Even though I knew it had gotten great reviews, I was surprised how seriously funny this DVD was. Like the Wayne's World movie, this isn't just a good flick for fans of Borat, it's a great comedy movie period. Between this and his French-existential-gay Formula One racer in Talledaga Nights, I'd say Sasha Baron Cohen earned his best actor Golden Globe.

I haven't seen it yet, but, considering the number of people who've sued Cohen and the movie's producers for allegedly "tricking" them into making jackasses of themselves, I'd say he must be doing something right!

Unlike the Borat segments on HBO, there's a surprisingly coherent plot to the movie.

Is it true that Borat ruined Kid Rock's marriage with Pamela Anderson Lee Rock Silicon STDs? :tongue:

Is it true that Borat ruined Kid Rock's marriage with Pamela Anderson Lee Rock Silicon STDs? :tongue:

No spoilers for you! <Best Soup Nazi Voice>

The movie is very funny, we watched parts of it at work today. I remember the uproar by people who had never even seen it. I suspect this thread will turn in to that soon.

Haven't seen the extras on the DVD, but I thougth the HBO stuff was considerably better. The hype about what happened to him that wasn't on film sounded a lot funnier than some of the stuff. Although the people turning into cockroaches was the funniest thing by far.

I saw the movie for the first time last night on DVD and laughed out loud throughout most of it. But there were some very disturbing moments too. Racism is alive and well in much of the US. Sad.

- JJ

The brilliance of SBC is-was his ability to get people to say their deepest, darkest thoughts on camera!! Seriously, if you were a bigoted, racist, homophobic idiot, why would you confirm that on film?

I thought the gun store salesman segment was one of the funniest in the movie, and one of the creepiest as well. That guy didn't blink an eye at Borat's 'questions", and in fact acted like they were the most normal things for a potential gun owner to ask in the world.

Most of the extras were fluff, though the one deleted scene where Borat visits what must be the worlds worst "psychic" is pretty funny.

There are parallels all over the movie with the way people respond to Borats' insane questions. The Rodeo guy, the car salesman, the gun shop, it's just scary that people have those things floating so near the top that it just blurts out.

State Department tells Kazakhstan to be nice to Borat

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/entertainment/4609948.html

One thing I'd say is the guy giving him the driving lessons was interesting. I don't recall him making a complete fool of himself. I think it also shows that most people don't usually even think about (let alone discuss) these sorts of topics and even the best of us would have trouble articulating what we really think, or at least, what we would like to think if we thought through these things logically (or at least reasonably!). Probably one of the intents of SBC in the first place.

The driving lesson guy was cool, as was the joke teacher guy. Not everyone made idiots of themselves, some people were acting human.

I had predicted that we would turn it off before 20 minutes had elapsed but my wife and I stayed with it. It was more coherent than I expected and funny in places.

That said, I still consider it a one joke movie.

Jim

I've just spoken to a friend that has bought the DVD. He said that the packaging itself is very funny as it looks fully pirated in every way (and around here, that's pretty funny). The other thing he said was something about when you select the language to Hebrew, well, let's just say it stay true to Borat. On another note, I like to bag Americans as much as the next person :p , but I find Bruno a lot funnier than Borat.

Oh. My. God!!!

Thought (as a Jew) that I'd be enraged at the anti-Semitic stuff and write SBC an angry letter demanding that he turn in his Jewish creds... But NOW I totally get the joke!!! Yeah, it's kind of creepy to see the kind of stuff people will say when they think it's 'Just Us Bigots,' but WOW was that a funny flick!!!

---Da Sarge

Oh. My. God!!!

Thought (as a Jew) that I'd be enraged at the anti-Semitic stuff and write SBC an angry letter demanding that he turn in his Jewish creds... But NOW I totally get the joke!!! Yeah, it's kind of creepy to see the kind of stuff people will say when they think it's 'Just Us Bigots,' but WOW was that a funny flick!!!

---Da Sarge

I know exactly how you feel ;)
So, apperantly, does Cohen:

From CNN:

"Borat, for example, asserted that Kazakhs are addicted to horse urine, enjoy shooting dogs, view rape and incest as respectable hobbies and are fond of "running of the Jew" festivals. Baron Cohen is a British comedian and observant Jew."

I don't want to disagree with everyone about the "thinly veiled racist" labels for Borat's victims, 'cos some of them clearly are bent, but I did see the film a little differently than most:

I have a very dark, sarcastic sense of humor and I've noticed a lot in real life that when I exercise it, lots of people around me will simply shut down rather than get in my face about being offensive. I believe that most people are so afraid of confrontation that they will literally stand there and let you say the most horrible things with a frozen smile on their face. Maybe 1 in 10 will actually say, "dude, that's harsh" or whatever.

When you watch "Borat", sure there's some real bigots, but I felt that most of those folks were just in shut down mode: Here's this insane foreigner, who smells bad (SBC didn't change that suit at all during the shoot) and who is jabbering away in a thick, almost impenetrable accent, saying things you can't quite grasp, but they sure sound bad...and well...so they smile and nod and some of the more desperate ones maybe even start agreeing...and that's it. Too late. Their confusion and horror has been caught forever on film and is now perceived as tacit approval by the audience.

Look at the faces of those folks that are trapped in the elevator with Borat and the producer during "the fight sequence": That's the social paralysis I'm trying to describe. I think the whole movie thrives on the fact that people are simply too polite. If we lived in a society that was quicker on the draw, I don't think SBC would've gotten away with half his shenanigans.

Just a thought.

"Hand party to Pamela" indeed!

I don't know if "shut down mode" is the right phrase, but I know what you mean and I do think people are either too polite (in that they want to make everybody happy and as you say just start nodding along to whatever they are saying) or too afraid - I mean, here is someone like you said who you can barely understand, saying things that you'd never normally hear, let a lone thought about. You don't want to start a confrontation because you don't know how this person will react - especially in the US. If this guy is willing to say these things out loud which is not socially acceptable, then who knows what else he'll do.

On the flip side were the women that shut him out and walked off as soon as he started on the size of womens brains etc. You'd think that they would have thought this an opportunity to 'educate' this cretin from another country, and yet simply because he was ignorant, they left, without even realy trying to bridge any gap.

Watched it tonight. What amazed me is how many people seemingly "didn't get the joke". I mean, you would think most people would realise they were being "played" at some point. I'm sure there's a whole bunch of ticked-off Holy Rollers out there who are convinced Cohen will burn in a special place in Hell - and not because he's a Jew. And I have to say - the wrestling match between Borat and Azamat is one of the braver things I've seen two actors do. I mean, all Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger had to do was kiss.

This is one of the few movies that had me laugh out loud in the car (by myself) hours later. I expected to hate it.

The expression on GA congressman Bob Barr's face after he samples Borat's "greeting cheese" and is told how it's made is... heh. hee hee... haahahhahahahahahah safe link (http://www.chbn.com/Clip.aspx?key=8BF2D6BFC8CACD0C)

Sure it's a one joke movie, but it's told so well each time.

The other day, I made dinner and showed my wife my "great success" , she responded "High Five!" That is a good woman!