In a movie featuring absurd comedy and bizarre story elements, “Borat” reveals an abundant amount about American politics and the public. Sacha Baron Cohen stars as the titular character, an immigrant hailing from Kazakhstan who goes to the United States to make a documentary. Cohen cleverly uses the character as a vehicle to explore the existing biases, stereotypes and issues within American society. While “Borat” is occasionally a hard watch, as Cohen has no shame in Borat’s actions (including running naked through a conference with real people, not actors), it’s still a hilarious watch with a message that remains relevant.
Borat becomes obsessed with Pamela Anderson’s “Baywatch” character, C.J. Parker. He begins a journey across the country to get to her, only to find himself stuck in various misadventures along the way. Borat doesn’t know anything about American customs or etiquette, so it is up to locals to teach him about the lifestyle, from driving to proper table manners. These moments stand out as particularly hilarious, as Borat continues to shock and confuse the people around him. It’s not only funny, but it also reveals Americans’ unscripted, authentic thoughts and judgments.
Borat is sexist, racist, antisemitic and, overall, a complete bigot. He does not hold back while sharing his views, like when he meets with a panel of feminists and says that women have brains the size of squirrels. Borat shares these views with others in the film, some feeling just as comfortable voicing their own opinions. For example, Borat joins a group of fraternity brothers who concur with him in saying that women should be enslaved. The brothers continue on and say that, in the United States, it’s unfair that “minorities have all the power.”
The context of “Borat” is essential in framing the film: After Sept. 11, 2001, xenophobia toward the Middle East became rampant, and Bush-era American imperialism began to intrude upon daily life. So, while Cohen’s fictional character from Kazakhstan lives an outlandish life and his beliefs feel particularly absurd, he shares his beliefs with many Americans.
“Borat” also reveals the casual racism beneath politeness and American customs. When Borat is at an etiquette dinner with white American southerners, they believe that he can be “Americanized.” However, they call the cops when he invites a Black prostitute in to join them, no longer believing he is capable of assimilation. The scene is hilarious in its absurdity, using social commentary on Southern hospitality to convey its satirical punches. The fact that much of the film is real, not staged, makes it even more impactful; these reactions are horrifyingly genuine.
The film is a masterpiece of satire through its showcasing of real reactions to the bigoted character of Borat. It almost makes the real people look dumber than him as they agree with Cohen’s character’s ridiculous and often offensive opinions. After the film’s release, several people who appeared in it tried to sue or publicly denounced their portrayals. Specifically, two of the frat brothers sued for defamation. But nothing about their portrayals was false — “Borat” had revealed their true opinions, making a spectacular political satire while doing so.
