Borat

I love to watch sexists and racists squirm upon being found out.

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We went to see Borat at the cinema here in Edinburgh a few nights ago. It was amazingly funny and (dare I say it?) educational.

A huge talking point amongst the viewing public, to my surprise, it must be said, on leaving the cinema, was not how funny the film was, but the fact that the Christians stepped over a seemingly dead or homeless or sick man to enter their Church. Also, the only people who were genuinely nice to the guy were the Jews, the gays and a prostitute.

I loved Borat. It speaks volumes - and is definitely a film best seen in a cinema with lots of other people. It's not often that a film generates atmosphere, but this one certainly did. Everyone laughed, really heartily, really loudly. The place was packed to capacity.

The best part of the movie? Well, nothing from the film itself, but the fact that it generated so many talking points. It's been years since I've seen such a provocative film. So many times, I've left a cinema in stoney silence or listening to people ask their partners and friends what they'll have to eat or where they're going tomorrow. And to be frank, I've never seen a film where people are asking one another if it might encourage antisemitism.

The answer to that question?

It has to be a resounding, "No!"

Borat can definitely be described as revealing. Both for the nude fight scene and for the social revelations. The way people reveal their prejudice with apparent ease to someone they believe shares their prejudice never ceases to amaze me. People with minority and/or vulgar views often like to preach to the converted. I suppose it's a banging-on-the-chest moment.

Viewers will see Borat for what it essentially is: comedy. But they will also see the underlying themes and what's between the lines. They will see that the world is full of strange people with strange opinions and that one doesn't need to be a white, straight, Christian Republican to be a good person.