Fear and Clothing

Zoolander was a wickedly funny film that took apart the fashion industry from its opening scene featuring a Karl Lagerfeld silhouette verbally whipping Will Ferrell’s Mugutu.

What about Bruno? Is Bruno similar? First, the two films are approached differently. Zoolander is a fictional parody. Bruno is a mock documentary of an Austrian fashionista/fashion journalist. The only two things that are in common is the clear vapidity among fashion folk, and although the films highlight ignorance/stupidity, it’s a different form of stupidity that has nothing to do with arithmetic. Many high end fashion designers are still earning millions after the global financial crisis.

Zoolander, released in 2001, is naturally a higher earner than Bruno, but the latter film did do well at the box office in this week , earning $14.2 million.

While Zoolander received more positive reviews for comedy, Bruno has received mixed reviews, so I wonder if people bought tickets out of curiosity. Zoolander features many known actors making cameo appearances, and there are laugh out loud moments with Will Ferrell, Milla Jovovich and Jerry Stiller.

I’m torn between the two. I’m yet to see Bruno, and I’m trying not to read any reviews, but the occasional few have caught my eye. There have been a few reviews from other countries complaining that Sacha Baron Cohen’s approach only highlights stereotype, but fashion can be fickle and it is a fickle industry. How else do people justify handbags that are more expensive than cars for god’s sake?

Anyway…if you have a view on either film, please comment.