Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

[Jeremy Blackman]

I didn't have enough time tonight, but I did watch the Giuliani scene. I am 75% sure he was just tucking in his shirt. But he definitely wants to get together with her later; he eagerly reciprocates her flirtations and asks for her address and phone number.

[Axolotl]

Kind of a letdown honestly.

The strength of the first movie was the outrageousness of the social interactions (which were much less of a focus for this one) married with the fact that Bush's America was much more amenable to effective satire than Trump's. The insanity has already been metabolized by the culture to the point where the whole country song and Hillary drinking baby blood stuff felt pat and uninspired. The climactic Giuliani thing felt sort of toothless (he's a dumb old pervert so what).

[WorldForgot]

I agree that the insanity has already been metabolized by the culture --

    the social interactions here are greeted by its supporting players without batting an eye, an American absurdity with different flavor than the first. But also, when I was in Bush's America I lived in Texas, and for the past four years I've been in California, and watching a 'liberal' state forego wearing masks creates the same dissonance this film does.

That said, if I had expected this to be like Who Is America and not Borat or da Ali Gi show, I'd be letdown.

[Axolotl]

That said, if I had expected this to be like Who Is America and not Borat or da Ali Gi show, I'd be letdown.

Hmm interesting. It's actually way more like Who is America than Borat to me which is what i found disappointing about it. The political stuff was what fell flat for me and stuff like the Christian pregnancy center was what redeemed it.

[Drenk]

A Borat movie genuinely asking the viewer to vote is as absurd as Trump's America and both are real.

[WorldForgot]

That said, if I had expected this to be like Who Is America and not Borat or da Ali Gi show, I'd be letdown.

Hmm interesting. It's actually way more like Who is America than Borat to me which is what i found disappointing about it. The political stuff was what fell flat for me and stuff like the Christian pregnancy center was what redeemed it.

We re-watched the full ali-g series as a roomie group  (well I missed some of the original UK szn but I saw all the US eps) in anticipation for this and for some reason I feel there's a slight difference to the goofiness.

I can't place my finger on it exactly but Who Is America's satire feelz primed for the prank as the conceit, concise - vs ali g/borat/bruno sketches which use the gag as a foundation to see how empathetic or how much antipathy the supporting cast imbues into the narrative, a tad more humanist.

[Axolotl]

We re-watched the full ali-g series as a roomie group  (well I missed some of the original UK szn but I saw all the US eps) in anticipation for this and for some reason I feel there's a slight difference to the goofiness.

I can't place my finger on it exactly but Who Is America's satire feelz primed for the prank as the conceit, concise - vs ali g/borat/bruno sketches which use the gag as a foundation to see how empathetic or how much antipathy the supporting cast imbues into the narrative, a tad more humanist.

I think we're agreeing.

[Jeremy Blackman]

Who Is America was so much more vital and exciting than this is. SBC does not really seem interested in the Borat character anymore. His line delivery was strangely sluggish and casual, even when confronting Giuliani.

Given how culture and political circumstances have escalated, this really needed to escalate from the first film by at least that much to stay relevant. It did not. In fact the stunts and pranks were dialed down a notch or two.

My best guess — they really could have used (and probably wanted) several more months to get more footage but ran behind schedule (and/or reworked it) due to Covid and decided to fast-track it before the election. It's unfinished. I get the sense they were just running with what they had rather than picking out the best of the best as SBC usually does. I would be surprised if there are any notable deleted scenes.

Highlights:

1. The debutante ball – the only scene that reaches the heights of the original IMO
2. Conservative women's conference
3. Jeanise the nanny
4. The old Jewish lady

None of those scenes have much of anything to do with Borat. Maria Bakalova carried the movie.

[WorldForgot]

Who Is America was so much more vital and exciting than this is.

My best guess — they really could have used (and probably wanted) several more months to get more footage but ran behind schedule (and/or reworked it) due to Covid and decided to fast-track it before the election. It's unfinished. I get the sense they were just running with what they had rather than picking out the best of the best as SBC usually does. I would be surprised if there are any notable deleted scenes.

Maria Bakalova carried the movie.

Yeah, agree with all of this, I feel like COVID interfering with the schedule is notable even within the structure and repeat 'cast' .

[WorldForgot]

https://twitter.com/SachaBaronCohen/status/1321230276878430214

[Drenk]

BLM was protesting/riposting at that alt-right festival and recognized Cohen and the info—like Covid-19—spread. (Maybe the context is in the movie, I haven't reached that moment yet. I heard about it on Colbert.)

[Jeremy Blackman]

For those who thought the babysitter was in on it (I've heard that a few times);


https://twitter.com/latimes/status/1321461997762801664

[Sleepless]

From Variety:

The New York Post said you felt "betrayed" by the filmmakers. Is that true?
I saw that comment, and I had to let them know that I never felt betrayed. What I said was that I didn't know it was a movie or an R-rated movie. "Betrayed" never came out of my mouth. I don't know where they got that from. I'm not ever going to say I was betrayed because it was partially my fault I didn't read the contracts. I'll take my responsibility on that.

What would you say to Sacha Baron Cohen and Maria now?
As far as her, I would give her a hug. I'm glad to know she's not really in that situation. I hate to hear of anyone in that situation. Him, I don't know. It wasn't real, so I would shake his hand and say, "You got me."

Incidentally, on Sunday, we happened to go to the mini golf/driving range where a scene was filmed. They had Borat koozies for sale in the club shop.