12 Best Movies Like Borat

Plenty of people were familiar with Sacha Baron Cohen from his Emmy-nominated satirical comedy series "Da Ali G Show" by 2006, which is when he brought Kazakhstani reporter Borat Sagdiyev to the big screen in "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan." The character of Borat was nearly a decade old by then, having first appeared on the English sketch comedy series "F2F." In the film, Borat and his producer Azamat Bagatov (Ken Davitian) head to the United States to learn more about the nation and its culture via a cross-country road trip.

Borat gets quickly sidetracked when he sees an episode of "Baywatch" and is instantly infatuated with Pamela Anderson. He pursues her obsessively, proposes marriage at a book signing, then kidnaps her when she declines. The film jumps between being irreverent and offensive, with Cohen knowing just how to coax reactions out of the real people he encounters while undercover as the clueless Borat. In one scene, he visits a rodeo in Virginia, where he infuriates the crowd by singing a mock Kazakhstani national anthem to the tune of "The Star-Spangled Banner."

From road trip comedies and chaotic mockumentaries to films that could be considered spiritual sequels to Sacha Baron Cohen's classic, these are the best movies like "Borat."

"The Long Dumb Road" pairs naïve college photography student Nat (Tony Revolori) with drifter mechanic Richard (Jason Mantzoukas) when Nat's borrowed minivan breaks down. Nat's journey is semi-hijacked by the older, less purpose-driven Richard, and appearances by Casey Wilson, Taissa Farmiga, and Ron Livingston add flavor to their trip through the southwestern United States. Although there's no "Baywatch" celebrity kidnapping in "The Long Dumb Road," the conflict between Nat and Richard evokes some of the issues that Borat and Azamat have with each other on their trip, and Richard is just as unpredictable as Borat.

Reviews were generally kind to "The Long Dumb Road," with the Los Angeles Times calling it a "terrifically entertaining odd couple road comedy." It's got plenty of laughs, though there are some truly sad and heartfelt moments dotting the stream of wackiness. "The Long Dumb Road" is 90 minutes well spent according to the majority of critics: The film has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 74%, with the performances of Revolori and Mantzoukas coming in for high praise.

"Motorama" might be the best road trip movie you've never seen, and the execution is as wild as the premise. The film depicts the adventures of Gus (Jordan Christopher Michael), a 10-year old boy who escapes his abusive home and steals a red vintage Mustang. He road-trips around a bizarro version of the United States — with a map identifying the states of Essex, Caspian, and Mercer — in search of game cards from a gas station promotion and the huge cash grand prize for collecting all the letters in the word Motorama. Most of the people Gus comes across don't seem to realize that he is a child traveling by himself, putting an extra shimmer on an already surreal premise.

The cameos in "Motorama" come steadily and gleefully: MTV VJ Martha Quinn and musicians Meat Loaf and Flea make appearances, and "Saturday Night Live" veteran Garrett Morris plays a mechanic who helps Gus after an accident. The film is a bit of a mystery even after repeated viewings, but writer Joseph Minion says that was intentional. On a 2020 episode of the podcast "They Call this a Movie," Minion declined to clear up any of the metaphysical weirdness of "Motorama," saying, "I love it when there are some things you can't really explain." He concluded by calling the ending "some wacky kind of penetration of another dimension, one way or the other, that would be a little confusing." Fans of "Borat" should appreciate the observations on the human condition through Gus' eyes, and Joseph Yacoe's cinematography captures the beauty of the American southwest masterfully.

The most obvious suggestion for "Borat" fans seeking similar entertainment is the 2020 follow-up, "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan." Sacha Baron Cohen's button-pushing reporter creates more havoc in this film, and Maria Bakalova racked up industry kudos for her portrayal of Borat's daughter, Tutar. The performance earned her an Oscar nomination in the best supporting actress category and she won numerous regional awards along with Satellite and Critics Choice Awards that year, as well. The most controversial scene from "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm" involves politician Rudy Giuliani, who was duped into sitting down for an interview with Bakalova.

The interview leads to the pair of them entering a hotel suite and Giuliani putting his hands down the front of his pants as he leans back on the bed. Cohen burst from his hiding place in character and interrupted filming to protect Bakalova. "I never thought that he was actually going to go into the room with her," he said during a chat with Ben Affleck for Variety's Actors on Actors. "I mean, I was hoping for the movie they would. But also as a producer and a director, I have an actress there who I need to look after — and protect as well — because we're putting her in a situation with a powerful man who may or may not have been in this situation beforehand." Giuliani denied any wrongdoing and said that he was tucking in his shirt when his hands entered his pants.

In between the two "Borat" films, Sacha Baron Cohen co-wrote and starred in 2012's "The Dictator," a more traditional comedy film. He plays Admiral General Aladeen, who has ruled the fictional North African nation of Wadiya since the death of his father. An increasingly restless population prompts his uncle Tamir (Ben Kingsley) to suggest a trip to the United States, where a series of unfortunate events lead to Aladeen having to fend for himself.

Anna Faris stars as Aladeen's love interest, a young progressive activist named Zoey. The hilarious cast also includes Aasif Mandvi, Horatio Sanz, Jason Mantzoukas, J.B. Smoove, and Fred Armisen. "The Dictator" isn't quite as beloved as the two "Borat" movies (it holds a lukewarm critical rating of 57% on Rotten Tomatoes), but Sacha Baron Cohen fans will appreciate the consistency of his comedic voice and his commitment to the character of Aladeen.

For another political satire film about international relations, check out the 2014 James Franco/Seth Rogen comedy "The Interview." The once frequent collaborators star as a tabloid TV show host and his producer. They land an interview with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (Randall Park), who believes he can manipulate them, and are subsequently recruited by the U.S. government to kill him. The plot angered North Korea, and, after the film's release, a hacker working on behalf of the country accessed the servers at Sony Pictures and publicly distributed confidential information about Sony employees and executives. Amidst threats from the hackers and the North Korean government, Sony decided to release the film via YouTube and other outlets instead of in theaters.

In 2023, Rogen (who also co-directed and co-wrote the film), talked about the hack and fallout on the "Hawk vs. Wolf" podcast. "It re-calibrated what I think is controversial. After that, I was like, now I know what it's like," Rogen told hosts Tony Hawk and Jason Ellis. "If someone is getting mad about it on social media, that's not controversy. Having the U.N. have to make a statement about it, that's a controversy." Park's portrayal of Kim is a cartoonish delight, and "The Interview" features cameos from Eminem, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Emma Stone, and Rob Lowe. "Borat" fans are bound to get a kick out of the themes and the wild antics that Rogen and Franco get up to after arriving in North Korea.

The 2018 drama "Baja" isn't as well-known as the 1995 film of the same name starring Molly Ringwald, but "Borat" fans will enjoy the way it showcases the rugged beauty of Mexico's Baja Peninsula. It does so through the eyes of four adventure-seeking 20-something Americans. The four gringos are joined by a local sex worker named Carmen (Zoe Corraface) who helps smooth some of the rough spots in their journey with her local knowledge and command of Spanish. The most well-known cast member is Mark Margolis, famous for his Emmy-nominated performance as Hector Salamanca on "Breaking Bad." Margolis steals the second act as shaman Don Primo when he takes the spiritually adrift Bryan (Jake Thomas) on a vision quest in the desert.

Where "Borat" exists to illuminate the cultural and societal weaknesses of the United States, "Baja" is a tribute to the roughly 760-mile long Mexican peninsula and its rugged deserts, gorgeous beaches, and welcoming residents. The film is far more than eye candy, though — there are constant heartwarming reminders to live in the moment and a lot of satisfying growth for most of the main characters, especially Bryan. His arc is similar to that of Cameron Frye (Alan Ruck) in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" as he breaks free of the influence of his overbearing parents. While critics were split over it, "Baja" has a near-perfect audience rating of 97% on Rotten Tomatoes.

"Pee-wee's Big Adventure" isn't your conventional American road trip movie. The feature film debut of Paul Reubens' popular character sees him crossing the nation in search of his stolen bicycle in a haphazard quest similar to that of Borat and his pursuit of Pamela Anderson. "Big Adventure" was directed by Tim Burton and co-written by Reubens, Phil Hartman, and Michael Varhol. It's a Gen X nostalgic favorite that will become part of American history in 2027 when the bike used in the movie will go on permanent display at the Alamo to mark the film's 40th anniversary. The famous San Antonio historic site features prominently in the film, with Pee-wee being misled into believing his bike is in the fort's basement.

"Pee-wee's Big Adventure" holds up well considering the wacky premise. It's still entertaining four decades on, and Paul Reubens' death in 2023 at the age of 70 makes his innocence on screen as Pee-wee a little more appreciated today. Of course, "Pee-wee's Big Adventure" is nowhere near as hard-edged as "Borat," but Reubens' character is like an innocent cousin to Sacha Baron Cohen's Kazakh journalist: They both go on a big adventure into the heart and soul of America.

We've all heard jokes about how the Mike Judge comedy "Idiocracy" seems more like a documentary than a satire these days. Hulk Hogan's pro-Donald Trump speech in 2024 was "Idiocracy" in real life according to many on social media, and Terry Crews (who plays pro wrestler-turned-president Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho in "Idiocracy") agreed, telling AP Entertainment that "we officially have went that far." The film stars Luke Wilson as Joe Bauers, a very average soldier who is accidentally put in a cryogenic freezer for 500 years. When he emerges, the world has been dumbed down so much that he is now smarter than everyone else, including agricultural experts who irrigate crops using a sports drink.

It's certainly interesting watching the film nowadays, but what's even more interesting is that the United States depicted in "Idiocracy" is not dissimilar to the one Borat experiences. Joe encounters homophobes, misogynists, and bullies in the dumbed down future he wakes up in, though this is also present in the parts of the U.S. that Borat visits. Sacha Baron Cohen elicits some truly shocking comments from some of the real people he encounters in the film, to the point that "Borat" could be seen as a spiritual prequel to "Idiocracy." You can rent or buy "Idiocracy" on Amazon.

Road trip movies don't need scathing satire to be masterpieces, and the John Hughes classic "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" earned that status thanks to the performances of stars John Candy and Steve Martin. Martin's ad exec Neal meets Candy's shower curtain ring salesman Del when the two are stranded by a pre-Thanksgiving snowstorm while traveling, and their disaster-filled journey to Chicago makes Borat and Azamat's trip look like a breeze. There are positive messages throughout, like appreciating the value of what you have in life.

Like "Borat," "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" is still beloved many years after its original release, with a 93% approval rating from critics and 87% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. It's a highlight in the careers of Hughes, Martin, and Candy, and the film's messages ring as true today as they did when it first hit theaters. "Borat" fans looking for something light and positive will no doubt love it, and if you've already seen it, why not give it another go — there are plenty of things that you only notice the second time you watch "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles."

Director Harold Ramis and writer John Hughes made a big contribution to the weirdo-on-erratic-road trip subgenre of films with "National Lampoon's Vacation." It stars Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo as Clark and Ellen Griswold, Chicago-area parents who take their kids Audrey (Dana Barron) and Rusty (Anthony Michael Hall) on a road trip to the Walley World theme park in California.

The Griswold family's vacation missteps are different from Borat's outlandish cultural and socio-political stumbles, but both films find humor in these failings. "National Lampoon's Vacation" has a 94% rating from critics and 85% from audiences at Rotten Tomatoes, so it's even more loved than "Borat." Its abject silliness and willingness to go far for a joke makes it a spiritual ancestor to "Borat," and Clark Griswold is as much of a lovable bumbler as the Kazakhstani TV journalist.

Another classic '80s comedy film that "Borat" fans should appreciate is "The Blues Brothers," one of the best Dan Aykroyd movies. This John Landis comedy stars Aykroyd and John Belushi as Elwood and Jake Blues. The Chicago-raised musician brothers embark on a so-called "mission from God" to quickly earn, steal, or scam the $5,000 needed to keep the Catholic orphanage where they were raised from closing. They set out on a chaotic journey to re-form their blues band and throw a hastily-arranged benefit performance.

Musical interludes from legends Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, and Cab Calloway lend some toe-tapping legitimacy to the proceedings. There's even a brief cameo from Paul Reubens as a waiter who suggests a 1971 Dom Pérignon to complete Jake's order of "five shrimp cocktails and some bread for my brother." "The Blues Brothers" mixes silliness with impending doom much like "Borat" did decades later, but most viewers should find Jake and Elwood a more palatable snack than Borat Sagdiyev, who crosses boundaries of all kinds for the sake of comedy.

"Little Miss Sunshine" was nominated for four Academy Awards, including best picture. It didn't triumph in that category, but Michael Arndt won for his original screenplay and Alan Arkin was named best supporting actor. His young co-star Abigail Breslin was also nominated, losing out to Jennifer Hudson for "Dreamgirls" in the best supporting actress category. Breslin's Olive is the driving figure behind the film's plot, with her parents, Richard (Greg Kinnear) and Sheryl (Toni Collette), and the rest of her family doing their best to safely shepherd her from the family home in Albuquerque to the Little Miss Sunshine pageant in California. Steve Carell shines as Sheryl's brother Frank, who is working through mental health issues while staying with his sister's family.

The Hoover family's road trip is what makes this film a must-see for "Borat" fans. Family issue come to the surface during their 800-mile road trip, which is disrupted by mechanical trouble with their aging yellow Volkswagen van. Add some tense interactions with law enforcement into the mix and you've got an eventful journey to match that of Borat and his producer. Both films are shocking, albeit in different ways — there's a devastating death in "Little Miss Sunshine" that gives the now-iconic final scene extra weight. The vast majority of film fans agree that "Little Miss Sunshine" is worth your time: It's rated at 91% by both critics and audiences on Rotten Tomatoes.