High five

Finally, I cleared some time to see the movie everyone is talking about, "Borat". Before I begin, I must say that I am a Sacha Baron Cohen fan. Although his show and movie are extremely controversial, and I do not agree with the material that he presents, I feel that he exposes views that many in our country deny exist. Hatred is ramped in our country, and Cohen is on a mission to demonstrate it. He uses fictitious characters to expose these stereotypes that do exist readily in our society. While doing the unscripted interviews, Cohen’s targets express their feelings and true annoyances of the people and society around them. Most of them are quite revealing and extremely shocking.

Many people look at Cohen as being the one with the lack of acceptance for those around him. However, his characters are only acting as catalysts to show people’s true feelings and beliefs. Most people who see Cohen in action are highly offended, which I can clearly see why. If the movie and his show are taken at face value, they are extremely crude and offensive. But, with a little research and time, one will clearly see what Cohen is trying to achieve. To truly understand his purpose, one must know all the facts. He does not share the views of his characters. For example, Cohen was raised in an Orthodox Jewish family, and it is reported that he is still an observant Jew. He only uses his Borat character to expose people’s hatred towards his own self and culture.

As for the movie, I will only give it one thumb up. Too much of it seemed scripted, and there were some overly crude elements that I felt pushed it too far. The actual interviews and interactions with the public were great, like always. If you are regular Ali G, Borat, or Bruno watcher, you will like the movie. If you go into the movie and take it for face value, it will be a horrible experience. However, if you can look past the crude elements, and focus on the revealing thoughts and beliefs that our society exhibits, it will be an eye opener for you.

Jason