Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan DVD Mini-Review

Two weeks ago, I got around to renting Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan from my somewhat local Blockbuster. I say somewhat 'cause I have many Blockbuster's to choose from. I have a lot of options. I like options. Makes me feel powerful.

I also like flicks involving dramatic heroism, crap that's epic, and I'm generally not into comedies. Which is why I'm pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, and yes, I'm going to continue typing out its insanely long name and no, I'm actually not cutting and pasting.

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan follows Borat (Sacha Baron Cohen) and his producer Azamat (Ken Davitian) as they travel to New York to film a documentary about American lifestyle. For anyone who's seen Da Ali G Show, you can expect to find the same style of politically incorrect humour here.

Borat is simply lost in great big New York, and it's the "cultural" differences that he plays with upon everyday New Yorkers that are so hilarious. Borat washes his face in the toilet bowl, tries to kiss hello any guy he sees, and gives himself a hand job while admiring lingerie manikins. His foreign "ignorance" is simply the perfect set up for everyone he interacts with as he "innocently" probes them for info and humiliates himself.

Of course once Borat figures out how to watch TV in his hotel room, he ends up catching a marathon of Baywatch and falls in love with Pamela Anderson. After convincing Azamat they need to head to California, Borat takes his documentary on the road and the ultimate quest, to find an marry Pamela.

Of course along the way nothing goes right, and while I'd love to share the hilarious details with you, it'd be way too much of a spoiler if I did. And that is actually the weak point to Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. The laughs from the film are based on its shock value, the fact that you simply can't believe anyone could be acting this way, however once you've seen them, with a few exceptions, you've seen them. The gags loose their potency with each viewing and discussion. It is for this reason that I'm glad I rented the film instead of paying full, overpriced theatre costs last fall.

The DVD features the standard fair of extras, the highlights being several of the deleted scenes (some were great, others cut for good reason), and Borat's own appearances at screenings all over the globe.

So is Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan worth your money? As a rental, yes, as it'll definitely have you laughing. As a purchase, no, as it doesn't have enough re-viewing value. That being said, give it a rent over a weekend and have "a sexy time."