Borat
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.
2006. Directed by Larry Charles. Screenplay by Sacha Baron Cohen and Anthony Hines. Starring Sacha Baron Cohen and Ken Davitian.
[Indicating women beside him] "In my country, they would go crazy for these two. [points to minister's wife] This one... not so much."
Borat is uncomfortable and offensive and you have to accept that going in or else there is no point in watching it. Borat is Sacha Baron Cohen's faux-documentarian. A creation that fairly easily (from the looks of it) comes off as a real foreigner who speaks his mind. Out of Borat's mouth come things that are foul, prejudice, sexist, and could easily offend just about anyone out there. But Borat is not just there to offend or even entertain, though the film can be very funny, he is there to make a point. The insight, and horror, is in how people react to Borat. These are, at least in theory (it is unclear how many of these reactions are legitimate and when staging may have been involved), everyday people who happen to unwittingly be in the way of Cohen’s stunt. Their reactions to Borat’s prejudice reveal their own. The gun store owner doesn’t even blink before giving Borat his recommendation for the best gun for killing a Jew. A rodeo crowd wildly applauds as Borat salutes America’s “war of terror,” at least until he substituted his own words into the star spangled banner. Borat is the kind of movie you have to talk about when it is over. I enjoyed it, but I found myself appreciating it more upon discussion and reflection. Borat's biggest strength may be what it leaves you with after the credits role.
My grade: B+
2006. Directed by Larry Charles. Screenplay by Sacha Baron Cohen and Anthony Hines. Starring Sacha Baron Cohen and Ken Davitian.
[Indicating women beside him] "In my country, they would go crazy for these two. [points to minister's wife] This one... not so much."
Borat is uncomfortable and offensive and you have to accept that going in or else there is no point in watching it. Borat is Sacha Baron Cohen's faux-documentarian. A creation that fairly easily (from the looks of it) comes off as a real foreigner who speaks his mind. Out of Borat's mouth come things that are foul, prejudice, sexist, and could easily offend just about anyone out there. But Borat is not just there to offend or even entertain, though the film can be very funny, he is there to make a point. The insight, and horror, is in how people react to Borat. These are, at least in theory (it is unclear how many of these reactions are legitimate and when staging may have been involved), everyday people who happen to unwittingly be in the way of Cohen’s stunt. Their reactions to Borat’s prejudice reveal their own. The gun store owner doesn’t even blink before giving Borat his recommendation for the best gun for killing a Jew. A rodeo crowd wildly applauds as Borat salutes America’s “war of terror,” at least until he substituted his own words into the star spangled banner. Borat is the kind of movie you have to talk about when it is over. I enjoyed it, but I found myself appreciating it more upon discussion and reflection. Borat's biggest strength may be what it leaves you with after the credits role.
My grade: B+
posted by Keith Allison at 7:12 PM
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