Does Borat make you cringe?

[Fitswimmer]

I know the movie is making crazy money, but the whole thing just makes me cringe. I understand that it's satire and that the actor doesn't believe all the stuff he's saying but what about the audience? Does everybody really get the joke or are there people there that agree with Borat about Jews, women, and foreigners? Is he unwittingly supporting prejudice?

 

[Chuck S]

I have no desire to see this movie. I think that vast majority of the audience understands it is a satire, but like with everything, there will be a few that take it literally...of course, they will be a vocal few that site this movie as "proof" for their narrow minded agendas.

 

[orljustin]

I haven't seen it, but from what I am told, the funny part is not that he is making fun of people, but allowing people the chance to revel in their ... inadequacies.

ie, he isn't supporting prejudice, he is revealing it.

 

[mjkacmom]

I haven't seen it, but from what I am told, the funny part is not that he is making fun of people, but allowing people the chance to revel in their ... inadequacies.

ie, he isn't supporting prejudice, he is revealing it.

Exactly. I saw the movie, and it was hysterical. I've heard that he is actually a devout Jew. He's not making fun of Jews, women, homosexuals, etc., he's making fun of people who hate them.

 

[Bichon Barb]

I haven't seen it, but from what I am told, the funny part is not that he is making fun of people, but allowing people the chance to revel in their ... inadequacies.

ie, he isn't supporting prejudice, he is revealing it.

Exactly!

I took my 13 year old son to see it. I thought it opened up a great opportunity to talk to him about how idiotic and ignorant racism and bigotry are. He also got to see what happens when "young scholars" drink too much.

Was I a bit embarrassed during certain parts of movie? Sure was.

 

[cardaway]

Peronally I don't buy the whole idea that he is supporting prejudice. In the case of most of these racists and bigots, the only way see their real beliefs is to catch them with their guard down. Most of these people have been trained really well what to say and do when they are out in public.

 

[amy4bruce]

Yes, some of it is cringe inducing, but it's not Baron Cohen, it's the people he's interviewing. They are real, he's not.

As far as others using it to prove their bigoted points, the only way to eliminate that is to never say anything.

 

[XYSRUS]

You're missing it! He's letting everyone else make fools of themselves by revealing their prejudices, racism and such!

 

[apirateslifeforme]

The only thing that makes me cringe is that ubiquitous picture of him wearing the lime green around-the-neck banana hammock

 

[smartestnumber5]

I think there's always the risk of prejudiced people not getting that they are the joke and instead taking the movie as reinforcing their beliefs. But that's also a risk that lots of comedians and television shows--pretty much anyone who does satire--takes as well.

I liked the movie and laughed a lot but I was a little disappointed. I kind of felt like the movie was a little bit dumbed down compared to the Ali G show. There was a lot of gross out humor--which I find pretty funny--but I would have liked more satire and less gross out stuff. I think it might be because on the shwo he has the three characters and Borat is the only one who really does gross out stuff. Actually the things racist/sexist/anti-Semetic people said in the movie seemed kind of tame compared to things I had seen on the show and he didn't really sustain the ridicule like he often did in the show.

 

[Fitswimmer]

I think there's always the risk of prejudiced people not getting that they are the joke and instead taking the movie as reinforcing their beliefs.

That's what makes me cringe. I can just see people coming out of there going "Smart guy. Says all the stuff I wish I could say!"

My hope is that it debunks more prejudice than it reinforces.

 

[HomeSweetDisney]

I think there's always the risk of prejudiced people not getting that they are the joke and instead taking the movie as reinforcing their beliefs. But that's also a risk that lots of comedians and television shows--pretty much anyone who does satire--takes as well.

ITA. Yes, there are those ignorant groups of people who don't realize they are the butt of the joke, but that shouldn't come as any big surprise. People like that will hang on to any little thread in order to push their racist and backwards beliefs. That doesn't change the fact that the Borat movie is a brilliant piece of satire that exposes how much racism and bigotry still remains in our country no matter how much we think we've progressed. We try to cover that up and pretend like it doesn't exist, when in reality it is alive and well. I love movies like this because I think that by putting it out there, we can get some kind of dialogue going. How can we solve a problem if we never discuss it? So no, this movie doesn't make me cringe. It impresses me actually, potty humor and all

 

[tinkerrn]

You're missing it! He's letting everyone else make fools of themselves by revealing their prejudices, racism and such!

Agree!!!
I am actually looking forward to seeing it. There is soooo much racism and bigotry in the former Soviet Union, especially to Jews. I have family from Azerbaijan; they are Jewish and have been persucated all their life. They have seen the movie and get it. They realize that Sasha Cohen is Jewish and has ancestry from the former USSR.

 

[carolfoy]

I was going to ask on the U.S. board if any of you had seen it and whether you were offended by it, I will keep watching this thread to see the reactions. I haven't seen it yet, I'll wait for DVD release. I'm not that keen on him personally but I do love the fact that what he's doing is so un-P.C. in this P.C. dominated world.