Borat's return in "Subsequent Moviefilm"
Sunday, October 25, 2020 at 4:00PM by Eric Blume
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, the sequel to Sacha Baron Cohen's 2006 smash hit, has arrived on Amazon, and just within the first days of its arrival, the film has the country buzzing on whether or not Rudy Guiliani thought he was going to get laid by a teenager, plus registered a hateful tweet from Trump (and a hilarious comeback from Cohen to Trump). When is the last time a movie provoked that kind of high-level anxiety?
The original Borat movie was revelatory at the time, an extension of the mockumentary style we'd seen since the Spinal Tap days, but roping in the clueless general populace to create a brutal takedown on American stupidity, racism, and sexism. But the approach from the Borat creative team felt fresh...
There was an original comic horror in watching Cohen/Borat catch these people so coldly in moments where they expressed exactly who they were. It was the definition of holding a mirror up to society. There had been nothing quite like it before, and in my mind, the scene where Borat argues and wrestles naked in a motel room and out onto the street with his Kazakh companion remains the single funniest scene in any movie these past two decades.
The smartest call the creative team makes for Subsequent Moviefilm is in their acknowledgement that many people in the country are savvier to being captured on camera and the toll it might take on them, and the team makes intelligent adjustments to pull off this film. Borat himself notes early in the movie that his previous fame in the USA now forbids him to get honest reactions from people, so most of the "caught footage" in the movie is Borat/Cohen in a different disguise.
And this is where the artistry of Cohen and his team comes in. They modify their style for this sequel. While the crux of their conceit is still in this caught footage, where Cohen goes in undercover to see what he will naturally get from the people in his prank space, this material is a smaller overall portion of this film. Instead, the Subsequent Moviefilm team adds in both fully-scripted material (e.g., the one-on-one scenes with Borat and his daughter), partial-improv material with actors hired to appear like they are regular people in caught footage (e.g., the babysitter, the two rednecks he lives with), and pre-set-up scenes that still have a let's-wing-it-and-see-what-we-get approach (e.g., the synagogue stint). The artistry comes from this team being fully in control on how they approached each scene to maximize the potential for funny. This is extraordinarily sophisticated comedy, always out on a limb, often with a sense of palpable risk and numerous dangerous outcomes...but all controlled at the center. It's no simple feat to balance that level of control with that level of chaos...but then very few people even attempt something this bold and difficult. Subsequent Moviefilm aims high throughout and delivers most of the time, with even the less-better-hit targets being at least interesting.
The first ten minutes of Subsequent Moviefilm contains more actual jokes than most films do in 90 minutes. While those jokes may or may not work for you, and actually make you laugh, is of course subjective...but objectively, the jokes are THERE. It's a rapid-fire attempt to just machine-gun at you, hoping at least something will land with everyone. There's honor in that approach for a comedy.
The revelation in the sequel subsequent movie is Maria Bakalova, the young actress who plays Borat's daughter. In any just world, we'd be talking about a Best Supporting Actress nomination for this performance (yes, I am stone serious). Bakalova creates a completely original comic character: she's fully committed to the absurdities of the role without ever commenting on them, always finding the joke but never playing the joke. She also calibrates her character's dawning awareness with incredible care, making the growth of her character and the transition of her relationship with Borat feel absolutely genuine and earned. Then there's the balls-out bravado with which she enters the improv comedy scenarios: the already-infamous scene with Guiliani is an insane high-wire act where she has to remain in character, manipulate a politican and his entire team, conduct a "real scene" with her father when he appears and have Guiliani believe it, and see how far she can push the politician into awful territory. Plus, she not only goes toe-to-toe with Cohen in their scenes, but she makes him better... they have a rapport that's heavenly.
Subsequent Moviefilm will be divisive. The title character and the approach of the filmmaking is abrasive, but by design. One of its purposes is to make you feel uncomfortable. In a climate where everyone is very sensitive and it's difficult to laugh about anything, the Borat team comes into the ring swinging, punching very very hard, with an uncompromising spirit that we haven't seen in a long time. It has its own freshness, and the fourteen year break has re-inspired its makers. It's a major accomplishment. A-
Borat, Maria Bakalova, Reviews, Sacha Baron Cohen, sequels
Reader Comments (20)
Agree 1000% with hosannas for Bakalova and agree she needs to be in Supporting Actress conversations.
As for the movie itself, it was so much better than it needed to be.
I agree with The President he does seem like a creep.
Loved the film and I think that it is almost on par with the original. Should be in conversation for the Globes and Oscars... and not just in Supporting Actress (I would say that she should win: her performance is an instant classic)
I was gonna skip it, but now I think I'll give it a go. I've only been mixed to moderately enthusiastic about SBC's films in the past.
YES Maria Bakalova for Best Supporting Actress! I really hope they build a campaign that can make this happen. She steals the entire movie out from under Sacha Baron Cohen. It's committed and brave work. While the film isn't as fresh as the original, it's still outrageous and surprising in equal turn. The debutante ball scene is one of the funniest things I've seen in a while. But the thing that makes the movie work is how oddly sweet it is. The perfect antidote for a horrible year.
Just say this and I loved it. Should absolutely be in the conversation for Globes at least. I was cringe laughing the whole time.
I saw a bit of it late last night and man, that shit is funny and yes.... Bakalova for Best Supporting Actress.
And Rudy Guiliani... coming soon to a POUND-ME-IN-THE-ASS prison near you. He a bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad man... He should become someone's bitch in prison... 4 life.
Not sure how she’s supporting, but Bakalova is my current Best Actress winner, and I’ve already seen both Pfeiffer and McDormand. She’s incredible.
I have to disagree with the notion that the original film was a "brutal takeout of American stupidity, racism, and sexism" as much as a demonstration of how patient people are willing to be for a "foreigner" and the basic societal norms of politeness. The Borat character is the stupid, racist and sexist one and everyone merely endures him (with an exception given for the drunken frat bros). This isn't a sly or subversive reading of the film, the entirety of the humor of the film is predicated on Borat being the bad actor causing cringy chaos.
Thevoid99: your comment is awfull and you are a terrible person. Rape is not something to joke about or to wish to somebody.
@markgordonuk: If you agree with this so-called "President," you're a creep.
Bakalova might get a nom for this, she's that good.
It's a great movie, but acting nominations are kind of far-fetched.
Question if they relied more on make-up artists to disquise him, why not make Borat look younger? SBC's age was showing in this film.
Avery useful content.
@JJsDiner I disagree. Americans have no problem "correcting" immigrants, when they say something they disagree with. The whole point is Borat is saying things they absolutely agree with but may not say in mixed company. But through "educating" him, they get to express their own thoughts.
Watching this movie made me miss Alison Lohman circa Drag me to Hell. Maria Bakalova is her spitting image.
@Thevoid99, what a heinous comment. I agree with other posters that your comment is out of line. Regardless of political affiliation, not ok to wish that on someone. You are part of the problem with american politics today.
I loved the original... I was only 13 when it came out, and I still remember how I felt watching him sitting on the fat guy's face with my mom sitting next to me on the couch... lol.
I'm glad to hear this is great, as I love Sacha Baron Cohen. Considering the first got a Screenplay nod and how weird 2020 is, perhaps this movie could sneak into the race somewhere. People say an acting nod for Maria Bakalova is far-fetched, but in this year nothing is far-fetched.
If nothing else, this'll help Sacha's awards chances for The Chicago 7.
Sacha Baron Cohen needs a face lift.
.Didn't quite work for me because unfortunately 2020 is beyond parody.
I wasn’t going to bother. I got a laugh out of Borat but thought it was a one joke concept. I’ve now seen quite a few reviews and interviews that make me think this is the movie for our times. I have a Prime subscription so off I go...