Aah, how times have changed. Nearly 15 years ago, Sacha Baron Cohen's Khazakh mysogynistic journalist Borat Sagdiyev was raving across the United States roasting every single person and ethnic group he could find. Perhaps he thought a movie like that would not spin in today's world--but if he really wanted it, he definitely could've done it.
The reason is different.
With 2020's significant historical events both natural and political, a character like Borat--who taunts politics and political correctness alike at every turn--hits close to home. So, there is a responsibility for Cohen to shift his character towards more just causes--from "wear mask save live" to realizing that women should actually not live in cages but be equal--shocking!--Borat is a changed man and only for the better even if that mean tossing aside that crude but effective humor that made him a household name.
Borat starts hid misadventure in his home country of Khazakstan--where they speak Bulgarian, Romanian and Hebrew, go figure--and is on a mission to make amends with the US by delivering to those rich, white men the thing they desire the most--a young girl, possibly underage. This is where his daughter, Tutar, comes in. She is simply put feminine Borat--except she lives in a cage which she considers normality. Bulgarian Maria Bakalova, though, is a revelation. Her upstart performance rivals that of Cohen in both bluntness and brutishness. She was, in fact, so self-degrading that at times I felt bad for such a talented actress but that only goes to show what a fine job she was doing.
But, of course, generational issues are not first-world countries specific, so soon enough both her and Borat learn valuable lessons about basic human rights. This is where the movie changes and does something that we would've never expected from a raunchy-comedy artist like Cohen--it tosses the humor aside. The fact that such basic civilized behavior and principles needed to be reminded makes this a sad year. Still, the fact that they come from someone like Borat Sagdiyev makes it even more ironic but also hopeful. It had to be done by him, the opportunity was obvious and the impact has huge potential.
The reason is different.
With 2020's significant historical events both natural and political, a character like Borat--who taunts politics and political correctness alike at every turn--hits close to home. So, there is a responsibility for Cohen to shift his character towards more just causes--from "wear mask save live" to realizing that women should actually not live in cages but be equal--shocking!--Borat is a changed man and only for the better even if that mean tossing aside that crude but effective humor that made him a household name.
Borat starts hid misadventure in his home country of Khazakstan--where they speak Bulgarian, Romanian and Hebrew, go figure--and is on a mission to make amends with the US by delivering to those rich, white men the thing they desire the most--a young girl, possibly underage. This is where his daughter, Tutar, comes in. She is simply put feminine Borat--except she lives in a cage which she considers normality. Bulgarian Maria Bakalova, though, is a revelation. Her upstart performance rivals that of Cohen in both bluntness and brutishness. She was, in fact, so self-degrading that at times I felt bad for such a talented actress but that only goes to show what a fine job she was doing.
But, of course, generational issues are not first-world countries specific, so soon enough both her and Borat learn valuable lessons about basic human rights. This is where the movie changes and does something that we would've never expected from a raunchy-comedy artist like Cohen--it tosses the humor aside. The fact that such basic civilized behavior and principles needed to be reminded makes this a sad year. Still, the fact that they come from someone like Borat Sagdiyev makes it even more ironic but also hopeful. It had to be done by him, the opportunity was obvious and the impact has huge potential.