I saw "Borat" today and it was hilarious and raucously offensive at every opportunity. Jews (Sasha Baron Cohen is Jewish), Muslims, Pentecostal Christians, Southerners, mid-Westerners, New Yorkers, Californians, third world countries, fat people, gays, blacks, and the mentally retarded all get their turn on the rotiserie. No group is left untouched.
Be clear, this is a movie that will make you cringe at nearly every scene. I spent most of it moaning, "oh no, oh no," and laughing at the same time.
To be fair, not everyone was laughing. Throughout the movie, the woman in the row behind me snored softly with mouth agape. She woke up at the end saying that Borat has such a sweet quality about him, that's why he got away with everything, which is probably true.
I saw a newstory about the guy in the subway scene who was pretty nasty to Borat. He's suing because he says he had no idea he was being filmed and didn't agree to it. I understand that in a public place like a subway there is no expectation of privacy, hence people can take pictures and film with impunity. We'll see what happens.
I will take to my grave images from the single most horrifying and hysterical scene ever filmed of grown men wrestling. Dear god, what we saw! I might have nightmares, but the scene was insanely funny and appalling all at the same time, which pretty much sums up "Borat."
Reading is freedom.
The mind soars, no earthly cares,
no limitations.
A Maggers Haiku, 2005
Years ago my mother used to say to me... "In this world, Elwood, you can be oh so smart or oh so pleasant."
Well, for years I was smart.
I recommend pleasant.
You may quote me.
Elwood P. Dowd