Originally Posted by Holden Pike

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Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit
Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (Larry Charles)

If you don't know who Sacha Baron Cohen is, you've probably at least heard of his most famous character, Ali G. "Da Ali G Show" was a comedy smash on the BBC and HBO. The schtick is basically Cohen as one of three characters who then intermingle via interviews and such with people who have no idea the characters are put-ons. One of the characters from the show was Borat Sagdiyev, a journalist from Kazakhstan who understands little of the Western world. No matter how absurd or inappropriate the remark, the people not in on the gag usually treat it as a mild misunderstanding born of cultural differences. The Borat movie doesn't really expand on that premise, which after the dull waste that was Ali G Indahouse is a relief. The plot of the Borat movie, such as it is, simply finds Borat traveling across America, ostensibly for his government. But that doesn't really matter. The joy and brilliance of Cohen is winding him up and letting him go. His broken english, complete lack of basic social skills coupled with his natural prejudices against Jews and women make for awkwardness no matter who he comes in contact with. Borat starts with a glimpse of his small hometown in Kazakhstan before he lands in New York City. Going out with a hidden camera for something as simple as trying to kiss Manhattanites hello on the street is great, and when he lets a chicken loose on a subway car...well, it's just plain funny. Soon Borat is obsessed with meeting a beautiful star from television and the travelogue moves to Washington, D.C. and across the South on the way to California. Whether it's hotel staff, a driving instructor, a car salesman, a group of Feminists, politicians or random people on the street, Cohen never breaks character no matter how outraged, befuddled or bemused the unwitting marks are.

In general the unscripted moments are the best, and while Cohen is hysterical the real secret of success is the reactions of the people captured on film, from the host of the society dinner party who has to teach him basic rules of the toilet, the man backstage at the rodeo who agrees with Borat's solution to dealing with homosexuals or the reactions of the crowd of that small rodeo when he addresses them and tells them how he hopes George Bush drinks the blood of his terrorist enemies, it's the unnamed people on screen who make everything truly special. And while most of the smaller bits inbetween Borat interacting with the unsuspecting are less interesting, the single funniest bit and most sustained laughter comes from a wrestling match between Borat and his producer, Azamat (Ken Davitian), that starts in their hotel room and spills out into the hallway and elevator that really has to be seen to be believed.

The character of Borat works great on "Da Ali G Show" in seven and ten minute segments. The Borat movie runs just under 90 minutes, and even though that just barely qualifies as feature length is more than enough. Laughing at basically the same joke for that long is tiring. Not that I ever stopped laughing, there's just nothing else to do with the character that would be nearly as effective and certainly not as funny. Larry Charles, a "Seinfeld" writer turned producer/director on Larry David's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" is the right man to manage the outrageousness and painful awkwardness, and though by its nature Borat becomes repetative, it continually delivers laughs. It's kind of "Candid Camera" mixed with Larry "Bud Melman from "Late Night with David Letterman" with a dash of "Jackass". The bottom line is, it's damn funny.
GRADE: B

Originally Posted by The Wise Vivi

Seriously, is it really that funny? I mean, I watched the first few minutes of the film and stuff on Youtube, but it didn't seem THAT funny. Does it get better towards the middle?

Originally Posted by SOLDIER

I just got back from the movie. There was a point where I had thought to myself "This is it, this is how I'm going to die....from laughing to death at this movie."

I'm sure those who've seen it already will know what scene I'm referring to, but I was praying to God that they would take a break from that insanity, at least just for a minute, so I could start breathing again. Eventually there was a break, but my sides are still hurting.

Originally Posted by SOLDIER

And it's not really like Jackass, aside from that scene in question (unless you're implying that many of the scenes were improvised, which I was wondering myself, or if they were all staged). It has more in common with mockumentaries like Reno 911 (which turns out has a movie of its own coming out, as I just discovered in the attached trailer).

Originally Posted by SOLDIER

In that case, forget movie of the year. This is movie of the freaking decade.

That guy Borat was talking to when he first entered the Rodeo HAD to be staged. :tpg:

Originally Posted by SOLDIER

Also, I was unaware that Borat was actually part of the Ali G show (which I've never seen as I don't have HBO). Does the series deliver even half the laughs of this movie?

Originally Posted by SOLDIER

Did you not read how this movie became life threatening to me? :tpg:

That Wil Ferrel movie looked pretty interesting until the trailer revealed every single plot twist.

Originally Posted by Spatula

I'm looking forward to more of the reactions on the prankees, rather than any gross out factor. I just want to see to what extremes he goes to, which I read somewhere that.

Originally Posted by speculative

The Will Ferrell film will make $300 from people who are trying to get into Borat and mistakenly buy a ticket to the wrong movie. Then, it will be released onto DVD next week and make another $30. Then no one will speak of it again.

Go see Borat.

Originally Posted by The Dopefish

Sass and I went to see Borat tonight. It was very funny, and I'll let her tell you about her reaction. It won't win any Oscars (which is probably both a good thing and a bad thing) but it certainly was well done.

Originally Posted by Shenlon

One word to describe this movie is "Wow"
As in "wow this movie sucked"
There was so much hype in this movie I felt I had to see it even though the commercials alone were a big turn off. Tuns out the movie was annoying and nothing really funny. "Oh look my sister, Let me kiss her har har now let us fight naked"
it all felt too immature and tiring this kind of "tom green" sort of sketches isn't funny anymore. I enjoy immature things as much as the next child but this movie was just so annoying.
My eyes have just been tainted :mad:

Originally Posted by ionuk tomb

Now, Clerks 2,...there is a fucking funny movie.

Originally Posted by The Furious One

Lol was Pamela in on it, or was that for real!?!

Originally Posted by kinkymagic (Post 408465)

It was funny the first time I saw it, but it has absolutly no re-watch value for me.

Originally Posted by The Furious One (Post 327048)

Good to see Borat doing so well on the other side of the pond. He has always been a big hit with the brits.

Overall, I it was more shocking than funny, it had its moments but I was kinda disappointed. The tv series has way more laughs with being so out there.

Best part for me was the dinner table seen, it was too funny, the joke about the wife, toilet then the prostitute was too much. I really liked how they jumped from fooling the public to continuing the movie plot (college guys). Oh and the wait in the elevator lol.

Lol was Pamela in on it, or was that for real!?!

Best of Borat from the UK TV showf or those who haven't seen it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFP-MktgOKU