Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (2020)

Detailed Summary

Borat’s Return to America

After humiliating Kazakhstan with the events of the first film, Borat Sagdiyev (Sacha Baron Cohen) is sent back to America by the Kazakh government. His mission is bizarre: deliver a monkey (Kazakhstan’s Minister of Culture) as a gift to then-Vice President Mike Pence in order to restore the country’s reputation.

Meet Tutar – The Unexpected Cargo

When Borat opens the delivery crate, he discovers that his teenage daughter, Tutar (Maria Bakalova), has stowed away inside, and the monkey has been eaten. With no choice left, Borat shifts plans: instead of delivering the monkey, he will present Tutar to powerful American figures as a bride.

Tutar’s Transformation

Initially raised in a patriarchal Kazakh culture where women are treated as property, Tutar slowly learns about feminism, freedom, and choice while in America. Through encounters with babysitters, activists, and strangers, she realizes her own worth. This subplot balances the film’s raunchy comedy with heartfelt character growth.

The Pence Rally

One of the film’s most notorious stunts involves Borat disguising himself as Donald Trump (complete with fat suit) and attempting to hand-deliver his daughter to Mike Pence during the Conservative Political Action Conference. The prank ends in chaos as he’s escorted out.

Rudy Giuliani Scene

The most controversial sequence is Borat and Tutar’s interview with Rudy Giuliani. After a flirty back-and-forth, Giuliani follows Tutar into a hotel bedroom, where he lies on the bed and appears to put his hand down his pants before Borat bursts in, shouting, “She’s 15, she’s too old for you!” The scene sparked global headlines and debates upon release.

Movie Ending

In the climax, Borat and Tutar realize that the Kazakh government never intended to restore Kazakhstan’s reputation through diplomacy. Instead, Borat himself was sent as a carrier for “gypsy tears” (a biological weapon), with the goal of spreading a pandemic. This is revealed in a satirical twist tying Kazakhstan’s fictional incompetence to the real-world COVID-19 pandemic.

Borat, however, has grown as a father and chooses to protect his daughter instead of serving the corrupt leaders of his country. Tutar steps up, showing courage and agency, and together they expose the truth about Kazakhstan’s role in spreading the virus.

The film closes with Borat and Tutar returning to Kazakhstan, where Tutar has taken on a leadership role. The nation has been “reformed” to embrace women’s rights (though in hilariously absurd ways, like men now being treated as livestock). Father and daughter reconcile, becoming partners rather than oppressor and property.

The ending is a blend of satire, absurdity, and surprising warmth, wrapping up Borat’s arc with genuine emotional closure while lampooning global politics.

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

No. There are no post-credits scenes in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm. The story wraps up fully before the credits roll, and viewers don’t need to wait for any extra footage.

Type of Movie

This is a mockumentary satirical comedy. Like its predecessor, it blends scripted sequences with real-life interactions, exposing prejudices, absurdities, and hypocrisies within American culture.

Cast

• Sacha Baron Cohen as Borat Sagdiyev
• Maria Bakalova as Tutar Sagdiyev
• Tom Hanks as himself (cameo)
• Various real-life figures including Mike Pence and Rudy Giuliani appear as themselves in unscripted footage.

Film Music and Composer

The score and soundtrack rely heavily on traditional Eastern European and Balkan-inspired folk music, blending parody with authenticity. Music supervision was handled by Erran Baron Cohen (Sacha’s brother), who also worked on the first Borat film.

Filming Locations

The film was shot secretly across the United States in 2019 and early 2020. Notable locations include:

• Washington D.C. for the Mike Pence rally stunt.
• New York City for the Giuliani interview.
• Various small towns in Georgia and Texas where Borat interacts with everyday Americans.

The use of real locations adds authenticity and unpredictability, essential for the film’s mockumentary style.

Awards and Nominations

• Nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay at the Academy Awards.
• Maria Bakalova was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars.
• Won Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes.
• Maria Bakalova also won the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Behind the Scenes Insights

• The movie was shot in extreme secrecy to avoid leaks.
• The Giuliani scene was achieved with hidden cameras and a minimal crew.
• Due to COVID-19, parts of the script were rewritten mid-production to incorporate the pandemic.
• Sacha Baron Cohen had to stay in character for five consecutive days while living with two conspiracy theorists during lockdown.

Inspirations and References

The film is directly inspired by the political climate of America under the Trump administration. It references:

• The rise of conspiracy theories.
• The handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The persistence of sexism and racism in American society.

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

Amazon released a “Borat Supplemental Reportings” series showing deleted scenes and extra footage. These include:

• More material with the conspiracy theorists Borat quarantines with.
• Extended versions of Tutar’s interactions with women’s rights activists.
• A scrapped subplot where Borat nearly gifts Tutar to Kanye West.

Book Adaptations and Differences

Unlike many films, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm is not based on a book. Instead, it riffs on the character created by Sacha Baron Cohen for his TV series Da Ali G Show.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

• Borat crashing CPAC dressed as Trump.
• Borat singing about killing journalists at a far-right rally.
• The Giuliani hotel room sequence.
• Tutar eating a cupcake with a “baby figurine” and later visiting a crisis pregnancy center.

Iconic Quotes

• “Very nice!” (Borat’s catchphrase returns.)
• “She’s 15, she’s too old for you!”
• “Kazakhstan, number one exporter of potassium, all other countries have inferior potassium!”

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

• The film slyly references the first Borat by showing that Kazakhstan still resents Borat for embarrassing them in 2006.
• The pandemic subplot was added late, but eagle-eyed viewers can spot subtle foreshadowing in early scenes.
• A cameo from Tom Hanks is both unexpected and meta, filmed in Australia during the actor’s COVID-19 recovery.

Trivia

• Maria Bakalova was a virtually unknown Bulgarian actress before this film launched her international career.
• Some real people in the film (like Borat’s babysitter) didn’t realize they were in a satire until after filming.
• The production faced serious legal challenges and security risks due to its controversial content.

Why Watch?

Because it’s more than just outrageous comedy—it’s biting political satire that captures a strange moment in history. It’s shocking, offensive, hilarious, but also oddly moving in the way it depicts Borat’s evolving relationship with his daughter.

Director’s Other Movies

• Brüno (2009)
• Ali G Indahouse (2002)
• The Dictator (2012)
• Who Is America? (2018 – TV series, but very much in the same style)

Recommended Films for Fans

• Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)
• Brüno (2009)
• The Dictator (2012)
• Jojo Rabbit (2019)
• Team America: World Police (2004)