Borat Was... Funny

Saw the Borat movie, finally, today. It was... funny. Not the funniest movie ever and certaintly not better than, say, Jackass 2, but still... Funny. Now, to be fair, we did see it at about noon on a Sunday; hardly prime "Ha-ha" time for us or for anyone really, especially if they've just been to church. That'll suck the sense of humor out of anyone. There was a pretty sizable crowd, but they were oddly subdued and, actually, laughed harder at the preview for Reno 911: Miami than they did at anything in Borat.

Anyway, when it was over, I was left with the same feeling I had after both of the Jackass movies: Exhaustion. The whole "large-scale pranks on America/each other" genre is really suited for half-hour TV programs and, while I gladly support the movies in the theater (especially the Jackass boys, because they hurt each other hilariously) I find it hard not to nap afterwards.

The other thing that bothered me about this movie is the same thing that bothered me about the Austin Powers movies. Everyone who's got a bit of a reputation as "a card" or as "the nutty guy in the office" is going to be an absolute asshole for the next month with his "hilarious" Borat impersonation (sorry about the air-quotes abuse; the situation warranted them). We all remember how dreadful it was to hear "Yeah, baby" and "Shagadelic" out of the mouth of every frat guy and with-it Uncle that we came in contact with. That rage you felt when asked "do I make you horny" in the worst British accent this side of a high-school Shakespeare production? Sucked, didn't it? Well it's going to happen again. Don't say I didn't warn you. Should probably stock up on pepper spray.

So, again... Borat was funny. Not overly so, but not a waste of time either. I will say this for it, though. It certaintly, unquestionably had a naked wrestling match between two men, one of whom being morbidly obese. It was like a kick in the nuts, but for your eyes.