Recognize the significance

Rating: 8/10 (19 November 2006)

The hilarity of this film rests in the exposure of prejudices: those of the viewers, who are treated to a Kahzakhi village that is pure nonsense, but which we are really quite ready to accept as a reflection of reality, and those of some of our country men, who display their bigotry and condescension with disturbing lack of self-awareness. The car salesman discussing the lethal use of his product, the gun dealer neutrally discussing the best gun to kill Jews, the frat boys advocating slavery, all remind us of an undercurrent in our country, that is rarely so blatantly displayed as here. We laugh, and believe me we laugh a lot, but we are also made a bit uncomfortable by what we are seeing. It is not just people being made fools of, or doing it to themselves, it is that Borat, by shining a light on some of our hidden parts, releases us from the tension of knowing they exist, but never acknowledging them. I literally laughed until it hurt.