BORAT: "Nobody likes my neighbor..."

site | trailer | miceSpaceWent and saw BORAT on Thursday night with Rowan and my sister. Saw it again on Saturday night with Dan and Ray and a posse of their friends. That's right, I saw it twice! I like! You like?

It is incredibly, wickedly, hilarious! I have to say that I think it's probably funniest and best experienced if you're already somewhat familiar and acclimated to Borat's M.O. If you're going in with NO previous experience with Borat's shtick, jumping into 90 unrelenting minutes of it in one sitting may not agree with you.

And what is Borat's M.O.? Borat is one of three alter egos created and played by Brit actor and comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, all featured in guerilla interview segments on his ALI G SHOW (which I only know in its HBO-ready incarnation). Borat, a Kazakh news correspondent, is on assignment in America (the "U.S. and A.") to educate his Kazakhstan viewers on the ways of the west. In this film, he continues to explore various aspects of American life and culture, this time in documentary film form. His exploration takes him from New York City, where he visits with a veteran feminist group and a comedy coach, to the heart of Texas and an antique shop showcasing Confederate paraphernalia, to Los Angeles, and a BAYWATCH star's appearance at Virgin Records. All-American, no?

Most of the laughs are a release for the shock and disbelief at the reactions, comments, and advice Borat's personality manages to illicit from average Americans in their native environments. For the most part, they are at the expense of his subjects, but it all comes out of Borat playing the sexist, racist, intolerant, and ignorant fool—a central Asian Archie Bunker travelling across America and through Americana. Call the results inappropriate, taboo, or politically incorrect, the way Borat manages to ambush some of his interviewees is just plain mean. It's natural at first blush to sympathize with his clueless "marks." I think this is the biggest obstacle to enjoying this brand of comedy. It's Andy Kaufman, only, not as polite.

Of course, it only "succeeds" when his unwitting costars allow it. That is, when someone is inclined to agree with Borat's skewed and boorish point-of-view, it's usually funny. When someone decides that Borat's attitude on a subject is too conservative, well, that's a bit frightening. Like a clown. With a bazooka. That shoots clowns out of its barrel. And, when someone walks away, well, they're likely offended, and rightly so. Borat is a prejudiced fool, and being a foreigner, a guest in our land, can buy him only so much hospitality.

The ultimate expression of Borat's mad methods in his segments on the ALI G SHOW can be found in the clumination of his quest to learn about country music and write and perform a country/western song. Aghast? Amazed? Laughing? Nervous about it? Yeah, that's about right.

Yes, this is where a lot of the laughs come from, but not all of them. There's a decent amount of really smart and clever bits, as well as some truly dedicated follow-thru on grade school humor. I'm not even going to attempt to describe the inCREDible fight and chase scenes that will have you in physical pain, either from wracking laughter or shudders and shakes of horror.

They must be seen.

Yeah, there's some fallout, lawsuits launched at Sacha BC in the wake of his film's release and success. Some of his costars are not very happy with how they were treated. (Note that the preceding links will take you to articles that mention some of the guests and describe set-ups and scenarios from the movie—not totally spoilery, but if you're already more likely to see the movie than not, skip the links =)

Some do not like the way they are portrayed, either due to their own uncensored appearance on film, or to some unflattering editing meant to move along the film's plot and/or get a laugh. Others believe that they are entitled to more than they were given in compensation for their participation in what they were told was to be a foreign documentary film. In reality, it's a highly successful American release that is on its way to setting comedy box office records.

I wonder how far any of Borat's litigious unwitting guests from the ALI G SHOW got in the way of apologies, muzzling, settlement, or reward...?

I'm a little surprised that a certain driving instructor is putting up anything like a serious fuss. But so long as he's not out for blood, well, I guess I can't blame a decent regular guy for looking for a piece of the action if the opportunity presents itself.

Girls Gone Wild to the frat boys: Cry us a river, dunderheads. What-the-F-EV, fellas. You're drunken college boys driving across country who felt up to signing some sort of legal doc/waiver and agreeing to appear as representatives of America in a documentary film for Kazakhstan. What-the-F-ev...

The bed-and-breakfast owners. I don't feel like Borat really put anything over on them. They were kind and thoughtful hosts, and that Borat returned that kindness with distrust and paranoia is not a negative reflection on them. Although I didn't think twice about it while watching the film, once I read about it in the news, I totally understand how the film misrepresented their home, painting it in an unflattering, and perhaps financially damaging, light. I hope that Sasha BC can do something materially, or editorially, in an effort to do right by them.

My quick smartass plug-pitch for this film... Just like JESUS CAMP, only, more homophobic!

My single favorite comedic moment from the film doesn't come from any of Borat's ambush tactics...

*SPOILER*

Following a frightening encounter with some murderous Jews, Borat seeks to purchase protection. He visits a gun shop, but is disappointed to find that they won't sell a foreigner any firearms. He then considers acquiring an animal for protection and visits an exotic animal farm. The film cuts to a giant tortoise, and Borat standing over it, beside the exotic animal ranchers. Borat asks, "What kind of dog is this?"

Heh heh. It gets better! The big blast comes a few seconds later when he inquires, "Is it... a cat... in a hat?"

*THAT* is frickin FUNNY! I mean, that is so frickin frackin brilliant! It's, like, a perfectly reasonable question! I don't know how better to explain it. Perhaps it's more telling of my madness than Sasha's genius, but I really do think it's the funniest single joke in the film. =)

*END SPOILER*

Hilarious crack. Check it out! =)

Chenquieh.

Keep on keepin on~