WHO MADE IT? | Director: Larry Charles Cast: Sacha Baron Cohen WHAT'S IT ABOUT? | In this documentary style movie, Sacha Baron Cohen's creation, spoof Kazakh journalist Borat Sagdiyev, leaves his Kazakh village, after a huge send off, to go to the US and A (as he calls it) to learn lessons from the Americans. Accompanied by his scarily grumpy producer Azamat Bagatov, he begins his journey in New York but when he falls head over heels for Pamela Anderson. He decides to go in search of his true love in California, in an ice cream van. Going cross country through the deep south he leaves a wake of havoc and confusion on his mission to reach his holy grail. | WHAT'S IT LIKE? | Borat is jaw dropping, inflammatory, outrageous and manages to insult every group possible but more importantly he's upset the government of Kazakhstan, giving him and his film the notoriety and world wide publicity that money cannot buy. Why has he enraged Kazakhstan's rulers? Because he portrays Kazakhs as anti-Semitic, misogynists and rapists. Borat is a fictional character but he meets real people in real situations on his journey across America exposing their prejudices, racial and sexist views. It's the U.S. that is held up to ridicule not Kazakhstan. In fact, Kazakhstan should thank Borat and give him their highest honour for putting the country on the map. As for the film, it's the funniest movie I have seen all year. I cried with laughter at Borat's increasingly outrageous behaviour and the hysterical and at times frightening reactions and consequences it sparked. You know it's offensive and not political correct but you can't help yourself. From Borat's attempts to introduce himself to strangers on the New York underground by kissing them on the cheek European style and watching their looks of horror, to singing the Kazakh national anthem to the tune of the American anthem at a rodeo, where by the end hundreds of people want to lynch him. One of the most jaw dropping moments though is when he goes into a gun shop and asks what's the best weapon to kill a Jew with and the shop keeper, without hesitation, recommends a 9 mm or a 45. Sacha Baron Cohen has guts. I am surprised he emerged from the U.S. alive. There were moments where it looked like it was touch and go. He is also Jewish which is why he can just about get away with the anti-Semitic comments. But like Ali G, Borat is a one trick pony. Now he has blown his anonymity worldwide, no doubt this is the beginning of the end for this character. But what a blaze of glory to go out on. This is a must see movie. | Borat opens nationwide 3 November 2006
