So which came first, the chicken or the egg? Sacha Baron Cohen’s case, the litigation or the film? This hilarious film charts the travels of Kazak reporter Borat Sagdiyev who leaves his home country for the USA for a little cultural cross-pollination. Travelling with his producer Azamat Bagatov and the camera crew Borat attempts to integrate with the American community. Soon after arriving in New York he is watching TV in his hotel room, observes ‘CJ’ from Baywatch, and decides to undertake a pilgrimage across the country to meet her.
Without giving anything away; if you pay for a ticket to see this movie you are accepting that you will be subjected to an eighty-four minute barrage of cutting humour directed in a very unlikely way. The film, shot as a documentary with full Kazak titles and credits, is full of detail and blink-and-you’ll-miss-it comedy. Rumour has it that one of the test screenings was a full two hours long; one wonders what has vanished from this story that pushes the bounds of taste and decency a fair way off-centre.
The film alternates between raw documentary footage and more narrative style scenes which, although still often filled with humour, are a little more sedentary than the joke per second style of the rest of the film.
Despite crying with laughter through most of the film I did find myself wondering how on earth Borat was not seriously injured, or worse, as a result of some of his more serious cultural misunderstandings.
If you are not of a nervous disposition and can take a joke then you will enjoy this film.
***** (out of 5)
