Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (Woliner) 2020

While much was made about the appearance of Trump lawyer and former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani in this film, it is the light that it shines on America's divided culture that rules the day.

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm picks up with Borat (Sacha Baron Cohen) being let out of forced labor he was sentenced to following the disgrace he brought on his country for the 2006 film. He is brought before the premier and given a mission to deliver the Kazakh Minister of Culture, Johnny the Monkey, to President Trump in order to redeem the nation. Being unable to get close to Trump after defecating in the landscaping of Trump Tower in the first film, they settle on gifting the monkey to Vice President Mike Pence instead.

Borat and Johnny set out across the ocean and arrive in Galvaston, Texas where Borat discovers his fifteen-year-old daughter, Tutar (Maria Bakalova), stowed away with the monkey. Having only just learned of Tutar's existence prior to departure, Borat tries to send her back home before altering his plans and making her the gift to Pence instead of the monkey.

As with the initial film, Cohen dives into his character full force, with the new complication that his character is easily recognized in public. He counters this with numerous elaborate costumes and relying on Tutar to be the new "undercover" character. We see the pair interact with all variety of Americans in their journey while Tutar struggles to come out from the oppressive oversight of her father. They often refer to a guide book to raising girls provided by the Kazakh government, which sounds like something straight out of Taliban controlled Afghanistan. Women are not allowed to drive, work, etc. and these concepts are challenged by the people they meet in America.

While many will write this off as a leftist slam against the previous presidential administration in the United States, there is more here if you explore under the surface. Through all the crazy interactions Borat and Tutar have in the film, Borat learns to love his daughter and more importantly appreciate what she can contribute to society, not as a piece of property to him to hand over to another man, but as her own person.

If you're a fan of the first film, this follow up is sure to please. If you missed the original or dismissed it as too over the top, I urge you to give this film a chance.

8 out of 10​​​​

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm is available streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime.

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