Borat: Brave Social Parody But...

Rating: 8/10 (12 July 2014)

Whether you find this movie hilarious or not, may depend on where you are in the world.
From my British perspective, we have a long tradition of comedians sending-up authority figures and the small-minded. Ali G, Borat's precursor, was well-known on late night comedy shows here in the UK for doing just that...
Using the Ali G "interview technique", Borat visits a Feminist Group, a Comedy Training School, an etiquette coach and other organizations ripe for parody. The mistake most of the non-actors make is believing Borat to be a naive, Khazakhi TV journalist, when in fact, he's a Cambridge-educated actor who easily debunks them.
The cameras are rolling, all the time. The ethics of whether or not non-actors should be duped into appearing in a commercial, feature film backed by 20th Century Fox, are what stop me from laughing all the time, but often Cohen's comic improvisation, timing and retorts are achingly funny.
The Rodeo sequence for example, highlights the dangers of excessive American patriotism, but these are real people, unaware "Borat" will be adapting their beloved anthem. Their anger and confusion seemed justified to a point, although Borat is, in fact, displaying the same patriotism they hold dear.
On balance, I don't believe Borat is an anti-American film. Instead, Cohen delivers a hilarious exposé of both Western and Eastern Bloc small-minded values that are not shared by all. Laughing at these attitudes is the best medicine, changing them is far more difficult.