Ali G Indahouse (2002)

Directed by Mark Mylod. Starring Sacha Baron Cohen, Charles Dance, Michael Gambon, Rhona Mitra, Martin Freeman, Kellie Bright, Ray Panthaki, Barbara New, Tony Way. [R]

Cohen brings his dim-witted wannabe gangsta from “Da Ali G Show” to the big screen (except in the US, where it went straight to video), the highly improbable scenario being that, in trying to rescue an old hangout from demolition, Ali G gets elected to a seat in Parliament…and his “unorthodox” manner makes him a very popular addition. Cohen is in pretty good form, and there are a few clever satirical jabs and funny throwaway lines, but the script too often aims low and settles on easy, predictable punchlines. A mixed bag, and the construction is awfully slapdash. Note: presented as a traditional fiction feature instead of the mockumentary style he did with his Borat and Brüno characters; Cohen does appear as Borat in a cameo, though.

48/100