It becomes clear almost immediately in “The Brothers Grimsby” that viewers are in for a raunchy experience. The film opens with a too-close-for-comfort sex scene featuring the mutton-chopped Nobby (Sacha Baron Cohen) and his significant other Dawn (Rebel Wilson). These two, unaware of what constitutes decent conduct, have sex in the middle of a store in order to test out a new mattress. While the movie contains similar levels of crudeness and debauchery as Cohen’s other works, namely “Borat” and “Bruno,” “The Brothers Grimsby” instead comes off as lazy, immature and generally unbecoming of Cohen.
The movie hovers back and forth between stereotypical action flick and sentimental comedy. Nobby, a caricature of vulgarity and ignorance, teams up with his long-lost brother, Sebastian (Mark Strong), a rogue secret agent, to take down an international conspiracy. Sebastian provides a straight man for Nobby’s clowning, but the brother’s nostalgia for their shared childhood smells of a melodrama which feels misplaced given the movie’s vulgar tone. Viewers are often shown memories of Nobby’s and Sebastian’s difficult orphaned experiences, only to be shoved back into the film’s present with a sex joke.
The crassness in “The Brothers Grimsby” cannot be understated. Early on, Daniel Radcliffe (Matthew Baldwin) is exposed to the HIV virus, which seems to serve only the purpose of allowing the characters to make a couple “Harry Potter has AIDS” jokes. At one point, Nobby is forced to suck poison out of Sebastian’s testicles. Later, the brothers allude back to this scene after hiding in an elephant’s vagina. As gross as that sounds, the scene is even more foul on screen. These instances stand out in a movie loaded with explicit content.
In the end, “The Brothers Grimsby” fails to be anything more than a series of gross, aimless quips. Its action is far too predictable to be entertaining. The movie gives credit to England’s lower class, who ultimately save the day. Much valuable social commentary, however, is lost amid the numerous explicit and vile scenes. “The Brothers Grimsby” shows Cohen’s humor at its adolescent worst, leaving its viewers bored, queasy and unimpressed.
Read More
Painting a brighter future – a critical exploration of the U.Va. arts scene
By Leila Mohajer | 13 hours agoFour heavily involved Miller Arts Scholars spoke with The Cavalier Daily and painted a detailed landscape of what a better future for the arts may look like on Grounds.
Drama department classes offer hands-on experimentation and creation
By Delaney Hammond | 3 days agoWhile the University’s department of drama offers many traditional classroom-based courses, several classes take students outside of the classroom setting, giving them a hands-on space to experiment with new media.
A time of bittersweet endings and fresh beginnings for Natalie Blue
By Amelia Preble | 4 days agoWith graduation on the horizon and multiple members planning to move away from Charlottesville, the band is preparing to say their goodbyes.
