Borat?! Not So Much

I don't go out to the movies that much. Paying $7 for a ticket, then $5 for a thimble of soda and another $8 for popcorn covered in artery clogging butter is not my idea of a good time. Plus, having to get to the theater early to get a good seat, waiting through the commercials and previews and all the ignorant people talking ... there's got to be a better way.

So, although I had heard only good things about Borat when it was in theaters, I never actually went to see it. Plus, I kept getting the feeling that my girlfriend didn't find it the least bit funny, so I figured I'd wait for DVD.

Jump ahead to yesterday, when I sat down to watch what I expected to be a comedic "tour de force." But I have to say I was really disappointed.

I'm a big fan of Sacha Baron Cohen. I think Da Ali G Show is hillarious, and the fact that he is able to show the true nature of many people as homophobic, racist, and just generally bumbling fools is in my opinion brilliant. Calling Andy Rooney a "racialist" ... genius!

But I didn't think that Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan even lived up to any of the past sketches I've seen from Da Ali G Show.

Some people will say that I'm not impressed by much. And to those people I will say ... you're probably right. But when a movie makes $248 Million worldwide, I tend to have high expectations. I mean I assume we're not talking about Wild Hogs here.

It is impressive that Cohen is able to perform as Borat without cracking a smile and making others beleive he is actually Borat, and not someone playing a role. But, much like a skit on Saturday Night Live which is great in it's 2-minute original form but fails as a movie - Borat seems best suited in brief segments. When those segments are surrounded by a flimsy story line, it just falters.

But what do I know. Apparently I hate everything.