Universal FocusSacha Baron Cohen may have created 31 different front companies to snooker unsuspecting dupes for his latest mockumentary, Brüno. But unless he tones things down, it's the ratings board that might have the last laugh.
The highly anticipated Borat follow-up has reportedly received the kiss-of-death NC-17 after its first review by the MPAA panel.
"The process of rating Brüno is only in its earliest stages and the film has not yet been rated," Universal, the studio producing the film, said in response to a report on The Wrap that the film had been denied a R rating.
Apparently, there was a little too much sexy time for the board's liking...
Among the scenes reportedly causing the most issues: one in which flamboyant fashionista Brüno is seen engaging in what appears to be anal sex with another man, and one in which he sneaks, naked, into a tent, unbeknownst to its male occupant.
The film is slated for a summer release and, while already buzzworthy, has garnered significant praise from critics who were privy to a 22-minute preview at the South by Southwest festival earlier this month.
Three scenes were shown in their MPAA-offending entirety. One reveals the setup for the film: Brüno and his boyfriend decide to jump on board the latest Hollywood trend and adopt an African baby (which arrives via a cardboard box). Unfortunately, the beaus quickly break up, and Brüno loses custody of the child. He spends the rest of the movie attempting to get it back by proving himself to be one of the most heterosexual men in the country.
Along the way, he plans a photo shoot featuring his newest baby/accessory and auditions child actors to take part; shocking hilarity ensues when he gets the OK from stage mothers to administer liposuction to their apparently hefty toddlers, throw them from buildings in the name of art and dress them up like baby Hitlers.
The second previewed scene shows Brüno appearing on a Springeresque talk show to show off his newest acquisition. Unfortunately, it's done with the aid of (Photoshopped) images of him and his boyfriend in the throes of passion with the baby looking on.
The final scene, by most accounts one of the movie's most shocking, features the newly butch Bruno, going by the name Straight Dave, in an ultimate fighting ring, challenging his ex-boyfriend. After they beat each other into a bloody state, they passionately reconcile—in front of the clearly scandalized audience.
The film is set for release on July 10.