Borat (2006) November 2, 2006
Posted by gproject in : Cinema, Recently Viewed , trackbackDirected by: Larry Charles
Or to give its full title: ‘Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan’. It’s a mouthful that’s for sure, although it’s also probably the most complicated aspect of what is a very simple movie concept.
Borat (played by Sacha Baron Cohen) is a Kazakhstan journalist who is sent to America in order to learn cultural lessons for use in his home country. Cue hilarity. And that’s pretty much it, although the film is much better than the description would make out. For those not in the know, Borat started life as a character on Cohen’s TV series ‘Da Ali G Show’. He is technically a sketch character, so the simplistic story premise is exactly what’s needed in order to introduce a series of different sketches in which Borat humiliates himself, and everyone who surrounds him.
There’s truly no substance to this movie, and it never really tries to add any either. I guess it boils right down to a simple question of taste: If you like Borat and find him funny, then you’re going to love this movie. If you don’t, then you won’t, but I also doubt you’d go and see it in that case. It’s a film that will only target a specific audience, but once they’re in the theatre it plays right into their hands.
The interview sequences are completely off the wall as you would expect, although there are some more scripted sequences to bridge the gaps, yet even they push all kinds of boundaries (especially a certain ‘wrestling’ sequence). Dumbing down? Maybe, but I have to admit that I laughed plenty 
during the short 82-minute running time. I was never a fan of Ali G (the movie was particularly disappointing), but Borat has an innocent sensibility that makes him infinitely more likeable. He never intends to be offensive, he just doesn’t know better. If you’re a Borat fan, then I highly recommend you check it out once it finally hits cinemas in November.
Which brings me to a final point: This film has had more preview screenings than any I can remember. Between the MySpace screenings in the US that had people queuing for hours, to the numerous online and magazine offers over the past couple of months, and yet the movie isn’t being released until November. Now that’s all well and good for developing word of mouth, but it begs the question: by the time this film actually gets released, will there be anyone left to see it?
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