Review of Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006) by Leonw. — 06 Sep 2007

There are moments in Borat, such as that rodeo, when you wonder how Cohen managed to escape without being physically assaulted. But it's not just Cohen's daring that makes the film so effective: It is also the character's awe-inspiring oafishness that gives Borat its juice.

Whether he's admiring a Victoria's Secret window display a little too enthusiastically, or engaging in a bout of naked wrestling up and down the halls of a glitzy hotel, Borat is constantly revealing new depths to his aggressive, taboo-smashing cluelessness, which is why the movie never runs out of steam.

It takes some exceptionally intelligent and witty people to make a dumb comedy this funny and perceptive: Borat may be offensive (to some), infantile, but high-brow, but you won't hate yourself in the morning for loving it.