Borat (Movie review) 23/11

Shot of the Borat movie telephone box advert.

“Borat” was not the first movie I’d choose to see at the cinema but I was asked by a friend if I’d like to go and I needed at night out so…

The lads night out

There was a group of five of us and after meeting in the local we set out like a pack of slightly less cool ‘Reservoir Dogs’ to Bas–vegas.

We’d had a beer and were ready for a laugh at the ‘funniest film ever’; at least one of our pack never heard of Borat though he had heard of Sasha’s previous character “Ali G”. The majority had an idea of what the film would consist of but even the most imaginative amongst us would have had trouble believing how far Borat would go to achive Schadenfreude.

Spoilers and I don’t mean things attached to cars

Borat successfully makes fools of many of the USAs and quite a few of the ‘first’ worlds people. It is funny. He is impressively successful. Even when he insults religions or causes that I have some sympathy with I found myself only vaguely uncomfortable. The humour is like The Office taken to it’s ultimate conclusion. At points you wonder how many of the people/organisations/companies he lampoons are real (if any).

While in America:

  • He takes a course in how to tell a joke.
  • He talks to some feminists — telling them that they can’t be equal to a man because Kasacstans scientists have proved that women have a brain the size of a squirrels.
  • While taking lessons on ettiquette he goes to a dinner party whose participants aren’t ready for Borats kind of culture. It ends with those that supposedily have manners throwing Borat and his guest (a hooker) out.
  • He and his producer westle and run around a hotel naked. This is not a pretty sight, hilarious but not pretty.
  • He joins a group of frat brothers where he learns of Pamela Anderson’s true colours (he spends the first half of the film in love with Pammie).
  • He ends up attempting a kidnap of Pamela.

These are highlights of the set–pieces but there are many, many throw–away lines that are funnier than many of Hollywoods overdone sit–coms.

That said it was not my ‘funniest film ever’. Woody Allen’s Sleeper or even ‘Play It Again, Sam’ would be higher than Borat. And I’ve not even mentioned Robin Williams, Steve Martin or the Pythons’ many ‘vehicles’.

Photo courtesy of Geraldito. Thanks Geraldito.

Posted on 26/11/06 09:45 PM by Jack Large

I’d have to agree – I didn’t find it that funny. I suspect it might have been funnier if I’d seen any of the tv series around which it’s based, but I hadn’t.

As such, Casino Royale or Hoodwinked were probably both better.


David Goodwin | Nov 27, 01:46 PM | #

Commenting is closed for this article.