Courtesy of Twentieth Century FoxIf slandering Jewish people, watching naked men violate each other and verbally assaulting women’s status in society sounds like a good time, then “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan” is the movie for you.
Sacha Baron Cohen, the British comedian-turned-producer also known as Ali G in one of his character sketches, is one of America’s most distinguished comedians; not because of his originality or wit, but for his blatant and often offensive material.
His most recent cinematic venture, “Borat,” lives up to that reputation.
The film begins with an introduction to Borat Sagdiyev (Baron Cohen), a journalist living in Kazakhstan, where kindergarten students carry AK-47s, donkeys pull automobiles and Borat’s sister is the village prostitute.
Upon his arrival to America, where Borat and his partner, Azamat Bagatov (Ken Davitian), report on the greatest country in the world and document their journey, Borat is found running through the streets with little regard to traffic, masturbating outside a Victoria’s Secret store and chasing his chicken – which he keeps in his suitcase – around the subway.
While watching late-night TV, Borat comes across “Baywatch” and falls in love with C.J. Parker (Pamela Anderson).
The rest of his adventure takes him from New York to California, in an effort to find and marry C.J. On the way, he is involved in several outlandish situations (with real, unsuspecting people), including meeting a group of black residents who teach him to call white people “vanilla face” in order to blend in; a Jewish couple who offers him a place to sleep, who Borat and Azamat believe turn into cockroaches; and a bear that Azamat eventually kills for food.
But what’s really impressive is that most of the film isn’t staged – the reactions of the unknowing public are real.
Overall, “Borat” was, at times, pleasantly repulsive.
Variety magazine said the mockumentary was “uproariously funny” in an article on Sept. 10, even though the inherent offensiveness can turn real-life people off of the comedy.
But, for the most part, “Borat” was more indecent than comical.
Audience members continuously gasped, shook their heads and some even covered their eyes during particularly graphic scenes.
Nonetheless, the movie does what viewers expect it to.
“You are not going to find a more appalling, tasteless, grotesque, politically incorrect or slanderous film,” The Hollywood Reporter said in an article on Sept. 12. “You probably won’t laugh as hard all year, either.”
