Borat - Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating: 3.5

The best social critique since Voltaire's "Candide," and equally painful.
A Satire You Either Get or Hate
2 Stars is generous - movie is definately an acquired taste
Oy vey!
Masterpeice or just really really stupid?

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Borat - Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen , Ken Davitian , Luenell , Bobby Rowe , and Alan Keyes
Director: Larry Charles
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
Product Group: DVD
Binding: DVD
ASIN: B000MMMT9G
2007-03-06

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It takes a certain kind of comic genius to create a character who is, to quote the classic Sondheim lyric, appealing and appalling. But be forewarned: Borat is not "something for everyone." It arrives as advertised as one of the most outrageous, most offensive, and funniest films in years. Kazakhstan journalist Borat Sagdiyev (Sacha Baron Cohen reprising the popular character from his Da Ali G Show), leaves his humble village to come to "U.S. and A" to film a documentary. After catching an episode of Baywatch in his New York hotel room, he impulsively scuttles his plans and, accompanied by his fat,<img border="0" align=left src="http://g-images.amazon.com/images/G/01/dvd/aplus/borat/300/borat_05_300.jpg"> hirsute producer (Hardy to his Laurel), proceeds to California to pursue the object of his obsession, Pamela Anderson. Borat is not about how he finds America; it's about how America finds him in a series of increasingly cringe-worthy scenes. Borat, with his '70s mustache, well-worn grey suit, and outrageously backwards attitudes (especially where Jews are concerned) interacts with a cross-section of the populace, catching them, a la Alan Funt on Candid Camera, in the act of being themselves. Early on, an unwitting humor coach advises Borat about various types of jokes. Borat asks if his brother's retardation is a ripe subject for comedy. The coach patiently replies, "That would not be funny in America." NOT! Borat is subversively, bracingly funny. When it comes to exploring uncharted territory of what is and is not appropriate or politically correct, Borat knows no boundaries, as when he brings a fancy dinner with the southern gentry to a halt after returning from the bathroom with a bag of his feces ("The cultural differences are vast," his hostess graciously/patronizingly offers), or turns cheers to boos at a rodeo when he calls for bloodlust against the Iraqis and mangles "The Star Spangled Banner."

Success, John F. Kennedy once said, has a thousand fathers. A paternity test on Borat might reveal traces of Bill Dana's Jose Jimenez, Andy Kaufman, Michael Moore, The Jamie Kennedy Xperiment, and Jackass. Some scenes seem to have been staged (a game Anderson, whom Borat confronts at a book signing, was reportedly in on the setup), but others, as the growing litany of lawsuits attests, were not. All too real is Borat's encounter with loutish Southern frat boys who reveal their sexism and racism, and the disturbing moment when he asks a gun store owner what gun he would recommend to "kill a Jew" (a Glock automatic is the matter-of-fact reply). Comedy is not pretty, and in Borat it can get downright ugly, as when Borat and his producer get jiggly with it during a nude fight that spills out from their hotel room into the hallway, elevator, lobby and finally, a mortgage brokers association banquet. High-five! --Donald Liebenson On the DVD
"Global Visitings" captures Borat-mania in all its hype and glory, as Sacha Baron Cohen, never breaking character, promotes his film around the world. On the itinerary is Late Night with Conan O'Brien and the Toronto Film Festival, a now-legendary screening aborted after a projector malfunction. A mixed bag of deleted scenes finds Borat trying to bait more unsuspecting citizens, including an animal-control worker who refuses Borat a dog after he asks, "How do you recommend I cook this?" and a doctor who is nonplussed by Borat's obscene medical history. A supermarket visit offers the most maddening fromage-inspired looniness since Monty Python's "Cheese Shop" sketch. Also good for a few chuckles are a faux soundtrack commercial and a Baywatch parody ("Sexydangerwatch"). --Donald Liebenson

Beyond Borat <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="4" cellpadding="4"> <tr align="center" valign="top" class="tiny"> <td width="33%"> <img src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000JBXH82.01._AA90_SCTHUMBZZZ_V39215712_.jpg" border="0">
All things Sacha Baron Cohen</td> <td width="33%"> <img src="http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000LYP6HC.01-A3DYB20QS3MEI2._SCMZZZZZZZ_V49499414_.jpg" border="0">
Borat Apparel</td> <td width="33%"> <img src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000IHYWCC.01._AA90_SCTHUMBZZZ_V36625465_.jpg" border="0">
Borat Soundtrack</td> </tr> </table>
Stills from Borat (click for larger image) <table border="0" cellpadding="4" width="100%" cellspacing="4">

Description

Sacha Baron Cohen brings his Kazakh journalist character Borat Sagdiyev to the big screen for the first time. Leaving his native Kazakhstan, Borat travels to America to make a documentary. As he zigzags across the nation, Borat meets real people in real situations with hysterical consequences. His backwards behavior generates strong reactions around him exposing prejudices and hypocrisies in American culture.

Customer Reviews:

The best social critique since Voltaire's "Candide," and equally painful........2007-06-12

Ouch! There's nothing more horrifying than seeing oneself in the mirror and seeing all the warts and blemishes. This is EXACTLY what this movie does for America. In truth, this is really a quasi-documentary, an ambush documentary, where participants are given license to express their true feelings (or at least their willingness to say what they think "Borat" wants to hear). Either way, the answers are most often disturbing. Occasionally, in unlikely places, what we, as a country, trot out as an ethos emerges from the dregs.

On the bright side, such ethics continue to exist, as shown by the kindness shown even to this very obnoxious character.

Please watch this and make up your own mind.

A Satire You Either Get or Hate.......2007-06-08

Too many people have bashed this movie as plotless, juvenile, insulting, and just plain stupid. The genius of this movie is to bring a cross section of America into the public spotlight via one man's innocent adventure across the United States to capture the American Dream (Pamela Anderson) only to discover not only a hostile citizenry and disillusionment with his perceptions of said dream (the dreaded sex tape between Anderson and Lee) and how the system keeps him from it. Too many people have taken this movie way too seriously. This is a comedy, a satire, a farce. It's meant to be over the top in order to make unpalatable topics and make them easier to digest (racism, religion, etc.). Just sit back and laugh.

2 Stars is generous - movie is definately an acquired taste.......2007-06-07

(Note: This review is only for the movie, not the DVD extras as I couldn't force myself to watch them.)

Borat, Borat. I kept hearing how funny and great this little film was so I finally rented it. I have to say that maybe the first 20 minutes keeps your interest, but it gets slow, less funny, and tedious as it goes on.

Sacha Cohen is great at creating a unique character but the overall plot is very lacking. Basically, you have Borat coming to America to learn about their customs and mocking his country's.

The jokes of rape and sex, et al, grow very tiring at times, as that seems to be the extent of Borat's character.

The supporting cast leaves a lot to be desired and is very forgettable.

This is not a movie to watch with family or to watch as a date movie as you'll probably offend any reasonable female within view of the television screen.

Definately a guy movie and this comes from a guy.

(Additional note: This is no Napoleon Dynamite--meaning that its cleverness and humor grows with repeated viewings.)

Oy vey!.......2007-06-06

Borat, AKA Sacha Baron Cohen, the Orthodox Jew who graduated from the prestigious Cambridge University chose to make a mockery of Gentiles for a living. And the goyim eat it up. Vaary niice!

Masterpeice or just really really stupid?.......2007-06-06

Actually a friend called me and said "You have to see this movie, its so funny I know you, you would love it".

I admit, the lure of two naked men wrestling, one of which is obese and really revolting to look at....was overwhelming (just joking).

I have never seen such garbage and so many people brainwashed to think it was a funny movie. God, didn't anyone watch the three stooges? The marx brothers? Milton Berle? This guy isn't funny, he is just uncomfortably gross and with as much class as a crackwhore.

I rented it ...I should have taken the couple of bucks and burned them, would have been more entertaining!

Save yourself from closing your eyes 10 times in a movie, go rent happy feet.

Dan, Fort Lauderdale

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