Borat
Borat! Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan is a 2006 mockumentary black comedy film directed by Larry Charles, which stars Sacha Baron Cohen as Borat Sagdiyev, a fictional Kazakh journalist traveling through the United States. Much of the film features unscripted vignettes of Borat interviewing and interacting with real-life Americans who believe he is a foreigner with little or no understanding of the local customs. A co-production between the United States and the United Kingdom, Borat is the second of four films built around Baron Cohen's characters from Da Ali G Show and Ali G Indahouse.
Borat was released on 2 November 2006 by 20th Century Fox. The film received critical acclaim, earning $262 million worldwide. Baron Cohen won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, while the film was nominated for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. Borat also received Academy Award and WGA Award nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay. Controversy surrounded the film prior to its release, and after the film's release, some participants spoke against, and even sued, its creators. It was denounced by the Kazakh government and was banned in almost all Arab countries except for Lebanon, though it later was embraced by the Kazakh government in tourism campaigns. Borat has since been regarded as one of the greatest comedy films of the 2000s and 21st century.
A sequel, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, followed in 2020.
Plot
At the behest of the Kazakh Ministry of Information, reporter Borat Sagdiyev leaves Kazakhstan to make a documentary about American society and culture. Leaving behind his wife Oksana, and accompanied by his producer Azamat Bagatov, and a pet chicken, Borat departs for the "US and A", the "Greatest Country in the World."In New York City, Borat watches an episode of Baywatch and becomes infatuated with Pamela Anderson's character, C. J. Parker. While interviewing and mocking a panel of feminists, he learns of the actress's name and her residence in California. Borat is then informed by telegram that a bear has killed Oksana. Delighted, he resolves to travel to California and make Anderson his new wife. Azamat insists that they drive because of his fear of flying, which stems from believing the September 11 attacks were "the work of the Jews". Borat takes driving lessons and buys an old ice cream truck for the journey.
During the trip, Borat acquires a Baywatch booklet and continues gathering footage for his documentary. He meets gay pride parade participants, politicians Alan Keyes and Bob Barr, and African-American youths. Borat is also interviewed on a local television station and disrupts the weather report. Visiting a rodeo in Virginia, Borat excites the crowd with jingoistic remarks but then sings a fictional Kazakhstani national anthem to the tune of "The Star-Spangled Banner", receiving a strong negative reaction.
In Atlanta, Borat finds a hotel but is kicked out when he offends the front desk worker by talking and dressing like the African-American youths he met earlier. Staying at a bed and breakfast, Borat and Azamat are stunned to learn their hosts are Jewish. The two escape after throwing money at two woodlice, believing they are their hosts transformed. Borat attempts to buy a handgun to defend himself but is turned away because he is not an American citizen, so he buys a bear instead.
An etiquette coach suggests Borat attend a private dinner at an eating club in the South. During the dinner, he offends the other guests when he lets Luenell, an African-American prostitute, into the house, and as a result, they are both kicked out. Borat befriends Luenell, who invites him into a relationship with her but tells her he is in love with someone else. Borat then visits an antique shop, where he clumsily breaks various Confederate heritage items.
At a hotel, Borat sees Azamat masturbating over a picture of Pamela Anderson and inadvertently reveals his real motive for traveling to California. Azamat becomes livid at Borat's deception, and the situation escalates into a nude brawl, which spills out into the hallway, a crowded elevator, and then into a packed convention ballroom.
Azamat abandons Borat, taking his passport, their money, and the bear. Borat's truck runs out of fuel, and he begins to hitchhike to California. He is soon picked up by drunken fraternity brothers from the University of South Carolina. On learning the reason for his trip, they show him the Pam and Tommy sex tape, which reveals that she is not a virgin. Despondent, Borat burns the Baywatch booklet and, by mistake, his return ticket to Kazakhstan.
Borat attends a United Pentecostal camp meeting, at which Republican U.S. Representative Chip Pickering and Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice James W. Smith Jr. are present. He undergoes a religious conversion to Christianity and forgives Pamela. He accompanies church members on a bus to Los Angeles and soon finds Azamat dressed as Oliver Hardy. They reconcile, and Azamat tells Borat where to find Pamela Anderson. Borat finally comes face-to-face with Anderson at a book signing at a Virgin Megastore. After showing Anderson his "traditional marriage sack", Borat pursues her throughout the store in an attempt to abduct her, until security guards intervene.
Borat visits Luenell, and they return to Kazakhstan together. They bring several American customs and traditions back to his village, including the apparent conversion of the people to Christianity and the introduction of computer-based technology, such as iPods, laptop computers, and high-definition television.
Cast
- Sacha Baron Cohen as Borat Sagdiyev, a fictional Kazakh journalist, distinguished by exaggeratedly strong antisemitism, sexism, and antiziganism, which is depicted as apparently the norm in his homeland. Borat was originally created as a character for Da Ali G Show and appeared in every episode of the show, along with a cameo in the film spin-off.
- Ken Davitian as Azamat Bagatov, the producer of Borat's documentary. Azamat was a new character created for the film.
- Luenell as Luenell the prostitute; first seen when Borat calls her to come to the Southern dinner. She later returns with Borat to Kazakhstan and the two wed.
- Pamela Anderson as herself; she plays a central role in the film as the reason for the journalist's cross country journey. She also appears in person at the end of the film, in a botched abduction attempt by Borat for marriage.
- When Borat seeks advice from an etiquette coach, he goes on to show nude photos of Huey Lewis Sagdiyev, his allegedly teenaged son. These photos actually show porn star Brittany CoxXx, who was chosen because producers were seeking "someone who would look 13 or 14 but was actually of legal age and would do frontal nudity".
- Politicians Alan Keyes and Bob Barr appear in the film as two of Borat's interviewees.
Production
Principal photography was underway in January 2005, with Todd Phillips as the director. Baron Cohen caused a near riot in what ultimately was the rodeo scene in the final cut of the film. Phillips left the production after filming of the rodeo scene due to creative differences with Baron Cohen, and Larry Charles stepped in to direct. In Charles' version of the film, the character of Azamat was added. An interview with Baron Cohen by Rolling Stone indicated that more than 400 hours of footage had been shot for the film.