Outrageous, but 'cringingly' hilarious

Rating: 9/10 (14 April 2007)

If you like the outrageous and the absurd you will probably like this movie, a quirky mixture of satire and slapstick (Norman Gunston on steroids). Despite the in your face style and lack of any substantial storyline, it is comes together quite well and is largely carried to great heights by the ability of S.B.C. to immerse himself in his bizarre Borat creation, purportedly a Khazakhi journalist on a cultural fact finding mission in the US, but in reality a degenerate clown whose real nationality is irrelevant other than being out of reach for most Americans. His acting is so well disciplined that SBC does not let any amount of social discomfort perturb his portrayal. The resulting outcomes from a series of inappropriate interactions with unsuspecting Americans are illuminating, and hilarious in a cringing way.
The foundation of the movie is that very few people (at least none that made the final cut) recognize Borat as a fake, and his behavior either elicits the caveman in them or in the case of the more genteel, being at a loss with how to cope. These failures are an attempt by the creators to indict the US for being ignorant, bigoted and pompous, and to some extent this succeeds. Nevertheless, Borat is so outrageous that you're left with little doubt that most peoples would stumble under the onslaught of his antisocial proclivities. Understandably some of the 'victims' become very upset and this adds to the tension that SBC plays on so well. This satirical slant with a liberal lashing of ridiculous situations and comments, the competing Kazaki neighbour, the cow in the house, the sister, the chicken, the bear, 'the shape shifting jews', the wrestle, the attempted kidnapping; all make it a silly but great overall package.
Well done, good laugh. My favorite bit...the national anthem..'Kazakhstan number one exporter of potassium Other countries have inferior potassium'...magnificent.