I decided tonight was the best time to definitely watch Borat and get something for class out of the way. I know I've stated that I'm excited to watch new films all the time, but this time I was a little weary. Since it came out in 2006, Borat is one of those films that has been polarized by its viewership. Either you loved it or hated it, with no middle ground to speak of. When I first heard of Borat, I thought I would hate it (come on, you know there are those films that automatically look awful, Paparazzi being a prime example) Lucky, I was totally wrong.
The experience in watching Borat was interesting to say the least. The opening scenes in Kazakhstan were interesting to watch, though I laughed myself silly watching the Running of the Jew (an inside joke that I've started with a Jewish member of my fraternity). The scenes in Kazakhstan were most certainly staged, but from what I've heard, many of the scenes within the movies were done with real people and many of the reactions gained by Sacha Baron Cohen are priceless, whether it be the kissing of men or the confusion over what to do with bodily waste. My favorite moment within that film had to be the insurance conference were both Borat and his companion end up battling naked (still mystified how they didn't get arrested for that stunt).
Borat's "documentary" into American culture is certainly worth a watch, especially for the puzzlement of those watching the events unfold. Sometimes real reactions are more priceless then those that are staged, especially by rednecks at dinner or at rodeos. The understanding of cultures other then of are own is not Americans' strong suits, and this movie definitely shows it.
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I agree, I was hesitant to watch the movie as well because of some of my friends comments that they either thought it was a waste of time, or it was their favorite movie of all time. Ridiculous movies usually do not interest me, but after giving it a chance I really found it thought-provoking and aboslutely hilarious at the same time.
ReplyDeleteI just am left with one question-HOW the HELL did they not end up getting arrested for half of the things that they did on film? Everything for grabbing body parts, hiring hookers, and running naked through a coporate conference. It was unbelievably entertaining, but I couldn't help but wonder about the logistics of the filming and the permissions they had to get to tape the outrageous things they did.
As much as I enjoyed this film and agree with you on how you understood the film, I question the legitimacy of some of these "real" reactions. Some of these events seemed a bit staged to me. I am not sure if it is because I am a cynical bastard and I just cannot let anything be what everyone wants it to be, but I think I got a little bit of a Blair Witch vibe from portions of this film. I just don't see how some of the reactions people had to him were entirely real. I do wish that there was some was some way to find out for sure if this was 100% real people's reactions, or if they threw in a few false ones that they hoped people would just not notice amongst the group. Maybe I am totally wrong, but I just don't know for sure. Let It Be Known.
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