Parents' Guide to Borat

Borrowing from Andy Kaufman, John Waters, and Steve-O, BORAT: CULTURAL LEARNINGS OF AMERICA FOR MAKE BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN is a faux documentary that tracks the cross-country antics of Kazakh TV reporter Borat Sagdiyev (Sacha Baron Cohen). Borat and his hairy, camera-shy producer Azamat (Ken Davitian) are sent to America to learn about "the glorious country U, S, and A" and make a documentary for their local TV station. While almost everyone (real people) Borat meets on the way goes along with his contorted language and vulgar behavior, it's not always easy to tell where their awareness begins and ends. Some appear to wholly buy his routine (a loudly homophobic and patriotic cowboy advises him to shave off his mustache so he doesn't look like a "terrorist"), but most seem at least vaguely conscious of his strangeness. Borat interviews feminists (he laughs at their suggestion that women might be equal to men), talks to politicians Bob Barr and Alan Keyes (Borat makes a racist joke about Keyes), spends time with gay Pride revelers (with whom he drinks, showers, and spends the night) and Pentecostal churchgoers (where his behavior is, suddenly, the least outrageous in the room). Borat repeatedly proclaims his love for all things American. A rodeo audience goes along when he lauds "America's war of terror" ("May George Bush drink the blood of every man, woman, and child in Iraq"), but ultimately becomes uncomfortable when he hijacks the U.S. national anthem in order to praise Kazakhstan.