Saw the Borat movie on Friday and I hated it. I realize that I’m well in the minority here, but the movie wasn’t funny, it was mean. (Spoilers ahead.)
He gets a rodeo crowd so riled up that it spooks the horse the flag-bearer is riding. The horse then rears up and falls over backward on top of her.
He pretends to be converted to Christianity and mocks the people speaking in tongues who believe he’s being born again at their revival.
He breaks several hundred dollars worth of antiques at a mom-and-pop store.
He attends an etiquette class followed by dinner in a private home. His hostess is so kind that she gives him a patient lesson in how to use the toilet when he brings a sack of feces to her dinner table, pretending to be unsure of where to dispose of it. Then he invites a prostitute over.
There’s also lots of naked wrestling with an obese man.
Overall, it’s about as amusing as walking in on your parents having sex. Enjoy, America.
Mighty Girl 
Thank you. I didn’t like it one bit and was upset at wasting that much time out of my day. It actually left me in a bad mood. All these great reviews and news stories and I go see the movie and I keep waiting for it to be really funny, not just a little funny, or 13-yr-old-appeal funny. I was not the right audience for the movie and I know better. I guess that’s what upset me the most. I knew better and wasted the time and money anyway. I don’t even mind the Borat character or the movie concept. I just didn’t laugh, and supposedly I was at the “funniest movie of the year.”
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I have no desire to see this movie. I have a hard time understand why someone would, but, whatever. There is an audience for everythinbg. I am just blown away by how serious people are taking it. Did you see the morning news circuit? Color me confused.
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me no like either. although he’s very popular here. masses of coverage in papers and weekend magazines etc. it’s quite beyond me.
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I haven’t seen the movie yet, but watched and usually greatly enjoyed the Borat show on TV when I was living in England. Like Jason Parker and Goddess in the City, I think Sacha Baron Cohen is very skilled at getting people to admit what they really think (and it seems sometimes they won’t even admit to themselves) and it often results in great satire.
The bits of the movie Maggie objects to do sound mean (especially the horse falling) but I disagree strongly with Scott that “hypocrisies need only be revealed among friends. (public figures excluded of course)” People tend to be friends because they have similar world views, which makes it unlikely they’ll examine any hypocrisy or inconsistent inherent in those views. Hypocrisy and bigotry are at least as bad as rudeness and meanness in my book. Admittedly, I also think two wrongs don’t make a right, so I’m a hypocrite too.
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I ride horses, and having a horse flip over on top of you is pretty much the worst thing that can happen. I’m definitely not going to see the movie.
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I think a lot of you, including Maggie, might be missing the point of Borat. It’s not so much about cultural differences, prejudice, or Americanism. And secretly, it’s not even a comedy. This movie is about cognitive disruption. Your strong reactions, pro and con, only serve to make you part of the joke.
Think about it. This man stood alone, in a rodeo full of noisy people and powerful animals, and using only the power of his own voice, HE KNOCKED DOWN A HORSE. This is no joke, people. This is raw power. So don’t get too comfortable as you blithely comment about getting the joke or as you condescendingly dismiss the sophomoric cruelty.
What you’re feeling is subtle cognitive dissonance. But don’t feel bad, Borat is a very powerful man. People smarter then you have fallen for his mischevious tricks. Take one step back and you can see it for what it is, cognitive disruption. This is just a very subtle version of a cartoon Mohammed.
And THAT’s funny. 🙂
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I ride horses too and I was horrified of the clip I saw. I’m glad to see so many with proven senses of humor find this movie brain-killing stupid and cruel.
There’s a line with everything, humor is no different. You go right up to that line, I’ll laugh, you cross it and it’s over. Then you’re just an asshole.
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Thank you! I haven’t seen the movie because the previews repulsed me. I am glad I am not alone with this as I see many of your commenters feel that same way. Plus I am not into the whole mean humor thing. It’s asinine and I want it to go away.
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@Dave: Are you serious? Can someone explain WHY my disllike of “sophomoric cruelty” makes ME the asshole? There are more ways than being openly rude to satirize people’s unconscious bigotry.
I don’t mind a sack of feces, insult humor, bad language, cultural criticism, or bad moustaches, but humiliating people through deceit is wrong.
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I agree.
I had maybe two or three laughs the whole movie. The rest of the time I just wanted to go sneak into whatever was playing in the screening room next to me. I think I laughed more at my husband than anything else.
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