a “must see.” But, if you’re looking for some really raunchy humor and a few recognizable faces, then this is a pretty safe bet. But please, consider your audience first.