Hey, everyone. ”Moriarty” here. I just got in from a midnight show of BORAT at The Bridge, where I appeared immediately afterwards on an episode of G4’s ATTACK OF THE SHOW that will air Friday night at 7 PM EST. I’ll say this: I am exhausted. And not just because I spent the entire day leading up to the screening on the move, either. Director Larry Charles has made a punishing comedy film, and it doesn’t remotely surprise me that some people hate this movie. This is comedy at its ugliest, and as hard as I laughed, I also think it is an angry, even scathing film. Sacha Baron Cohen is undeniably talented, and I think he’s what would happen if you put Peter Sellers and Andy Kaufman in the Brundlechamber. But satire this pointed has never really played to the mainstream, and I don’t think this is going to be the moment when it starts. This is a smart film, but I think many people will miss the point, and I think there’s a chance the film will play to the worst instincts in some audiences. But enough from me. Here’s MiraJeff with his report from the premiere of the film:
Greetings AICN, MiraJeff here with a look at For Your Consideration...NOT! As I was on my way to see the latest Christopher Guest rib-tickler, I got invited to a far more anticipated gut-buster. A little movie the government of Kazakhstan did not want me to see. That's right, I hustled over to the premiere of one of the most talked about films of the year, Borat: Cultural Learnings of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. Whew, that's a mouthful. But then again, that's how Borat’s sister likes it, considering she is proud of being 4th best prostitute in all of Kazakhstan. To perfectly honest, I wasn’t really a fan of Borat before I saw the movie. I’ve seen a few episodes of Da Ali G Show but it seemed too hit-and-miss to me at the time and I was probably a hair too young to fully appreciate it. Sometimes the character strikes me as too stupid and juvenile to really be taken seriously, like the sort of wacky European 3rd world stereotype that a high school kid would think up. He just wasn’t all that impressive a creation to me. Cohen says the character is based on an unintentionally hilarious Russian doctor he once met. But truth be told, Borat is the funniest movie of the year, hands down, no question. Is it the funniest movie of all-time? I don’t think so but I suppose there will be some who do. To be fair, I can’t really remember laughing as hard at anything in the theater over the past ten years. I mean, think about how few films really made you laugh your ass off. Since 1997, I’d say my list looks like: There’s Something About Mary, Office Space, American Pie, Wedding Crashers, The 40 Year-Old Virgin, The Full Monty, Wet Hot American Summer, and the first Austin Powers. Sure there have been plenty of other funny movies, but I think all of those qualify as comic classics that earn consistent laughs. Humor-wise, Borat is equally groundbreaking, but he strikes me as too much of a cult character, an ignorant misfit who seems most likely to be appreciated by the enlightened minority. He’s too dangerous for mass public consumption, and as good as Borat is, I’ll be very interested to see how it performs at the box office. I think if it performs as well as the Jackass films have, it has to be considered a success, considering Jackass had the benefit of a much larger television audience than Ali G and its frat-boy stunts are inherently more “commercial” and ready for dumbed-downed Middle America’s consumption than Borat’s quirky, politically-inflammatory sensibilities. I mean, no matter what, whether Fox decided to released it wide or platform, it will at the very least triple its $12 million budget, which means it is pretty much a guarantee that it will outperform School For Scoundrels, the movie Todd Phillips wound up directing after walking away from this film after conceiving the story with Cohen and screenwriters Anthony Hines and Peter Baynham. The script is also credited to Dan Mazer who just got hired to write New Year’s Steve. Plus the film is directed by Seinfeld vet Larry Charles and produced by Austin Powers director Jay Roach. So Cohen definitely had a lot of really funny, talented people helping him bring his unique vision to the screen, plus the support of the studio and a dedicated crew who shot in Romania in less than ideal conditions and also had to keep a straight face during filming to maintain Borat’s charade. I suppose it would be appropriate to anoint Sacha Baron Cohen a comedic genius whose singular brilliance rivals fellow Jew Jerry Seinfeld, if only because the man has already been offered 42.5 million for his next movie before his first one has even come out. Not to mention it’s about a gay German fashionista, who might have even less commercial appeal than Borat. One thing is certain; Cohen is certainly having a moment. The guy has the admiration of critics and peers alike, a studio in the palm of his hand, a hot, funny girlfriend (Isla Fisher) and a real 70’s-style mustache that rivals Harry Reams’ French tickler. If you have any doubts about seeing Borat, you should know that there is one scene that is guaranteed to deliver your money’s worth. It involves a nude chase where string bean Borat runs from hefty sidekick/producer Azamat (a hilariously deadpan Ken Davitian). Some parts cross and it is virtually impossible not to laugh. The scene clearly demonstrates that Cohen is an artist willing to sacrifice for his art. The very stupid people who refused to see Brokeback Mountain should probably be advised to stay home, because you see enough of Azamat to give you nightmares for about a week. The set pieces are all memorable, but the ones that take the cake, for various reasons, are Borat’s crappy dinner with a preacher and his friends, Borat bringing out Texan racism before mangling the national anthem at a rodeo, an interview with three older feminists, and hysterical bits about rape, Jews hatching, and overweight black prostitutes. And I haven’t even mentioned the main plot, which follows Borat’s attempts to track down Pamela Anderson after seeing her breasts bounce like beach balls on an episode of Baywatch. Anderson’s reaction to the film’s climax seems pretty damn real and honestly I’m not so sure she’s a good enough actress to pull off faking it, but there is definitely stuff in here that blurs the line between what is improvised and what is scripted. For instance, most of the stuff with the prostitute feels too on the money to be “real.” But figuring out what’s written and what isn’t is simply speculation and frankly detracts from the enjoyment of the movie. Who cares if it’s a documentary or a mockumentary or a straight-up narrative? It’s fuckin’ funny, and funny is money, and money is the bottom line. I think you guys have gotten the point by now. Borat is the shit. Sacha Baron Cohen is the man. And this movie is hilarious. See it this weekend and then tell a friend. You won’t be disappointed. That’ll do it for me, folks. I’ll be back next week with a look at Fur, Bobby, Harsh Times and The Host, plus a slew of other reviews. God bless this time of year, I love it. ‘Til next time, this is MiraJeff signing off… email me here!
