Story:
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm is an American mockumentary directed by Jason Woliner in his feature directorial debut. The film stars Sacha Baron Cohen as the fictional Kazakh journalist and television personality Borat Sagdiyev and Maria Bakalova as his daughter Tutar, who is to be offered as a bribe to US Vice President Mike Pence during COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 Presidential election.
Review:
When the entire world is keenly keeping tabs on the US Presidential elections, the ‘filthy’ air, in some parts of the globe, seems to have purified with sudden laughter. As if a pointed political commentary and return of Borat (Baron Cohen) was all that was needed for the purification.
We have often heard and read about undercover operations, but this particular undercover mockumentary on American culture turned out to be one of its kind. Baron Cohen had publicly announced the retirement of his character Borat in 2007. However, in 2019, Cohen was spotted in disguise and in mid-2020, he was seen filming, giving rise to curiosity about Borat sequel. Unlike the first attempt, this film somewhere lacks that raw touch 14 years down the line. One of the reasons could be the rush for pre-election release coupled with existing pandemic woes.
Cohen has been an impactful actor until date, not missing upon a single opportunity to pull off a particular scene with conviction. In order to connect with the past, Borat is shown in a Kazakh labour camp for bringing disrepute to his country. He is then sent on a mission to America to curry favour with President ‘McDonald’ Trump.
This time, the icing on the cake has been the screen presence of Bulgarian newcomer Maria Bakalova, who plays Borat’s 15-year-old daughter, Tutar. Shown in a wild state, sheltered in a cage, the teenager is made to believe that women will die if they drive or go to work or try to explore their sexuality. However, she gradually understands and sees the other side of American womanhood when she encounters salons, plastic surgery clinics, clothing shops and salons. Cohen in one of his interviews had stated he wanted to release the film before the US Presidential elections as a “reminder to women who they are voting for or who they are not voting for”.
Title: Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Platform: Amazon Prime Video
Director: Jason Woliner
Rating: 4 Stars
