“Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” is a painful depiction of American society at its lowest. The film is the latest release from Sacha Baron Cohen, a comedian and actor known for his over-the-top antics and often controversial films. Cohen portrays overblown stereotypes to reflect social norms and scrutinize the public, recording the reactions of unknowing participants to his outlandish characters.
His most popular film, “Borat” was a massive success and would become a cultural milestone due to its off-color comedy and appallingly accurate depiction of the American public. “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” is shot in a similar style to its predecessor and tackles relevant social issues such as the pandemic and the upcoming election.
The movie opens with Borat Sagdiyev working in a gulag as penance for bringing shame to Kazakhstan with the release of his previous film. He is then given the opportunity to bring glory to the once-great nation of Kazakhstan by delivering a famous monkey to American President Donald Trump and improving relations between the two nations.
However, his plans soon go awry, and he instead chooses to offer his 15-year old daughter as wife to Vice President Mike Pence. As Borat struggles to redeem himself, he lives alongside everyday Americans and explores the violent dichotomy that is modern America.
As with most of Sacha Baron Cohen’s work, “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” is shot in a shaky mockumentary style with a focus on the titular protagonist’s over-the-top antics. The film uses the United States as a backdrop as Borat goes on a literal and metaphorical journey throughout the country.
Although Cohen will always be appreciated for his fantastic character acting, it’s Maria Bakalova’s touching and outrageous portrayal of Borat’s daughter, Tutar Sagdiyev, that lends some much needed emotional weight to the film. In this sense, “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” seems to solve the issue that is pervasive in Cohen’s earlier work—a lack of ethos and compassion within the film.
“Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” is an oddly successful blend of comedy and social commentary. As is expected, the movie does not follow a clear plotline. Although the progression of events can be understood, describing the plot of the film proves to be rather difficult. The tone of the film is one of dedicated satire, to the extent that the audience grows seriously invested in the lives of characters who are little more than outdated stereotypes. This is perhaps a testament to the pathos of Sacha Baron Cohen’s humor or his fine-tuned acting abilities over years of involvement in comedy.
It’s easy to dismiss Cohen’s comedic stylings as discriminatory and vulgar (though they often are), but this knee-jerk reaction denies the social genius of his work in exposing our society’s internalized prejudice towards outsiders. In his films, it is the ordinary citizens who always end up looking the worst.
Borat has always aimed to make you laugh before making you cry, and the second installment in the franchise does this best. “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” unabashedly depicts the darkest facets of American society, from alt-right rallies to predatory politicians in a darkly comedic manner that has become Cohen’s trademark.
Fans of the first film will love Borat Sagdiyev’s latest escapades, and the film has already converted many new fans to the franchise. While the first film was a crude yet socially conscious rough masterpiece, “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” is the refinement of Cohen’s politically-driven mockumentary humor. One of the film’s finest elements is its harsh yet all-too-real commentary on the extent and depth of the division in American society. Though only time will tell, “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” may very well surpass its predecessor.
