Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.5

Ali G Indahouse Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf August 16, 2024

While he rocketed to superstardom with help from his most famous creation, Borat Sagdiyev, actor Sacha Baron Cohen was initially invested in a different character. Ali G is described as a “faux-streetwise poseur,” finding success on “Da Ali G Show,” where Cohen would unleash his imagination and great love of uncomfortable comedy. Ali G was the breakout creation, and with television triumph comes cinematic aspirations. Borat would prove to be Cohen’s biggest success, but Ali G came first, with 2002’s “Ali G Indahouse” attempting to give the “chav” more room to play and a plot to follow, getting away from interview shenanigans that made the T.V. show such a delight. Stripped of improvisational moves, Cohen is forced to stick to a script for the feature, which tries to create a world for Ali G, and opportunities to screw everything up. “Ali G Indahouse” is loaded with customary crudeness from Cohen (who co-scripts with Dan Mazer), and the rigidness of storytelling with this creation is present. However, the effort has many laughs and pleasingly bizarre situations, watching Cohen work hard to sustain the appeal of Ali G, lacking the safety net of seven-minute-long segment run times.

Ali G (Sacha Baron Cohen) is a young man trying to act hard in his hometown of Staines, England, riding around with his crew, Da West Staines Massiv, including Ricky C (Martin Freeman). He has a neighborhood to defend, with rivals Da East Staines Massiv getting under his skin, and a girlfriend to tolerate in Me Julie (Kellie Bright), but Ali G mostly lives for himself, with his half-wit ways while trying to save the John Nike Leisure Center attracting the attention of Deputy Prime Minister David (Charles Dance), who needs a moron to take a recently vacated seat in parliament, endeavoring to push out the Prime Minister (Michael Gambon). Suddenly thrust in to a political career, Ali G goes along for the ride, doing his best to make his mark on the population, also pursuing attention from David’s private secretary, Kate (Rhona Mitra). As he finds his way into the establishment, Ali G’s old life and loves are threatened, newly determined to do something to save Staines from disaster.

“Ali G Indahouse” offers an opening dream sequence for the character, who, appropriately enough, is living in a fantasy world of Los Angeles gang war, allowing him to be the hero in a lowrider. The great idea driving the world of Ali G is his idiocy, offering askew confidence with his style and attitude, playing the role of a tough gangster without actually possessing hardness, appropriating culture to live in his own rap video existence. He’s a doofus, but not necessarily a lovable one, showing some disdain for Me Julie and a general disregard for others, but “Ali G Indahouse” is out to generate an arc for the character, giving him purpose while attempting to save a Staines recreation center, where he teaches the local kids how to be gangsters. And there’s a fish-out-of-water odyssey with a sudden political career, allowing Cohen to toy with Ali G’s stupidity as the goon falls upwards, making a positive impression with his buffoonery (his policies include only allowing “fit” women into the country), which drives David crazy.

“Ali G Indahouse” reaches parliament, graduating to more political jokes, while the overall Britishness of the production remains strong throughout the picture. Director Mark Mylod (“The Menu”) tries to instill as much structure into the feature as possible, working hard to keep the cinematic version of Ali G focused on the movement of plot and the development of personalities. It doesn’t always work, with the “small doses” appeal of Ali G tested throughout the endeavor, especially when the writing struggles to develop a rousing third act. However, jokes do land in the movie, with some sizable laughs to go with the groans and gross-outs, and while Cohen is always committed, he has a game cast to play with, with Dance and Gambon helping to class up a film that finds tiresome fart and gay panic humor hilarious.

Ali G Indahouse Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.84:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Ali G Indahouse" appears to be sourced from an older scan of the feature. Softness is present, with limited detail while exploring skin particulars on the cast and their wide range of ages. City tours are passably dimensional, exploring street life, and interiors retain mild depth, including visits to parliament. Color is a little fatigued, but connects with the wild world of Ali G style, delivering bright neons, DayGlo, and primaries with clothing choices, extending to gang outfits and car paint jobs. Government interactions offer cooler formal wear and office spaces. Skin tones are bit hot at times. Delineation is satisfactory. Source is in good condition.

Ali G Indahouse Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix works with the bizarre slang and heavy accents of "Ali G Indahouse," and while intelligibility is never threatened, it probably doesn't hurt to have the subtitles on to fully grasp the language of the picture. Scoring selections deliver decent comedic support and definition, while soundtrack offerings are naturally more forceful, with a heavier presence on the track, also contributing some low-end beats. Surrounds are active, offering some panning effects and channel separation as the story encounters crowd and car activity. Sound effects are pronounced.

Ali G Indahouse Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features Sacha Baron Cohen as Ali G.

• Deleted Scenes and Outtakes (22:14, SD) offer "Smell the Cheese," "Ali G Outta the House," "West Side Story," "Ali G in the Houses of Parliament," "Helping the Homeless Nesslessless," "Ali G in the Queen's House," "Emergency 911," "Rumble in the Jungle," "Ali G in the PM's House," "Ali's Crack Problem," "Ali G and the Prime Minestrone," "It's a Rap," "Ali's Secretaries of State," "Ali Parts the Curtains," and "Outtakes & Mistakes."

• "Behind the Scenes with Ali G" (11:49, SD) follows the production to Los Angeles, watching Sacha Baron Cohen, as Ali G, interact with the actors playing gang members, joking around with group as the line between character and reality is blurred. Ali offers a tour of his trailer and his morning routine, where the makeup artist aims to make him "look less like a brother." The shoot moves over to England, where Ali G practices his on-command flatulence, interacts with local law enforcement, plays around with co-star Michael Gambon, and prepares for a crucial scene where dog Tupac licks his genitals.

• "Learn to Talk Like Ali G" (2:18, SD) is a lesson from the character on how to "speak real English." An unidentified narrator provides the education, "translating" dialogue from "Ali G Indahouse."

• Image Galley (8:09) collects poster art, BTS snaps, publicity shots, and film stills.

• And Theatrical Trailer #1 (2:04, SD), Theatrical Teaser #1 (1:19, SD), and Theatrical Teaser #2 (:52, SD) are included.

Ali G Indahouse Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Ali G Indahouse" is no achievement in moviemaking, and it clearly has limits to its imagination and timing. It's Cohen who keeps the machine running, working the frame in full as the character, trying to position the moron in the middle of political and personal challenges. Cohen's other creations, Borat (who cameos here) and Bruno, would stick closely to Cohen's brand of "reality" humor, but Ali G is given more to do for his big debut, and while some of it falls flat, the comedic approach does have a few brighter moments of slapstick fun.