Funny, Awkward, Vile and Offensive.

Borat is the first "Mockumentary" I've seen, i wasn't familiar with the genre, in fact, i think nobody did, my first viewing was maybe in 2009 and this is my second viewing, i'm also not familiar with Sacha Baron, I've seen few interviews by Ali G on YouTube, and i thought it was hilarious, in HUGO he wasn't the same as in Borat, but this is definitely a weird viewing experience, because it was funny, awkward, offensive and vile, all at the same time.

The idea is very original, as it obvious from the title, Borat travels to the United states to learn their culture so maybe he can pass that to his country Kazakhstan, and in the way, he film actual reactions by actual people, although few scenes where not real, like the Pamela Anderson scene, but in general, the scenes where real, which makes it very different from the comedies we watch usually, but that was the point.

Sacha Baron plays the character very well, the look and the thick English accent convinced people that he was real which was the most important part, because with a camera pointed at people, the possibility of this being a prank was high, but his performance convinced them otherwise, in most cases, the movie was really funny, some scenes were really awkward, like the fact that he kissed every guy he met, that feminist meeting was very awkward, but that was the point, to laugh in a awkward matter, some scenes were vile and disgusting, like that nude fight, or at the end of the "sophisticated dinner" scene before they call the police on him and kick him out, but the movie achieved every scene successfully, everything was on the spot.

I do think that the movie was to be comedy and was also to expose, because with that real reactions, so much can be learned here, it showed Americans as being respective to cultures, and they were trying to help him as they can, it showed friendly people, although a lot of men were offended by Borat kissing them, but most of them took it friendly, it showed sexism, those three drunk guys in the van, although, i don't like to judge them because they were drunk and almost wasted, and they only represent themselves, but i do think that national anthem scene was offensive, not singing the national anthem, but that interview done before it, a cowboy guy telling Borat that he should shave his mustache because "he look like a Muslim", and he have seen so many Muslim carrying Bombs, it shows so much ignorance, but let also not judge that person because he was one guy only, what was more offensive, was the crowed cheering for Borat line, "May George Bush drink the blood of every man, woman, and child in Iraq!", that was absolutely disgusting and terrifying to see something like that, but i don't blame the movie for showing that scene, it's a golden footage, exposing what people really thinks, they may not be all people in that town, but there were a lot of people.

Overall, i think it was funny, sometimes more awkward than funny, vile and offensive, however i strongly disagree with the way the movie handle it's participants off-screen, those "Kazakhstan village people", were actually Romanians who have no idea what was going on and were paid dimes for it, that driving instructor had no idea what he was in for, even though telling him won't change his reaction, i do think that all those people should have been informed about it after filming, not lying to them and keeping them completely in the dark, because if they were paid and informed after recording the scenes, none of them would file a lawsuit against this movie, and i do think that it was offensive to Kazakhstan, so after all, it was like telling an offensive joke just to make people laugh, and it did succeed in both.

7/10