'Borat' (Larry Charles, 2006)
Borat finds himself in Times Square. It's a nice!---
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Anyone who has ever had the pleasure of watching “Da Ali G Show” will be familiar with comedian Sacha Baron Cohen’s chameleonic ability to fully immerse himself in a character. Whether he’s Ali G (the British-Jamaican gangster/talk show host), Bruno (a pretentious, homosexual Austrian fashion journalist) or Borat Sagdiyev (the world’s fifth most famous Kazakh), Cohen has repeatedly proven himself as a truly innovative comedic talent.
In “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan,” Cohen takes the hilariously offensive Borat on the road, unleashing the anti-Semitic Kazakh journalist on the unsuspecting peoples of theU.S.
The film opens with Borat providing us with a guided tour of his home village inKazakhstan Kazakhstan
I’m not exaggerating in the slightest when I say that “Borat” is the hands-down funniest movie of the year (and yes, I’m taking into consideration films like “Clerks II,” “Talladega Nights” and “Snakes on a Plane”). The complete and utter absurdity of the character, coupled with Americans’ honest reactions to his antics, is simply hysterical. It’s not sort-of-funny, it’s not chuckle-funny or subtle-funny; it’s genuinely, ridiculously hilarious.
However, the humor obviously isn’t for everyone. The character of Borat is extremely offensive – his anti-Semitic and sexist quips are a bit cringe-inducing at first, but if you can get past the fact that Cohen is simply a comedian playing a part, you’ll find yourself enjoying the film guilt-free. Aside from the distasteful jokes, there are also several equally revolting physical comedy bits (such as when Borat and his obese producer, both completely nude, wrestle over a “Baywatch” book) that may send squeamish viewers running for the lobby. Don’t let this deter you, though.
The comedy of Cohen’s Borat character is wildly successful on so many different levels. It succeeds fantastically as a simple slapstick and toilet humor comedy (such as when Borat excuses himself to the restroom at a dinner party, only to return with his feces in a plastic bag – “What do I do with this?” he asks), but at a deeper, more subversive point it becomes a sort of understated social commentary, an expository glance into our own backwards society.
During his travels, Borat encounters a multitude of racists, sexists, anti-Semitics, radical homophobes and more ignorance than you can shake a stick at. For me, someone who has lived in a rather open-minded community all of his life, this element of the film was exceptionally enlightening (and frankly, a little nauseating). It doesn’t lessen the laughs, however, and instead thrives when paired with the dumb humor and physical comedy, creating a truly funny and wonderfully enriching film. Do yourself a favor and see “Borat.” It’s a nice, I promise.
In “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan,” Cohen takes the hilariously offensive Borat on the road, unleashing the anti-Semitic Kazakh journalist on the unsuspecting peoples of the
The film opens with Borat providing us with a guided tour of his home village in
I’m not exaggerating in the slightest when I say that “Borat” is the hands-down funniest movie of the year (and yes, I’m taking into consideration films like “Clerks II,” “Talladega Nights” and “Snakes on a Plane”). The complete and utter absurdity of the character, coupled with Americans’ honest reactions to his antics, is simply hysterical. It’s not sort-of-funny, it’s not chuckle-funny or subtle-funny; it’s genuinely, ridiculously hilarious.
However, the humor obviously isn’t for everyone. The character of Borat is extremely offensive – his anti-Semitic and sexist quips are a bit cringe-inducing at first, but if you can get past the fact that Cohen is simply a comedian playing a part, you’ll find yourself enjoying the film guilt-free. Aside from the distasteful jokes, there are also several equally revolting physical comedy bits (such as when Borat and his obese producer, both completely nude, wrestle over a “Baywatch” book) that may send squeamish viewers running for the lobby. Don’t let this deter you, though.
The comedy of Cohen’s Borat character is wildly successful on so many different levels. It succeeds fantastically as a simple slapstick and toilet humor comedy (such as when Borat excuses himself to the restroom at a dinner party, only to return with his feces in a plastic bag – “What do I do with this?” he asks), but at a deeper, more subversive point it becomes a sort of understated social commentary, an expository glance into our own backwards society.
During his travels, Borat encounters a multitude of racists, sexists, anti-Semitics, radical homophobes and more ignorance than you can shake a stick at. For me, someone who has lived in a rather open-minded community all of his life, this element of the film was exceptionally enlightening (and frankly, a little nauseating). It doesn’t lessen the laughs, however, and instead thrives when paired with the dumb humor and physical comedy, creating a truly funny and wonderfully enriching film. Do yourself a favor and see “Borat.” It’s a nice, I promise.
1 comment:
I had a tough time stomaching the ignorance featured in the one Bruno segment I watched. I'm not sure I could handle the movie...but Cohen is quite funny.
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