Borat
Sacha Baron Cohen's mockumentary phenomenon: his clueless Kazakh TV journalist Borat rampages across America interviewing real, unsuspecting people, exposing what they'll say to a "foreigner." Spun off from Da Ali G Show, it was a critical smash, a quoting machine ("Very nice!"), and a diplomatic incident all at once.
Released November 3, 2006 and directed by Larry Charles, Borat — full title Borat! Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan — starred Sacha Baron Cohen as Borat Sagdiyev, a character he had developed on Da Ali G Show. The film's format was radical for a mainstream comedy: Baron Cohen, in character, conducted unscripted encounters with real Americans who had no idea they were part of a scripted satire, threading them onto a loose road-trip plot.
The gamble paid off enormously. Made for about $18 million, Borat grossed $262.6 million worldwide, drew rapturous reviews (90% on Rotten Tomatoes, 89 on Metacritic), and won Baron Cohen a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy; its screenplay was nominated for an Academy Award. "Very nice!" and Borat's other mangled catchphrases became instant national slang.
The film's method generated a wave of lawsuits from participants who felt duped — most were dismissed or settled — and a diplomatic backlash from Kazakhstan, which initially denounced the movie for its portrayal of the country. That stance softened over time; by 2020, with a sequel arriving, Kazakhstan's tourism board had cheerfully adopted Borat's own "Very Nice" as an official travel slogan.
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