Review: The Dictator

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The DictatorSacha Baron Cohen, best known for his MTV comedy series Da Ali G Show, achieved wild success translating his TV characters to the big screen in the 2006 movie Borat. Reception for his 2009 release Bruno, however, was deservedly lukewarm. Both films relied upon anonymity for the enormously talented actor as he put unsuspecting everyday people in the spotlight saying and doing extremely rude and outrageous things. His fame has made it relatively impossible for Cohen to remain incognito, so we are unlikely to see those kinds of performances from him again.

The Dictator, directed by Borat and Bruno filmmaker Larry Charles, plays like an attempt by Cohen to script the kind of insanity he achieved with Borat. His character, General Admiral Haffaz Aladeen, is the born dictator of the fictional African nation of Waadeya (actually depicted in the movie with the current borders of Eritrea), a Red Sea state that appears to be a caricature of Iraq under Saddam Hussein. Threatened with U.N. sanctions and a possible invasion by the U.S., Aladeen and his advisors travel to New York to address the U.N. in person.

Once in NYC, Aladeen is abducted as part of a murder plot from which he escapes, and then must find his way back into the U.N., stop the coup to replace him, and win the affections of his heart's desire. Cohen performs each scene as he would with one of his live characters. The other actors, however, generally fail to react as the jokes fly over their heads to the audience. As people meet Aladeen, they overlook or ignore some of the most offensive things he says as if attributing them to language barrier problems.

Indeed, some very offensive things are said in The Dictator, offensive if you ignore the tongue-in-cheek delivery of this caricature-within-a-caricature. Groups were already protesting the movie last week on these grounds. Cohen genuinely made me laugh several times with jokes that are neither insensitive or racially offensive, and it was these moments that made for an enjoyable experience. The people most offended by this movie will probably be Bush-supporting Republicans, as there is a very strong anti-Republican party message here.

More remarkable than the script, however, is the soundtrack, which includes all-Arabic versions of popular songs such as "Let's Get It On" and "Everybody Hurts" as well as original songs by Cohen's brother Erran Baron Cohen. The "9 to 5" performed by Michelle Nasser was a particular highlight as it played over a montage scene.

The Dictator opens today (Wednesday, May 16) in wide release in Austin.

The Dictator

We loved this film. So many good laughs, great delivery by Sacha Baron Cohen and hats off to the woman delivering an infant on the floor of a grocery. Just loved seeing the streets of Brooklyn we know so well and hearing all of the Yiddish terms we use so often in New York. Audience seemed to love this film as well.

I thought this movie was a

I thought this movie was a major letdown. just plain offensive toilet humor without the satirical message I was used to from sacha baron cohen.