Film Review -- Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (R)

Directed By Larry Charles
Dune Entertainment/Everyman Pictures
Released November 3rd, 2006

ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATED: Best Adapted Screenplay, Sacha Baron Cohen

Well Hell. He finally decided to take his most beloved character and make a movie out of it. And I was pleasantly surprised when I found out it was Borat. The goddamn racist, ass backward journalist is at it again. This time it was for a full hour and a half.

Whom do I speak of? Sacha Baron Cohen: a goddamn comedic Mastermind "straight outta Britain" who has been making a ruckus around the states for the last few years. For those who don't know, the dude has a show called Ali G that has been on HBO and is probably in its third season. In addition to Borat, the show features Bruno, a hyper gay style freak and Ali G, a half retarded gangster investigative reporter. Cohen uses his three disguised characters to stir up the shit of ignorant and oblivious Americans (think Tom Green or Jackass but foreign).

But enough of that. The movie centers on the life of Borat as he is shipped from his native Kazakhstan to the US "to make benefit". Don't get this film confused with a real deal comedy of epic proportions. Yes, I laughed my ass off. But it is mostly from shock value of anti-Semitic quirks and of course, the ignorant Americans who come to play. But as someone who has followed Borat religiously in his years on HBO, the film was simply a longer version of his usual 10-minute segment.

Don't get me wrong, I would tell anyone who can take a joke to go see this film because in the right, relaxed mood it is hilarious. Perhaps what made it best was a new sidekick for Borat that added the only twist from the usual script. Azmat Bagatov (Ken Davitian), Borat's manager, was just about as funny as a certain rooster who finagles his way into the film.

My only real hope is that this is the end of Borat. No Borat 2. No more Borat on CNN, Daily Show and local news stations nation wide. Congrats Sacha Baron Cohen, you made your money. Go home, smoke a blizz, and laugh about how Borat went ahead and "make benefit". See the movie.

3 out of 4