DVD of the Week: Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan

Sacha Baron Cohen won a Golden Globe for his performance in Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan and also earned himself a surprising Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. It might seem odd that this low key, cultish character actor has suddenly spawned mega-success and garnered the respect of major critics nationwide, but this film is something rare: a broad appeal film with depth enough to make even Oscar coming calling. It is obscene and silly for sure, but it is also a biting, uncomfortably blunt satire of American egotism and hypocrisy, part gross out comedy and part social commentary (a rare combination). That edge has made it one of the most appreciated films of 2006 across the board. It's rare that public opinion meshes with the minds of the critics, but on this one everyone can agree. Borat is stupid in ways that are truly ingenious and smart in ways that you might not even notice. I'd also suspect that the DVD features (including deleted material and some scenes supposedly too crude for even this film) would be worth a look as well. I'm sure Cohen's scraps exceed the very best jokes of most mediocre comedies anyway.