I haven’t seen Borat yet but I intend to. I have seen the character on the Da Ali G. show so I am familiar with him and of course I have already seen various clips online. In addition I have read many reviews of the movie.
In fact I was a bit surprised by how favorable the reviews were. I had suspected that the critics were going to savage the movie.
Many of them use terms that suggest that this is very sophisticated social satire and some have lauded the brilliance of the film.
Call me a spoilsport, but I worry that the very people whose prejudice and bigotry is being lampooned will not understand the joke and instead may appreciate hearing the validation of their bigoted views.
Just my two cents.
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CM,
Me too.
Elie,
I hope that you are right.
There were the same complaints a generation ago about “All In The Family” – that bigots in the audience were laughing with Archie, not at him. Yet the vast majority of critics and fans alike saw the show for what it was meant to be; a satire and critique of bigotry. I think time has definitely validated that view.
Probably will rent it…because so far, I haven’t seen a great movie in the theatre, yet, this year.
Leaf,
That is in line with what I have heard.
Stace,
I am not surprised.
Free,
You may be right.
Q,
I agree that it is a legitimate and an honorable approach. I am just torn about it.
Satire is an old and honourable way of communicating serious social commentary. Yeah, some people won’t get it. It’s still a legitimate approach.
Not that I’ve seen the movie … don’t know whether I will, but some of the scenes sound like they’re pretty darned funny.
Although Sacha Baron Cohen can be very funny, His new Borat film is fist bitingly uncomfortable.
Mostly he just abuses the trust of nice, but naive people in his film.
It aint that good!
Not my kind of movie. Would rather see The Departed, The Queen and Marie Antoinette.
Best reviewed movie of the year. But you are right, its often very very sad. The audience will laugh and will love it because they are in on the joke. But those in the film that don’t flinch at Borat’s sexist or racist views will never think twice about what they said or did. It appears at a few times in the movie that the people he comes into contact with actually initiate some of the racist speech.