The Dictator (2012)

The heroic story of a dictator who risks his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed.

Director:

Larry Charles

Writers:

Sacha Baron Cohen, Alec Berg,

Stars:

Sacha Baron Cohen, Ben Kingsley, Anna Faris

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sacha Baron Cohen	...	Aladeen / Efawadh
Sayed Badreya	...	Omar
Rocky Citron	...	Baby Aladeen
Liam Campora	...	Aladeen Age 6
Aasif Mandvi	...	Doctor
Rizwan Manji	...	Patient
Rick Chambers	...	Newscaster Voiceover (voice)
Elsayed Mohamed	...	Wadiyan Olympic Official
Adeel Akhtar	...	Maroush
Horatio Sanz	...	Aide on Balcony
Ben Kingsley	...	Tamir
Elena Goode	...	Virgin Guard
Nazanin Homa	...	Virgin Guard (as Naz Homa)
Dawn Jackson	...	Virgin Guard (as Dawn Zimniak)
Victoria Beltran	...	Virgin Guard

Storyline

The Republic of Wadiya is ruled by an eccentric and oppressive leader named Hafez Aladeen. Aladeen is summoned to New York to a UN assembly to address concerns about his country's nuclear weapons program, but the trip goes awry.

---

Plot Keywords:

dictator | hotel | oil | nuclear weapons | general | 

---

Genres:

Comedy

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong crude and sexual content, brief male nudity, language and some violent images

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [fr]

Country:

USA

Language:

English Hebrew

Release Date:

16 May 2012 (USA)

Also Known As:

El dictador

Filming Locations:

7 West 30th Street, New York, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$65,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$17,435,092 (USA) (18 May 2012)

Gross:

$59,617,068 (USA) (20 July 2012)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Four by Two Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

83 min 99 min (unrated)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital Datasat SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The always lifted point finger of Aladeen was inspired on Cuban leader Fidel Castro who is always pointing in his speeches.

---

Goofs

The photos of Aladeen and his past exploits aren't all unique. Some of the photos on the wall are mirrored copies, while most are just duplicates scattered around.

---

Quotes

[Aboard the helicopter, Aladeen and Nadal are smiling at the American tourists in front of them, as Aladeen points at his sheriff's badge]
General Aladeen: I love being an Americans! America is number one! Oh, I am from U.S.A.! My father also from U.S.A.! My great-grandfather fought in the American Civil Jihad. I am very proud to be an American. I am America's number one douche.
[Nadal sighs]
General Aladeen: [Speaking in Wadiyan] I've fooled them. Job done.
Nadal: [Speaking in Wadiyan] So, how are things back at the Palace?
General Aladeen: [...]

---

Crazy Credits

Extra scenes during the end credits, including making-of moments.

---

Connections

Features Forrest Gump (1994)

---

Soundtracks

"Goulou L'Mama"
Written by Jalal Hamdaoui
Performed by Jalal Hamdaoui & Cheb Rayan
Courtesy of Fassiphone Belgium S.P.R.L.

User Reviews

Woody Allen, Peter Sellers, Sacha Baron Cohen

The non-stop jokes, off-color humor, slapstick and under 90 minute running time of "The Dictator" hearkens back to early Woody Allen gems like "What's Up Tiger Lily," "Take The Money and Run," "Bananas," and "Love and Death. And, in the world of comedy, that's quite a compliment.

Like Cohen, Allen's first films were often misunderstood. Some folks just did not get the joke. Many still don't get it today. The object of comedy has always been to take down the high and mighty by whatever means necessary. And, if you happen to be a Middle Eastern despot, you will find much to be offended by here. But, as Allen often did as well, Cohen uses racial and gender stereotypes to shine a light on people's attitudes, and that's likely to put off others as well. That's fine. Some comedy just isn't for everyone.

While his writing style owes much to Allen, his acting chops are also influenced heavily by one of Britain's greatest comics, Peter Sellers. You can see it in his outrageous accents and in his ridiculous pratfalls. Like Sellers, Cohen is fearless in his characterizations and, again, like Sellers, there will be those who will take offense in this. Again, not for everyone. But, if you laughed your butt off at Sellers' simpleton Indian character destroying a Hollywood party, you will be laughing here too.

And that's what we're talking about; laughs. Not every joke works. Many fall flat. But the film starts off fast and furious with a rapid succession of gags, most of which work hilariously, settles down for a bit and then takes off again, literally. His verbal sparring with co-star Jason Mantzoukas is one of the highlights as are many of the fun cameo appearances and a running joke about his name that I will not reveal here. There are many great sight gags that are easily missed and the appearance of his Efawadh character at the U.N. channels a scene right out of Allen's "Sleeper." There's a few scatological and sex jokes also (one about excrement, one about urination, one about masturbation, several about body parts), and these, if you ask me, are the low point of the film (except a child birth scene that's as funny as it is outrageous). But, the bodily fluid gags, so rampant in comedy films today, are actually few and far between. And there's a bit of a message, too.

We're not dealing with "Citizen Kane" here. But, then, this film made me laugh much more.