The Brothers Grimsby

I would be interested in knowing if Penélope Cruz knew when she signed on to this project that she would appear in the same film as Mark Strong’s testicles, Gabourey Sidibe’s crotch and a hectolitre of elephant ejaculate. The film succeeds in presenting all of the above without coming across as a random sequence of gags (though it’s not far from it) and without the punchline (always) consisting in the distastefulness or imbecility of the given joke. With his guileless rejection of what is proper in a civilised society, Cohen’s Nobby, proudly claiming to be English scum, fulfils a purpose similar to that of the earlier Ali G and Borat – he shows the pretence in which all intellectuals, petty bourgeois and snobs live, as they reveal their true face and true intentions when confronted with a man whom they despise too much to take seriously (among other things, this year’s American presidential election showed us what that can lead to). The other characters are (unintentionally) led to being exposed by Nobby, and the viewer is then (intentionally) led by the redneck jokes, which are drawn out to the point of absurdity. Sure, The Brothers Grimsby is very much a hit-or-miss affair, the editing could have been less frantic and the seriously depicted flashbacks (and the whole storyline about the importance of family) disrupt the pace and tone of the narrative, but I still found it funnier and more subversive than most mainstream comedies. The fourth star is for giving Donald Trump AIDS. 70%. (21/11/2016)

When I watched The Brothers Grimsby, I couldn't believe what else Sacha Baron Cohen could come up with. The scene with the elephants blew me away and I was just having fun until the end. It's a wild ride, crazy nonsense, but simply a film that managed to lift my spirits, even though I wasn't particularly in a bad mood. (06/06/2016)

Sacha Baron Cohen once again boldly pushes the boundaries of film humor and tests what else the audience can endure. I had a really good time, although I admit that for many people, it will be hard to tolerate this film. For some it may be Comedy of the Year, for others embarrassing and disgusting hogwash. I recommend the film especially if you have a sense for black, vulgar and incorrect humor, you often go to the cinema, you've seen and can endure a lot of stuff, you find most comedies to be not very good or harsh enough, and you liked Cohen's previous films. The Cohen - Strong brotherly duo works great. (10/03/2016)

This was a really wild ride! Filled with fecal humor, offbeat action, village boors, disgusting obscenities, allusions to sexual minorities and practices, and in fact sex in general, and featuring scenes that you're unlikely to find in any other movie (the elephant mating and poison vs. testicles, for example), unless Sacha Baron Cohen is starring or writing the script again. Surprisingly, the seemingly mismatched lead pairing of Cohen and Jeremy Strong ended up having some chemistry, and as a result, the two actors complemented each other well. The supporting cast also amused me, in particular about Rebel Wilson ("I'm not pregnant. I'm just fucking fat!") and Gabourey Sidibe. I was also amused by the fake-cameos of Daniel Radcliffe and Donald Trump, as well as the allusions to the characters' resemblance to real persons. In short, a film that isn't quite for everyone, as the level of fecklessness occasionally went sky-high, but nonetheless, I was personally amused (and even disgusted). (01/08/2016)

In any other movie, I simply wouldn't bear such a load of over-the-top sick humor, and maybe wouldn't even watch it until the end. Given Cohen’s existing work, I paradoxically expected much more of The Grimsby Brothers. The movie is terribly unbalanced, and even though it is very short, a lot of dull moments crop up here and there, as well as humor which is way off (meaning unfunny and idiotic). Then again, many scenes were really incredible and I don’t think I will get them out of my head any time soon (I'll probably steer clear of certain zoo enclosures for the rest of my life). Plus, there is a surprising number of well-shot action scenes in the movie. What's worse is the story, which just isn’t any good, just like the supporting "acting performances". It is compensated by the two leads who are unexpectedly well-suited for one another. Overall, it’s hard to comment on the movie, you have to see it. That is, if you have the stomach for that and at least a bit of a flair for the perverse. (10/03/2016)