Review of Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006) by Ryan N — 09 Oct 2012

Almost surreal in some sequences, Borat is so unbelievable hilarious that it's easy to ignore the very real brilliance below the surface. Four factors came together in Borat to make one of the best films of the decade.

First and foremost: it's the funniest movie I've ever seen. Borat's antics cut straight to the heart of awkwardness, shedding away years of comedic mediocrity with ease and coming forward with a fresh and non-stop approach.

Next is its unbelievable crudeness. All the flaws in our 'morals' and sense of decency are thrust into the limelight by the gleefully politically incorrect Borat, with staggering results.

Third comes the most understated element of the film: its social relevance. Borat brings out the best and the worst of Western society, in places we'd never expect: some of the nastiest people he meets are good ol'-fashioned hot blooded Americans, who parade their homophobic and anti-Semitic views for the world to see. By contrast, one day Borat goes up to a group of young black gangbangers, the very definition of 'trouble' in America, and they're friendly and kind to him. He asks ridiculous questions and they answer cheerfully enough, and this reversal of expectations is all the more effective when we realize that it's all real.

Finally, the element that holds the whole film together: Borat, aka Sacha Baron Cohen. Without his character the whole film would crumble, but he's such a boundless, energetic and truly sympathetic hero that we can't help but love him. He's disgusting and awful, but Cohen brings extraordinary pathos to the character, and he becomes the main contributor the film's watchability.

Borat's gunshot 84 minute runtime is likely to leave you exhausted and more offended than you've ever been in your life, but that's the point: in short, one of the best films of the decade, and one of the most revealing and clear-sighted documentaries of all time, despite being mostly a mockumentary.