Borat
Ok, Ok. I watched Borat for the first time last night. It was funny in parts, shocking in others…
The social commentary was pretty good. Acting like a foreigner who doesn’t know the customs allows for a fresh look. People open up to strangers, especially foreigners. What I found the most interesting is those who were actually REAL. They were the ones who handled the awkward situations with ease and laughter, who made personal connections. These are the people who didn’t take themselves too seriously, who were not fighting a cause, but were just living.
What about those whispers of prejudice and racism? The old man and the college students, different types of people but with the same pervasive attitude. Yes, it still exists today. It is in our blood, so to speak. The grandfathers pass it down, the grandmothers talk about it to everyone. We smile politely but underneath we distrust those who are different than us.
I think in his effort to be funny some things were just too shocking. In his effort to be a stranger with strange ways went too far in some situations, but it must have taken a lot of balls to go on and do that stuff. They say we don’t know what we’re made of until something like that happens. So what would I do if I were in a convention in a swanky hotel and in rushed two naked men who then proceeded to try and wrestle onstage? I don’t know. Maybe laugh, maybe even be outraged that they took up my time and imposed on me. Who knows? I hope I would not be as rough as the security though. Anger can easily get out of control.
All in all I liked the movie. It wasn’t as funny as I thought it would be, but Borat did not grate on my nerves like Tom Green does. Borat is funny without being gross. He goes for the laugh, sometimes using the shock value, but not constantly. And finally, the movie had a message. It was a journey…I liked that it wasn’t just random stuff, but it all led to the climax.
I recommend Borat, but the language is questionable for those sensitive to the F word. Be warned, this movie will probably make you mad at some point. There are no areas he is afraid to broach, including Jews, slaves, women, speaking in tongues, porn, and racism. If you are easily offended, skip Borat. If you want a good laugh, watch it. Just remember I told you so!
