So, I just saw the movie called "Borat", the one that's been getting all the (controversial) press recently. Questions are being asked about this movie all over the place, and I'm going to give you my answers to them, as if they mean anything.
Q: Is it crude?
A: Without a doubt. I'm a fan of South Park *and* Kevin Smith movies, so I've seen/heard a few crude jokes in my time. Borat is right up there.
Q: Is it politically incorrect in the extreme?
A: Absolutely. That's part of the intent, and part of the appeal.
Q: Is it horrendously offensive to various races/sexes/countries?
A: That's a tough one. On the surface, yes. Some nasty things are said about Jewish people, gay people, feminists, people with learning disabilities, etc. and the way he portrays Kazakhstani people as so backwards isn't exactly flattering.
HOWEVER (and this is the crux of the issue, I believe), this movie should absolutely not be taken at face value. If you take it as offensive to
Sacha Baron Cohen plays Borat, a Kazakhstani reporter tasked with going to America to learn about the "greatest nation in the world" and bringing some knowledge home to Kazakhstan. While in New York, he falls in love with Pamela Anderson by seeing Baywatch on TV, and decides to travel across country to Hollywood to meet her. Borat is an ignorant, uncultured, centuries-out-of-date guy who clashes with American culture all throughout his Pamela-pilgrimage. (Note: Although Cohen is definitely playing a character, he interacts with real people in his trip across country, making them believe he really as a Kazakhstani reporter, much akin to Canadian Rick Mercer's "Talking To Americans".) In playing such a backwards character (e.g. who grins and says "naughty, naughty" to the 'town rapist'), I think Cohen is poking fun at our (North American) stereotypes of middle-eastern / eastern-European / Asian countries. The really offensive stuff is to be found in the (real) reactions of the (real) Americans, who side with his (fake) bigotry, (fake) sexism, (fake) racism, (fake) everything-else-offensive. Some of these people, now realizing that they exposed themselves as less than admirable people (in a nationwide forum, no less), have sued Cohen. Interesting.
Anyway, I think the point is that Cohen is using his offensive character to set up even more offensive reactions from Americans, and therein lies part of the humour of this film - the disbelief aspect of humour, I guess. And of course, I realize that not all Americans share these views - all the Americans I know are extremely kind and extremely enlightened - I'm hopeful that they had to do a LOT of interviews and a LOT of editing before they found people to say these things. (Although I must admit, there is a cynical little part of me that kind of doubts it, in some of the venues they visited...)
Q: Is it funny beyond belief?
A: For my money, yes. Aside from the disbelief aspect I mentioned above, the humour was the kind of humour I yearn for, the wonderful combination of stupidity and wit and slapstick and clever dialogue that seems so hard to find these days. I laughed harder during this movie than I remember laughing during any movie in the last five or ten years. There were a couple cringe-worthy moments during the film, or jokes that didn't quite hit, but for the most part, it was laugh-out-loud funny. I was howling during the extended fight scene, the brief scene at the playground/park had me in stitches, and I snickered at the subtle jokes which were sprinkled throughout the movie like old jelly beans in the sectional couch of my dreams.
Conclusion: Not a movie everyone will enjoy, but if you have a fairly robust sense of humour and aren't offended easily, pick someone you won't get embarrassed with, and go see it. You might just laugh yourself silly.
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