Borat

Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen
Directed by: Larry Charles
My rating: Over the Counter

As far as mockumentary's go, I'm not really a big fan. Usually I find them so absurd and full of dry humor that I find my mind wandering out of boredom. Still, being a fan of Da Ali G show, and laughing at many trailers for this film, I decided to see Borat opening weekend.

This is definitely mockumentary at it's best. At a running time of only 1 hour 24 minutes it's short enough for my attention span and does not linger on too many jokes unnecessarily. Unfortunately, it's short running time also means that you may have seen many of the clean jokes already in the previews. Still, there are plenty of naughty scenes that cannot be spoiled because of their obscene nature and that are genuinely hilarious.

Of course, some of the film is staged for the purpose of story-telling and you are left wondering how much of it is "real." Borat at a proper southern dinner though was the highlight of the film for myself because it was so obviously not staged that I squirmed with embarrassment. Discomfort at it's best!

This brand of humor is not for everyone but if you enjoy shows like Jackass, The Dave Chapelle Show, and even sketch comedy like MadTV or SNL, than I suggest you hit the matinee for the film. I don't think it is worth a full-admission ticket but if you need a laugh you can find it here.