Close to the bone, intelligent comedy

Rating: 8/10 (17 November 2006)

Due to the publicity of this film and also the previous television appearances of it's main character, many people will already have a rough idea of what they're letting themselves in for when going to see this film. Usually limited by the confines of his "sketch" show, Sacha Baron Cohen's character is here allowed more freedom which leans towards a situational comedy rather than a constant flow of set-up situations. This definitely helps to break the monotony of what might otherwise have been a fairly claustrophobic-feeling movie. I saw this film on the first day of it's UK general release and, although there were only 10 other people in the cinema, the laughter really was so loud that I missed parts of the dialogue. Yes this is a familiar story but it's doubtlessly one that will be repeated by people going to future screenings. The racism and perceived social ignorance of he character perfectly exposes the small mindedness, arrogance and bigotry of the many of the targets of his comedy, sometimes scarily so. If you appreciate Borat and know his works already or are just able to appreciate close-to-the-bone humour without being offended then yes go and see it. HOWEVER if satire, irony and even in some parts, toilet humour, are really not your thing, I suggest you avoid this like the plague. Me? I loved it. Funny yet shocking: it's the film equivalent of watching two clowns in a car crash, yes its horrific to watch, but you can't deny the comedy value!