Because I liked
← The library

The Dictator

2012 · Directed by Larry Charles

Original language: English

  • comedy

The story

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

What it’s like

Bright, flat daylight over a sun-scorched North African-style republic of dusty boulevards, marble palaces and cheap concrete, shot in a loose, mostly handheld style that jitters in on the action like a news crew that cannot quite keep up. The palette leans on washed-out ochres, military khaki and gaudy gold-leaf portraits, while the score bounces between brassy anthem swells and cheerful pop, so the sound itself keeps undercutting its own pomp. Pacing is brisk and scattershot, built on set-piece gags, fake-documentary interviews and a steady stream of verbal provocation rather than any gentle build. Its vibe is brash, irreverent and deliberately uncomfortable, a culture-clash satire that plays for laughs at the expense of tyranny, Western naivety and self-importance alike. The emotional register stays arch and cynical, with a vain, cruel leader gradually, reluctantly, becoming a more human if still absurd figure. Intensity is moderate and frequently crude: strong profanity, sexual innuendo and some sexual humour, bloody but cartoonish violence, a few brutal deaths played for shock, and a recurring sting of political cruelty and stereotype. It suits fans of Borat-style provocation and anyone wanting a loud, rude comedy for a night out rather than something soft or sentimental.

More films like The Dictator

Closest in mood, pacing and theme. Tell us why you loved The Dictatorand we’ll explain which ones fit you.