Over the years, we’ve seen comic actor Sacha Baron Cohen do some very crazy, button-pushing material. Among other things, he’s played a foreigner learning about American culture, a gay German fashion reporter making his mark in the US, and a dictator whose travels satirized and challenged views of the Middle East. By comparison, his latest is far more of a routine effort. In essence, it’s a James Bond parody with some politically incorrect humor and a few shockingly gross moments. So why are many people not even aware of its release?
As critics, marketing agencies send us lists of screenings and release dates. Sometimes movies don’t get previewed for the press. But it’s rare that a film is completely absent and does not receive a listing of any kind. Such is the case with The Brothers Grimsby. Apparently, there have been rumors that it all has to do with a specific joke centered around Donald Trump. Based on what I saw, I can only surmise that there may be some truth to the rumor.
As far as the hot topics presented in earlier films, there’s nothing in this title that is truly incendiary or controversial. It’s a rather baffling idea that a film could be buried for no other reason than a studio fearing blow-back over a couple of jokes at the expense of a possible Presidential candidate. However, that appears to be the world we’re currently living in.
This is a gross and at times shocking comedy, but it’s funnier and more efficient than many others of its ilk. Nobby (Cohen) is a soccer hooligan from the grimy seaport of Grimsby. Orphaned, he has spent most of his adult life watching soccer games and attempting to find his lost brother, Sebastian (Mark Strong). When he finally locates his sibling, chaos occurs. Sebastian is a secret agent and Nobby has gotten in the way and fouled up an important assignment. The two go rogue and try to clean up their mistake, but leave bigger messes in their wake.
Much of the jesting is of the slapstick variety, with the affectionate but dimwitted Nobby doing far more damage than good. A running gag involves him killing or maiming random people who just happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, much to the anger and frustration of Sebastian. This is all portrayed in such an over-the-top manner that it’s never upsetting, just silly. And while the humor is a hit and miss affair, the film’s pacing is so rapid that for every couple of jokes that don’t land perfectly, one nails its target. It’s cut to the bone and moves like a bullet from gag to gag, which helps tremendously.
I see plenty of comedies that are instantly forgotten, but there are a couple of scenes present in this film that will be etched into the mind for some time. When the case takes the leads to South Africa, the picture really hits its strange stride. There’s a miscommunication between Nobby and a femme fatale that results in a conversation that is supposed to be seductive but borders on hilariously grotesque. Soon after, there’s an absolutely surreal sequence involving elephants. Without going into detail, it’s one of the most repellent things ever committed to celluloid. The scene tortures its performers for so long that it alternates between being disgusting and hysterical.
Although it is merely a Bond parody with a nod to importance of both family and the working class, there are a couple of jokes about firearms that have some bite. As for the Trump gag, it’s exactly the type of joke you’d expect in one of these kinds of movies. And by comparison, Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe takes even more of a beating. Again, if the stories are true, it’s beyond words how a film so absurd and silly could inspire this kind of concern.
If you enjoy goofy, politically incorrect comedy and don’t mind being consistently grossed-out by some of the most unsettling sight gags ever created, then you should give it a try. The Brothers Grimsby isn’t the best flick Cohen has ever made, but it delivers more laughs than most comedies out there and deserves the attention and support of the actor’s fans.