( CNN ) -- Achtung , baby ! Sacha Baron Cohen stars as a flamboyant Austrian fashionista in `` Bruno . '' There 's a British theory that everything sounds funnier delivered with a Teutonic accent . That 's tested to the limit in Sacha Baron Cohen 's newest provocation , `` Bruno , '' but it 's not what comes out of his mouth that makes the Austrian fashionista such a handful . The man in the tight yellow lederhosen knows that in our visually overstimulated culture , a picture is vorth a thousand vords . More if there 's significant skin involved -- and he 's happy to show us his wurst . Cohen seems to believe that prudery is the enemy . Certainly , bad taste is his Trojan horse . An early montage of romantic coupling , Bruno-style , is enough to get tongues wagging -- or clucking in disapproval . It 's the closest thing to gay porn most heterosexuals will see this side of `` 300 . '' Either way , Cohen 's laughing : Properly managed , outrage is a useful marketing tool , as `` Borat '' showed . Apparently permanently airbrushed right down to his backside , Bruno looks nothing like his hirsute Kazakh cousin , but the men share an ego ; they 're equally insensitive to other people and oblivious to notions of social decorum and the politically correct . And they both invest heavily in the American Dream . Bruno hungers after fame as hungrily as Borat lusted for Pamela Anderson . After a brief prologue in Europe -- and the distressing revelation of the vacuity of the fashion scene -- he sets out for Los Angeles , determined to become Austria 's `` biggest superstar since Hitler . '' Perhaps inspired by another Cohen creation , Ali G , he sets out to make a celebrity interview show -- but sadly , the only dupes ignorant enough to participate are `` American Idol '' judges ( Paula Abdul chats about her philanthropic pursuits while perched on the back of an immigrant laborer ) and presidential candidates ( take a bow , Ron Paul ) . It 's not just about the scarcity of the guests , though . Bruno does n't draw them out the way Borat did . Quite the opposite : Mostly they 're wary and guarded , or downright hostile -- and understandably so , often enough , given Bruno 's shock tactics . Yes , it 's funny seeing him fire up a predominantly African-American TV studio audience by announcing that his `` adopted '' black baby is named O.J. , but still , the scene tells us more about Cohen 's need to provoke than about the crowd 's supposed homophobia . The same goes for his brief stint in a U.S. Army training facility . The actor 's quick wit and virtuoso physical comedy skills carry the day , but just as Bruno is forced to abandon one dead-end celebrity scheme after another , the movie too seems to be casting about haphazardly for some real comic traction . Evidently it 's not easy testing taboos in 2009 . Wherever Bruno turns , he seems to be following in someone else 's footsteps . Peace talks in Israel ( what Bruno calls `` Middle Earth '' ) ? Morgan Spurlock has been there , done that . Camping out with the gun lobby ? Michael Moore , `` Bowling for Columbine . '' Gay conversion ? Did n't director Larry Charles go there with Bill Maher just last year in `` Religulous '' ? Meanwhile , Bruno 's love-hate relationship with his assistant , Lutz ( Gustaf Hammarsten ) , only highlights how similar the new film 's few narrative pegs are to `` Borat . '' Some sketches do hit much closer to home . A series of interviews with stage moms and dads who eagerly sign up their infants to work with hornets , wasps , dead or dying animals , antiquated heavy machinery and sundry toxic substances is a real jaw-dropper , though the kicker is tempered by Bruno 's behavior . And , to its credit , the film saves the best for last . In a show-stopping climax ( which I do n't propose to spoil here ) Cohen puts it all on the line and definitively nails gay-bashers where it hurts : right between the eyes . iReport.com : `` Bruno '' vs. Borat '' : Preview audience weighs in . It 's an elaborate -- and brave -- stunt by which Bruno ultimately achieves the fame he craves . And it does more than enough to validate the film 's fast and loose play with stereotypes and questionable undercover tactics . `` Bruno '' has its problems , but the finale makes it a winner . `` Bruno '' is rated R and runs 83 minutes . For Entertainment Weekly 's review , click here .
` ` Bruno '' is about Baron Cohen 's new film ; he plays a fashionista . Film attempts to make it but in some scenes tries too hard . Still , last scene makes it worth it , says reviewer Tom McCarthy .