offensive and funny

Rating: 7/10 (7 November 2006)

With a wide eyed innocence Sacha Baron Cohen plays the Kazakhstanian reporter Borat. Borat is shockingly offensive, but what is far more shocking are the feelings and beliefs of the people around him. Cohen is unflappable and though some of the stunts are clearly staged, you have to wonder how this actor actually had the fearlessness to run around places like New York city and make such a total fool of himself. From the very beginning, when Borat/Cohen attempts to "greet" bystanders on the subway, several people threaten to physically attack him. In our theatre, the laughter was loud. Only one moment went too far for me--but be warned that moment goes so far over the line you might not recover.