The Diva's review of
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. (2006)

Borat Sagdiyev (Sasha Cohen) is a Kazakhstani TV reporter who has traveled to America and vows to learn and document the American Culture for , as the titles says, “…Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan”. Accompamied by his trusty sidekick and producer, Azamat (Ken Davitian) they start their journey in New York City. After spending a few days there, Borat discovers “Bay Watch” on late night television and becomes obsessed with Pamela Anderson. It is then that he decides that he must go to Los Angeles to meet this beautiful woman.

They buy and ice cream truck,; save a bear; and hit the road. Along the way they stop off in various cities and meet people who are just as “interesting” as they are. He learns slang from some black youth; learns how to poop in the toilet while visiting a preacher; meet some racist and drunk college students; and gets into a naked (completely naked) fight with Azamat. All in the pursuit of “cultural learnings” and Pam Anderson.

Is it all worth it? Does he manage to profess his love for Pam in person?

The Dish

I saw this about 3 or 4 weeks before it came out. It has taken me that long to process this and figure out what to say and I’m not sure that I succeeded. I’ve never been in a situation before when I’ve seen something absolutely brilliant, but was repulsed by it at the same time. How do you reconcile that? On the one hand, I thought it was so disgusting and I totally hated having to witness this stuff. On the other hand, he was so insightful and showed us how warped we are in this country, by showing us doing things that some of us think is normal behavior. But when shown through his eyes, these “normal” actions are just as bad. There are scenes in this movie that are a huge political and religious statement. While in character, Sasha held up a big mirror to our culture and it needed to be done – I just wish he hadn’t been so gross about it. I never will get that nude fight scene out of my head. It’s not that two naked guys were fighting. It’s that one man smooshed his scrotum in another mans face in anger, and up close. I could have lived happily never having seen that..

The Directive

This is the thinking man’s Tom Green and Jackass. Understand that when you go in, you are going to be hit hard with stuff , you probably wish you didn’t have to see.

3BC Ratings