Borat Subsequent Moviefilm Review
Once every few years, you come across a piece of media that defies societal norms, causing us to think about how our country got to this point and how we can get out of it, sparking constant discussions about what needs to change and how we can continue to live in a time like this if nothing can be done. That piece of media is The Social Dilemma. And somewhere else on that list — probably — is Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, the sequel to 2006’s Borat.
For those of you who are unfamiliar, Borat is a character created by talented actor and comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. In his first escapade, he traveled across the U.S. of A. as a fake news reporter from the country of Kazakhstan making a documentary to show to his nation and unintentionally (for the character, not the film itself) causing loads of mayhem and embarrassment. About 90% of the film is unscripted, as Cohen wanted to capture the spirit of America in all of its (former) glory, pranking real citizens, and making everyone extremely confused and uncomfortable. For the past few months, Cohen has been making appearances at Republican rallies and sighted on the streets of Texas dressed as Borat. The entire population began speculating that a sequel was in the works, and indeed it was.
In this sequel, he returns to America to formally apologize on behalf of his nation. When his apology gift for Vice President Mike Pence is eaten by his daughter Tutar (Maria Bakalova), Borat makes the decision to give her away to Pence to be his wife. The two of them travel across the country, learning all about what’s changed in the past fourteen years, hanging out with QAnon theorists, attending balls, and other things that I won’t spoil.
However, there is one scene that has caused quite a bit of controversy over the past few days. In said scene, former mayor of New York City and President Trump’s attorney Rudy Giuliani is interviewed by a reporter and then taken to a bedroom where he lays on a bed and puts his hand down his pants. After the film was released, he denied all sexual accusations and insisted that he “was tucking in [his] shirt after taking off the recording equipment.”
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm once again depicts the most realistic interpretation of America today, forcing a lightning-bolt reminder that we as a country decide how we want ourselves to be seen, whether they be as heroes or as monsters. It’s also hilarious, and the scripted parts give us heartwarming and stellar performances from Cohen and Bakalova. All in all, it is indeed “great success.”
GRADE: A+
