The Dictator
To most people, I suppose “The Dictator” is famous as the newest movie of the Ali G guy, after his big successes “Borat” and “Brüno”. For me, it’s the other way around. I have seen Sacha Baron Cohen as Ali G at the MTV Europe Music Awards many many years ago (Wikipedia says it’s 2001), but to me, seeing this film is like seeing him for the first time. I attempted to watch “Brüno” afterwards and thought it was unwatchable. In fact, I thought the latter was so horrendous that it gave me headaches.
“The Dictator” is wonderful in comparison! The jokes are offensive, but much less… vapid? “Brüno” is full of “Look it’s the ultrasound of [name of D celebrity]’s baby. Should we abort it?”-kind of jokes whereas “The Dictator” is actually able to make comments about society and politics which are totally spot on. This is a good example. The jokes may not necessarily be super innovative in what they are criticizing, but it’s been done in an enjoyable way. I am most amused by how the Chinese guy in the story is the biggest capitalist of all of them – that is also very to the point if you think about it. To me, “The Dictator” is everything a ‘shocking’ comedy should be, whereas “Brüno” is everything it is not. Sure, there was one totally inappropriate scene (the cellphone inside that woman’s body) but most of it was offensive in a good way.
The jokes are not the only thing. Whereas “Brüno” feels like a string of small stories and supposedly funny scenes put together, “The Dictator” actually has a story which, luckily, unfolds very fast. I think the storytelling is much better here.
I think reviewing the film too much would actually spoil it. It’s not really a film about humanity, rather about society; it has no actual people in it, but satirical characters. As a result, I think this is kind of film you just have to see and enjoy yourself. Instead, I present my first hail of bullets:
- My favorite scene? The one where Aladeen takes over Zoey’s shop and uses his dictator skills to turn it into a blooming business. Maybe bosses really have to be dictators.
- Speaking of Aladeen, “HIV-Aladeen” has become a running joke. I plan to replace words that do not come to mind immediately with “Aladeen” in the future.
- I love how Sacha Baron Cohen is married to Isla Fisher, who plays Ron Howard’s daughter in the new Arrested Development season. (I promise, I will be able reference AD in every posting somehow. That is how much I am into the series, even if the new season is mildly disappointing.)
- Netflix does not seem to have the unrated version. I am not surprised and perhaps I want to see that one too. I have a feeling that the best jokes are in the version we saw anyways.