Ali G

I first encountered the Ali G character a few months ago in the American import of his interview show in which he sets up unsuspecting celebrities and creates comedy at their expense. Since they are invariably people who feed on public attention, it is entirely appropriate to feed on them once in a while. But it takes a seriously misleading, confusing and outrageous character to pull it off, and Ali G (Sacha Baron Cohen) does it. Cohen thinks funny; Ali G is a hugely funny creation, in much the same way that another wild and crazy guy, Andy Kaufman, invented unforgettably outrageous characters.

"Ali G Indahouse" is Ali G to the third power, cubed. The plot is suitably improbable, offering an appropriate springboard for the Ali G craziness. I laughed till I cried. The plot twisted around and ended happily, and there wasn't a cliché that wasn't ragged on or a convention that wasn't exploited, and at every turn, the absurdity of the Ali G persona looms over all, ragging on itself and painting everything with its humor.

I like the fact that Ali G is a white middle-class guy who has become a hip-hopper and gone native with it. In that way it's about re-creating oneself and then bumping up against conventional reality, which results in absurdities and humor, some attributable to the pretense of the invented persona and some to the ridiculous conventions it scrapes against. It could be a stretch and unfunny. It works and knocks 'em dead.

Let me now back away from over-analyzing something that looks uncomplicated and isn't, but is hugely funny, and deserves just to be enjoyed. Roll with the humor of that crazy dude. He is a classic.

Doug Wilson

'Ali G Indahouse' works primarily due to Sacha Baron Cohen's Terrific Performance. The actor is truly hilarious in here, as he manages to pull-off the non-sense stuff with great style.

'Ali G Indahouse' Synopsis: Ali G unwittingly becomes a pawn in the evil Chancellor's plot to overthrow the Prime Minister of Great Britain.

'Ali G Indahouse' is funny in parts, not in totality. Some jokes & gags, especially in the first-hour, are excellent & bring the house down. But, in the second-hour, the writing material loosens & doesn't quite register an impact. Sacha Baron Cohen & Dan Mazer's Screenplay works in parts, while Mark Mylod's Direction is fair.

Sacha Baron Cohen's performance as Alistair "Ali G" Graham, is terrific & deserves special mention. The talented actor who delivered fantastic performances in films like 'Borat' & 'Brüno', proves his mettle yet again. Here's an actor who deserves a massive fan-following, due to his sheer talent. I would love to see more of him. Another performance that I truly liked in here, was by Martin Freeman, who scores as Ali G's best friend.

On the whole, 'Ali G Indahouse' is a fair comedy. Watch it for Sacha Baron Cohen!

Ali G is undoubtedly an important character in terms of entertainment. He's a fictional gangster rapper, created and played by Sacha Baron Cohen and was used in short sketches in order to trick unwitting celebrities into giving interviews. And everything about the set-up worked, perfectly. However, when something is designed for 'small bursts' there's sometimes some problems when it's transferred to a full-length movie in terms of story. Here is an example of a film that just about pulls it off. Just.

I quite enjoyed 'Ali G Indahouse,' but then I'm a big fan of the series (and I wasn't expecting too much!). However, I can't see the film attracting too many new converts, or really appealing to a wider audience. Gone are the clever interviews the character was known for, plus any real attempts at poking fun at popular culture or social commentary. Now, all that is replaced by a pretty generic story about Ali G trying to save his local youth centre by running for Parliament and getting used by political heavyweights in order to try and appeal to the youth of today.

There's nothing particularly inspiring about the story and it's all wrapped up in plenty of pretty unsubtle 'toilet' humour (or at least that of the s3xual kind!). What was once a cutting attempt at poking fun of those too stupid or embarrassed to say what's literally staring them in the face has become one 'body-part' joke after the next.

The supporting cast are there for Ali G to play off, including an underused Martin Freeman (before he was mega famous!) and acting greats Charles Dance and Michael Gambon (playing those dastardly 'suits' in power), but it's Sacha Baron Cohen's show all the way. He really does put his all into the role and certainly isn't afraid to send himself up, looking the fool at every given opportunity.

And it's this kind of commitment that saves the film. Even as a fan of the original (sketch-based) creation of Ali G, I wasn't too sure about the full length film. Luckily, it's not too long and, although completely predictable, is certainly watchable enough if you're not offended by the language and subject material. It's definitely not 'high brow,' but I feel there should be a place for films which aren't supposed to tax you mentally after a day's work. Here, you can just put your brain on hold and smirk at the silliness on screen.

I enjoyed it at the time and I still do today. However, I do feel that Cohen's future (big screen) releases were much 'sharper' in terms of taking a character developed for TV sketches and turning it into a feature-length movie. If you like Cohen's work, you should definitely check out his later offerings 'Borat' and 'Bruno.' Maybe 'Ali G Indahouse' was effectively Cohen honing his art? But, if you're still unsure as whether to watch or not, maybe just look up an old Ali G sketch on YouTube and, if you like it, you may just like the big screen version, too.

Ali G earned his fame on the small screen - though the big screen has not lost him any kudos either. Ali G Indahouse is a hilarious laugh-a-second fun fest - just like on the small screen. He has lost none of his character or stupidity at all, and behind all that - none of the film is brainless fluff either. A human side to Ali is revealed during the film, the idea of Ali G running for PM is a brilliant, fresh and funny one - and the incessant stupidity of Staines' gangster man is mixed well with the stern, harsh world that is politics. The film is also full of brilliant new characters - and instead of just interview after interview, we get a proper comedy film that never gets repetitive or boring. So why didn't I give it ten stars? Well, the ending was funny, but also botched and failed - none of it made sense. And in parts, the film became offensive in trying to be funny - but that's Ali G for you - if it isn't offensive, it isn't itself, and it is totally and utterly ruined. Ali G's big screen debut was a success in my belief, and should have got into the 6-7 average rating range on IMDb. But it could have got worse as well, and people are bound to have mixed opinions, especially on a film such as this.

On the whole, Ali G Indahouse is hilarious British comedy at its best - and funniest, and most clever. A great job! 9/10

Ali G Indahouse has got to be one of the funniest films I've seen in a long time, and Cohen's portrayal of a British gangsta is hilarious. This film has cult classic written all over it, and it features some really great lines. Ali G Indahouse is a good-time party movie that will leave the viewer laughing literally from beginning to end. Definitely Vote Ali G and keep it real.