or to give it it’s full title:
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
Back in 2006, Sacha Baron Cohen took the world by storm when he took his character out on the road around America and caused absolute carnage. A character Cohen had honed back on TV in the UK was given a whole new lease of life on the big screen as the world was introduced to him. A mix of Mockumentary, fly on the wall antics and straight up interviews where unsuspecting Americans just had no idea what they were letting themselves in for, Borat was a moment to behold.
So when just weeks ago it was announced that Cohen had managed to make a sequel, it was “great news” (yeah I just said that in Borat’s accent in my head!)
The problem with a sequel was always going to be the problem Cohen would have with taking his character back out on the streets and not be recognised. This is alluded to fairly early on in the film when he does hit the streets in New York and hidden footage shows him getting chased by people wanting autographs and photos with him. But they get around this fantastically by introducing his 15 year old daughter Tutar, played by Bulgarian actress Maria Bakalova who is the shining light in this film. She picks up exactly what Cohen wants from the whole Undercover Reporter type role he pulled off the first time around. A great baton passed on to Bakalova who carries it well and pulls of some of the most incredible scenes in the film.
The cringeworthy moments are a joy to behold, from the “moon blood dance” to the scene in the Doctors office. Just moments of brilliance where Cohen and the writing team must have been so happy when she pulled those moments off.
The story is nonsense, but they needed to find a way to send Borat back to America, so he is tasked by the Kazakh government with taking a present to Vice President Mike Pence. Naturally this doesnt quite work out as it is planned and the capers with Borat and Tutar begin.
The film switches between scripted moments with the two of them and a few fringe players, to full on undercover moments and real life encounters with real Americans. Mixing with gun-toting Republicans, posh party goers and unsuspecting members of the public, the laughs just start rolling from the very start through to the brilliant ending which literally had my mouth drop open!
Try not to catch any of the spoilers that are about…although I expect some of them are dropped by the filmmakers for publicity anyway.
Sit back and enjoy a very funny film made my comedy geniuses. It just misses out on being a full 5-star film in that there’s a small lull just before the end, mainly brought on by Tutar dropping off a bit of the screen time, but its still amazing.
DaveOnFilm.co.uk 