I'm not much of a fan of what I call uncomfortable humor. The kind where comedians or performance artists include random people in their practical jokes, like most of Borat or some of Jackass. When I saw the commercial for The Dictator, I could tell it wasn't in that vein of comedy, but I was still hesitant to see it. However, the lure of it couldn't be ignored so I went. I made the right decision because The Dictator was hilarious from beginning to end. When the screen flashed the words "Dedicate to the memory of" I thought perhaps one of their friends had passed while making the film. Then, "Kim Jong-Il" faded in and I knew this was going to be a satirical joyride. Sacha Baron Cohen portrayed supreme leader Admiral General Aladeen (and his body double). His screenplay, along with his delivery of the character, proved that Cohen is very smart, deliberate, and good at what he does which is make fun of people who deserve it. The rest of the cast was spot on as well, and most of the names are recognizable, even a few unexpected cameos. What was a highlight for me was the performance by Anna Faris. She usually gets roles that make her appear like what we think of when we hear a blond joke, but in this film she was perfect. Her hippie, non-racists, non-sexist, free-trade organic shop owner role was realistic and very funny.
Over all, the story line was sometimes a little loose and I said to myself a couple of times, "Okay, that's kind of funny, but let's get back to Aladeen." However, those small bursts of story line off-shoots didn't detract enough from the flow of the film to cause any permanent resentment. And when you include Middle Eastern versions of Dr. Dre and R.E.M. songs, who can be upset for any length of time?
If you are the kind of person who thinks that our government has never done anything wrong and that the rest of the world is evil, then this probably isn't your film. The irreverence is thick, poignant, and accurate. But if you love satire in it's highest form, go see this movie as soon as you can. I know when it comes out on DVD, I will own it.
Over all, the story line was sometimes a little loose and I said to myself a couple of times, "Okay, that's kind of funny, but let's get back to Aladeen." However, those small bursts of story line off-shoots didn't detract enough from the flow of the film to cause any permanent resentment. And when you include Middle Eastern versions of Dr. Dre and R.E.M. songs, who can be upset for any length of time?
If you are the kind of person who thinks that our government has never done anything wrong and that the rest of the world is evil, then this probably isn't your film. The irreverence is thick, poignant, and accurate. But if you love satire in it's highest form, go see this movie as soon as you can. I know when it comes out on DVD, I will own it.
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