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

Sacha Baron Cohen deserves a place alongside Peter Sellers, Andy Kaufman and Mike Myers as one of the few comedians who is able to fully inhabit a variety of different characters. Cohen has actually gone to greater lengths to maintain the “realness” of his various personas by appearing on talk shows and news programs in full character. Whether he is playing Ali G, Borat or Bruno the fashion critic—all of whom evolved from his TV series Da Ali G Show—Cohen is a master at immersing himself into the role. Borat Sagdiyev, a smiling, ignorant journalist from Kazakhstan, is the character of choice for Cohen’s latest film, the title of which is too long to repeat. Shot as though it were a documentary, Borat travels to the “US and A” in order to learn how conditions in his own country can be improved. A vague form of a plot takes effect when Borat catches an episode on Baywatch on TV and makes it his mission to travel to California so that he can marry Pamela Anderson. This is really just an excuse for the film to have a cross-country road trip where Borat can unleash his inappropriate behavior upon the unsuspecting American population. The genius of Cohen’s comedy is how he is able to make fun of everyone he meets and get away with it. His “victims,” believing him to be a foreigner, grant him so much leeway to be insulting and Cohen can push things as far as he wants as long as he adheres to his attitude of complete ignorance. In this manner, his is able to play upon the utter naiveté of Americans. Those familiar with Da Ali G Show will find the film to be a little more extreme with its politically incorrect humor, but not by much (appearing on HBO, Cohen’s series already pushed the envelope in this regard). Many are already ranking it as one of the funniest movies ever made. This is a little too generous of a label, but it’s definitely among the funniest of the year.

Directed by Larry Charles.
Written by Sacha Baron Cohen, Anthony Hines, Peter Baynham, Dan Mazer and Todd Phillips.
Starring Sacha Baron Cohen, Ken Davitian and Pamela Anderson.

Rated R for pervasive strong crude and sexual content including graphic nudity, and language. 84 min.

**** so says The Fish