Sacha Baron Cohen’s Bruno Gets An R Rating

Despite rumours that Bruno, Sacha Baron Cohen’s new comedy, might be awarded an NC-17 – the kiss of death, box office-wise – in the States, we can all relax: the film has officially been given an R.

It’s believed that Bruno, a fake documentary in which Cohen plays a super-gay Austrian fashion journalist who travels across the States, causing mayhem and provoking outrage wherever he goes, was re-edited and resubmitted to the MPAA, the joyless bar stewards who wanted to give it an NC-17 in the first place. That would have meant that many cinema chains would have refused to show the film, and many newspapers wouldn't have carried advertising for it.

Now, though, the movie can be seen by pretty much anyone under the age of 17 in the States, as long as they’re accompanied by a guardian. Which means, given the hype surrounding Bruno, that the way is clear for it to match and possibly even exceed the cash raked in by Cohen’s last movie, Borat. And good for him.

Thoughts:

I knew this would happen so this doesn't come off as a surprise to me. Cohen's Borat got hit with an NC-17 rating when it was first submitted to the MPAA. It was later changed to an R rating and the final film still turned out great. I would prefer the film be an R rating so it can actually make money for the studio that's financing it. NC-17 rated films hardly make money and not that many theaters even carry it. I don't want to be driving from one theater to another looking to see if it has Bruno. Trust me when I say this, but it was better that Bruno wasn't rated NC-17.