Borat

Stars: Sacha Baron Cohen, Ken Davitian

Director: Larry Charles

...or, to give this lewd romp its full title: Borat - Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.

Leaving behind his sister (the fourth best prostitute in all Kazakhstan with a trophy to prove it), the town rapist, the town abortionist and his own 20-stone wife, TV reporter Borat (Baron Cohen) leaves his glorious native land for a tour of America.

The star's depiction of Kazakhstan is of a country so backward that, when he goes to the loo at an American dinner party, he brings the contents of his 'visit' back in a towel, and asks the hostess what he should do with it.

That's one of the more PC jokes in a ribald ramble whose principal aims seem to be to embarrass ordinary Americans (OK, Pamela Anderson's fair game), and rile the hell out of Kazakhstanis everywhere.

The preview audience seemed to divide between those who, once they started laughing, couldn't stop, and those who couldn't start. There are a few smiles here and there but on the whole count me in the latter party. Sorry Sacha but any episode of the UK's Extras or the US's My Name is Earl surely contains more genuine laughs than this.

David Quinlan

UK/USA 2006. UK Distributor: UIP. Colour.
82 minutes. Widescreen. UK certificate: 15.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 1, Violence/Horror 0, Drugs 1, Swearing 1.

Review date: 30 Oct 2006