But the parts that were funny were also painfully awkward. And Peter Sellers is in brown face and talks with a ridiculous Indian accent. I suppose the character is Indian to emphasize his "fish out of water" confusion, but it's a terrible accent and stereotype that damns the movie.
The biggest problem I have is that the entire film is a set up. I suppose all star-focused comedies are just platforms for the comedian to do their shtick. (Like every Steve Martin comedy of the last 20 years. Watch out, Will Ferrel!!! Step-Brothers was not that great.) It's just so predictable and therefore more awkward.
I have been accused of being a harsher critic of comedies than drama, and it's true. Comedy is more difficult and when it's done poorly, it's sooooo much worse. It's insulting and cheap.
But this may simply be an example of the comedy DVD curse. You can't really enjoy a comedy alone and as we all watch more and more movies at home, we're going to enjoy comedies less. I watched "Borat" at home and thought it was just ok. I lost my mind and laughed for the entirety of "The Aristocrats" at a theater, and everyone I know who has seen it at home thought it was the dumbest thing ever.
And there is a rumor that Sacha Baron Cohen is interested in doing a remake of this film. He's already gotten all of Kazakhstan pissed off with him, I wonder what nation is next. I wouldn't recommend the entire sub-continent of India, with a population of 1,129,866,154, as of July 2007. They have nuclear weapons too, buddy.
