‘The Dictator’ (R)
Wed., May. 23, 2012 |
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Sacha Baron Cohen … You could love him or you could hate him, but he’s never irrelevant. His comedy is like a weapon. Sometimes it makes you uncomfortable, but it’s never safe and it’s always worth talking about.
Having lampooned the innocent foreigner in “Borat” and gay stereotypes in “Bruno,” Cohen’s latest work goes to show that there is no subject exempt from his brand of comedy.
And it turns out that brutal dictators can be funny too. Much more linear and scripted than his earlier films – which bordered on extended improv – “The Dictator” tells the tale of a pampered ruler who manages to fall for a leftist organic grocery owner.
It’s comedic gold and you will walk away talking about the performances. However, like any of Cohen’s movies (or any ‘R’ rated film for that matter), it is not for the faint of heart or easily offended.
It’s a squirming-in-your seat approach to laughs. While you might not believe that terrorism could be funny, it is. Additionally, there are some surprisingly incisive political observations as well.
And if “The Dictator” makes you uncomfortable, comfort yourself with the thought that the real dictators out there are likely to see themselves a bit too closely lampooned and suffer for it.
-John Geddie feels so guilty for loving this movie.
Opening; “The Chernobyl Diaries” and “Men in Black 3”
Having lampooned the innocent foreigner in “Borat” and gay stereotypes in “Bruno,” Cohen’s latest work goes to show that there is no subject exempt from his brand of comedy.
And it turns out that brutal dictators can be funny too. Much more linear and scripted than his earlier films – which bordered on extended improv – “The Dictator” tells the tale of a pampered ruler who manages to fall for a leftist organic grocery owner.
It’s comedic gold and you will walk away talking about the performances. However, like any of Cohen’s movies (or any ‘R’ rated film for that matter), it is not for the faint of heart or easily offended.
It’s a squirming-in-your seat approach to laughs. While you might not believe that terrorism could be funny, it is. Additionally, there are some surprisingly incisive political observations as well.
And if “The Dictator” makes you uncomfortable, comfort yourself with the thought that the real dictators out there are likely to see themselves a bit too closely lampooned and suffer for it.
-John Geddie feels so guilty for loving this movie.
Opening; “The Chernobyl Diaries” and “Men in Black 3”
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