I went to see Borat tonight at the Beltsville theater. I was suprised at how diverse the crowd was. I just figured it would be some college kid Ali G fans, but there were young and old, black and white, latino girls and boys, and even a very - I mean VERY old hippie couple.
Overall, the movie was insanely hilarious. I was laughing so hard (while shaking my head in total disbelief) that I could hardly breathe.
If you can imagine any form of offense or shock, this movie has got it:
Nudity
Racism (real and mocked)
Sexism
Nationalism
Religious bigotry
Bathroom unpleasentries
Gender mockery
Breaking things (yes, plenty more than just in the antique shop)
Attacking people violently
Scary animals
Jokes about the handicapped
Cursing
and worst of all: Frat boys.
Oh, the frat boys!
Look, I know that they're suing THREE publishers for their appearance in this movie, which they claim was a display of behavior that would not have occured otherwise, but I mean, who CARES about OTHERWISE? Would anyone you know say things like that even at their most drunk or manipulated? No, of course not. And that is why this scene is so totally scary and offensive (and not in the hilarious and cute Borat sort of way).
I am about to give the dialogue of my favorite scene, so BEWARE if you haven't seen the movie, this may ruin the scene for you.
Borat tells his driver/producer to pull over (somewhere in the mid-west) to a yard sale. Borat wants to "break the curse" of their unlucky trip by collecting a "gypsy's" tears. Borat jumps out of the icecream truck that they've been traveling in and runs up to the woman running her yard sale.
Borat: Hello, Gypsy. May I have your tears?
Woman: I am not a gypsy. I am a mid-western farmer's daughter.
Borat: But you are a gypsy and you have all of these treasures (looks around at boxes full of junk on the ground).
Woman: I am not a gypsy...
Borat: (picking a barbie doll out of a box) Who is this lady you have shrunk? Do not shrink me!
(Woman picks up anyother doll to show him, seemingly mildly accepting of her new identity as a gypsy)
Borat: I need your tears. If you do not give them to me, I will take them!
Woman: I am not a gypsy- this is a yard sale.
Borat: Okay, Gypsy. May I look on your treasures? I am going to look on your treasures- is that okay?
(Borat goes over to boxes and starts to look in carefully)
Woman: Yes.
Oh, gosh. Its just so funny. I can't say anymore. You just have to go see it- and in the THEATERS! Because it is so communal and funny. Way better than having people gathered around the computer in your apartment watching 3 minute Borat sketches.
-Shorty
