For example, in the feature length Borat film Cohen tells an enthusiastic rodeo audience that Kazakhstan supports, “your war of terror.” Sure, one can argue that it is reasonable to assume that the crowd might understand and appreciate the meaning behind Borat’s fractured English greeting. However, by the time he advocates George Bush drinking the blood of America’s enemies, their cheers and applause become less defensible.

Similarly, when Borat attends an upper-class party (a staple target of the television show) his antics are seemingly intended to aggravate the ultra-proper socialites. The idea is to discover exactly how far Cohen can push the envelope before they drop their well-mannered behavior. I won’t say which straw it is that breaks the camel’s back- let’s just say that they put up a better façade than the drunken frat boys Borat meets, who require little coaxing for their bigoted, misogynist ramblings to surface.

That is basically what the film is about though- it’s essentially a long-form version of the Borat segments from “Da Ali G Show.” Borat in driving school, Borat at a revival, Borat on the morning news… Cohen is not reinventing the wheel here- he’s just taking his routine to the public. There is a plot to “Borat!” in which he is traveling from New York to California to meet “Baywatch” star Pamela Anderson, however that element of the film functions basically as a reason for him to get from interview A, to B, to C, and so on.

And, for what it’s worth, I found those bits, and the film in general, to be incredibly funny. It’s certainly not for everyone, and there are bound to be moments for everyone that will fall flat (Borat’s trip to an antique store lapses into predictable slapstick territory). However overall the movie makes sharp observations on the fringe element of conservative American culture, and Cohen generally has a tight grasp on the comedy leash. He knows when to hang loose and let his interviewees run their mouths, and when to snap them back in with a crazy remark or routine.

So, if the idea of a 90-minute wind-up of the “U S and A” sounds like your idea of fun, be sure to give “Borat!” a try. For everyone else, I hope to see you in the sequel!

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