Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan is a comedy that trades the wide-open road of the first Borat film for a tighter, more targeted aim. It follows Borat Sagdiyev, played again by Sacha Baron Cohen, as he brings his daughter Tutar back to the United States to deliver a bribe to the American regime. The film runs 96 minutes and was directed by Jason Woliner, with writing by Sacha Baron Cohen, Anthony Hines, Dan Swimer, Peter Baynham, Erica Rivinoja, Dan Mazer, Jena Friedman, Lee Kern, and Nina Pedrad.
Trailer, via Prime Video.
The Setup
The setup is simple. Borat and Tutar, played by Maria Bakalova, arrive in America with a mission to deliver a bribe to the American regime. Along the way, they encounter a nation changed by the pandemic and the political elections. The tagline sums it up: “Wear mask. Save live.”
What follows is a film that moves through a series of encounters designed to reveal the culture of the moment. The premise is broad, but the execution narrows its focus to the pandemic, the elections, and the people caught between the two.
The Cast and the Villagers
The supporting cast reads like a roster of familiar faces:
- Tom Hanks appears as himself, giving the film its most recognisable name beyond the leads.
- Dani Popescu plays Premier Nazarbayevdx.
- Manuel Vieru appears as Dr. Yamak, also known as Gypsy Tears.
- Miroslav Tolj plays Nursultan Tulyakbay.
- Alin Popa plays HueyLewis, also known as Jeffrey Epstein Sagdiyev.
- Ion Gheorghe plays Bilak Sagdiyev.
- Nicolae Gheorghe plays Biram Sagdiyev.
- Marcela Codrea and Luca Nelu appear as Kuczek Villagers.
- Judith Dim Evans appears uncredited.
The villagers round out the ensemble, playing local townspeople whose reactions form the bulk of the film’s humour.
What Works
The film’s strongest stretches come when it leans into its own absurdity. The premise of a Kazakhstani father and daughter wandering America with a bribe is inherently silly, and the film plays that silliness straight. When it commits fully to the joke, the results land.
Tom Hanks’ appearance stands out. His scene, brief as it is, captures the film’s tone well. The chemistry between Baron Cohen and Bakalova also carries the film’s emotional weight, particularly during quieter, more human moments.
What Doesn’t Work
The film struggles when it tries to be topical without being pointed. Some of its jokes about the pandemic feel dated within months of release. Others rely on the audience’s familiarity with real-world events, a trick that can backfire when the subject matter shifts fast.
The pacing drags in stretches, and the film’s structure, which moves from one encounter to the next, can lose momentum between set pieces. The film is best in its shorter, sharper scenes and weaker in its longer, more extended ones.
Comparing the Two Films
| Borat (2006) | Borat Subsequent Moviefilm | |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Road trip across the country | Tighter, focused encounters |
| Lead | Sacha Baron Cohen | Sacha Baron Cohen, Maria Bakalova |
| Premise | Journey across America | Deliver a bribe to the American regime |
| Setting | Wider road | More targeted |
The comparison shows how the new film tightens its scope while keeping the same core engine running. That tightening is both a strength and a weakness.
The Verdict
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm is a competent, occasionally brilliant comedy that falls short of its ambitions. Its best moments are sharp and funny, its worst are dated and thin. The film earns a score that reflects a film that delivers its best in short bursts and coasts in between.
It is worth seeing for its highlights, less so for its full runtime.
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