Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan - film review

I was looking forward to watching this film. It was built up for me whilst watching Borat appear on Jonathan Ross, it was amusing to see Ross squirming as he wasn't sure what Borat was going to do next but a safe bet it's something rude. On the Ross she he ended up cupping each others dangly bits.

I also enjoyed the furore of the build up to the film where the president of Kazakhstan was complaining to president Bush (and anyone else who would listen) that the film was painting Kazakhstan in a bad light. I think recently he has instead praised the film because of the publicity the country has now got.

I have also watched the short clips of Borat on the Ali G show so I knew what to expect. The basic premise is Borat is a documentary maker filming in America so his country Kazakhstan can learn from the great America. What Sacha Baron Cohen does with the character is use him as a means of asking stupid but intelligent questions and then watch how the embarrassed and often confused victim struggles to deal with the situation. It is the skill and genius of Cohen that makes it work, he is utterly convincing as Borat and his questions some how bring out the worst prejudices from the people answering the question.

The series on the Ali G show of Borat was a small five minute sketch. I wondered how this would be transformed into a film. The answer is it is made up from a number of loosely woven in sketches based around a quite flimsy plot but it is really irrelevant. The plot is basically based around Borat seeing Pamela Anderson in Baywatch and then going to California to find her. On his travels he has his director with him called Azamat Bagatov who is played by Ken Davitian.

Now really the above shouldn't be good enough to make a film from because TV comedy rarely makes a good film. The plot above is tiny and there are hardly any characters in, firstly you see his family in Kazakhstan and then once in America there is him and the director. Amazingly it does, even the flimsy plot actually makes you feel sympathy for Borat and the reaction from the crowd was audible in certain scenes. In the cinema I was in people were shouting and groaning with embarrassment second before Borat was about to do something embarrassing, I haven't ever experienced this reaction in the cinema before.

The film is very funny and very enjoyable and in some parts frightening embarrassing, beyond anything you have ever seen on TV or film. There is one particuarly gruesome scene with Borat wrestling naked with his director/producer, be warned it is not for the faint hearted.

I recommend going to watch this film because you won't be disappointed because it is damn funny and takes the piss out of various people.

I read an article with the feminists Borat interviews in which he says scientists have proven woman have small brains the size of a squirrel and he laughs when they are describing feminism. The beauty of this clip is that they over react so much that even though it is Borat acting terribly and having misogynistic opinions it is the feminists that come out looking worse. Back to my point the feminists being interviewed said they didn't know it was a spoof and you can't tell because Cohen's acting is so good.

If you like Borat and comedy check out my new blog funny blog about IT and Office comedy called Amusing IT Stories. It is a mixture of true life stories, satirical news, quotes, cartoons and other bits and bobs.