Ali G anda suelto

I used to love Sacha Baron Cohen`s creation of Ali G on THE 11 0`CLOCK SHOW in the late 90s . I also liked the spin off show though it should be pointed out by then the joke was wearing thin and it was obvious his guests were in on the joke of having a white boy impersonating a black ghetto boy wannabe . When ALI G INDAHOUSE was released I didn`t bother to see it because Ali was probably past his sell by date then . But my brother bought me the video of this film and watched it on Boxing day and I must confess it was a lot better than I expected

ALI G INDAHOUSE is a very funny if you understand the " Wigger " culture of middle class white boys wishing they were black . I was laughing out loud at the first half of the film as Ali lays down the facts to his posse that wearing the wrong colours in the ghetto could cost you your life , and Ali on the election trail had me in absolute stitches as he drove down Staines high street giving a rap broadcast , but then the film goes slightly downhill as an extremely unlikely political plot takes shape and the jokes slow down

So all in all ALI G INDAHOUSE is funny but slightly uneven . I still watch the video a couple of months after getting it but only the first half . It`s a lot better than getting socks for Christmas so thanks for the video Neill

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

When most British TV comedies get given the big screen treatment they are usually terrible. This is one of the more successful attempts but is still no where near as funny as when Ali G was the telly. Ali G was hilarious on TV when he was interviewing unsuspecting politicians/scientists/vicars etc, and less so here in this cinematic adventure. It actually has a plot as Ali rises to become Primeminister of Great Britain! It has some very funny parts but not nearly enough of them, maybe its because Ali G has been around for about 3 years now and the concept is becoming a bit stale now. Although I loved the bit where Ali met Sacha's other comic creation "Borat", very clever and a nice pay off for fans of his TV show. ***6/10)***

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 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.