Plot aside, "Ali G: Indahouse" is chuck full of jokes, mostly aimed for the stoner crowd. This isn’t tight wit like Monty Python, nor is it silly humor like Mr. Bean. Rather, Ali G is a whole new breed of crazy.
Ali G: Indahouse (2002)
Directors: Mark Mylod
Producers: Sacha Baron Cohen, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, William Green And Dan Mazer
Writers: Sacha Baron Cohen And Dan Mazer
Features: * Commentary * Two Featurettes * Deleted Scenes * Photo Gallery * Trailers
Characters:
Ali G...Sacha Baron Cohen
Prime Minister...Michael Gambon
David Carlton...Charles Dance
Me Julie...Kellie Bright
Ricky C...Martin Freeman
Naomi Campbell...Naomi Campbell
Kate Hedges...Rhona Mitra
Genre: Comedy
Review:
Ali G was a pleasant surprise. It’s not a great film, nor is it really all that good, but I never thought it would turn out as funny as it did. Back in 1999, The Ali G Show became a phenomenon in jolly old England. Ali would interview famous stars with his crass white rapper wannabe routine in full swing. It gained critical success and a fan base in no time at all.
When Ali got transported to America, things didn’t go so well for him. The show seemingly lost its edge thanks to American censorship. My first Ali G Show experience was with one of these episodes. In other words, I really wasn’t expecting much from the West Side homey.
What I got, though, was a low brow, crass farce that topped Jamie Kennedy’s Malibu’s Most Wanted. Again, that’s not too much of a compliment. Ali G: Indahouse is the sort of film you watch when nothing else is on. It’s pleasant, rude and crude, but it’s not ashamed that it is. It’s the sort of late night movie that gains a cult audience despite the fact that it’s rather sub par.
The plot of Ali G is strewn together mostly by a mish mash of gimmicks and gags, aimed far below the belt. Ali G is brought in the spice up the Prime Minister’s (Harry Potter’s Michael Gambon) image, while others hope that G’s presence will ruin his chances of a future term. Instead of ruining the show, Ali G dominates the stage and takes center light, becoming a national sensation. This, of course, does not sit well with the David Carlton (Alien 3’s Charles Dance), the Prime Minster’s aide, who has hopes of taking the PM’s seat after he’s laughed out of office.
Plot aside, Ali G: Indahouse is chuck full of jokes, mostly aimed for the stoner crowd. This isn’t tight wit like Monty Python, nor is it silly humor like Mr. Bean. Rather, Ali G is a whole new breed of crazy. Sacha Baron Cohen is a great comedic performer. His timing is impeccable and his character, Ali G himself, is so zany and wild that you can’t help but enjoy him. I’m not sure whether Jamie Kennedy’s Brad 'B-Rad' Gluckman came first or Ali G (I think Ali was first on the market though), but Cohen tops him, just by being British alone. A British accent mixed with ghetto slang adds a whole new dimension to the already ridiculous character.
The film is strong with laughs, never letting up for a minute. Ali G’s ‘personal’ comments, which can be seen two or three times during the film’s 88 minutes, are a laugh out loud riot. The opening action sequence is also fantastic. Like most plot driven comedies, the jokes fade near the third act as the real story sets in, but fear not, the jokes return before the film’s hilarious finale. Ali G might not be everyone’s cup of tea, for certain, but if you’re in the mood for a good late night comedy, Indahouse will certainly provide.
Video:
Presented in anamorphic widescreen 1:85:1, Ali G looks wonderful. This is a great transfer, clean of artifacts and pixilation. This is one bright film (Ali G wears yellow in nearly every scene) and Universal has come through, keeping the contrast solid.
Audio:
Another great Dolby Digital 5.1 track from Universal. Again, there isn’t a DTS track, but the 5.1 mix is vibrant and loaded with great bass reflux. Only problem: the center channel seems to have been mixed slightly lower than the surrounds making it hard to hear some dialogue when music is playing the background. This doesn’t occur all too often, but nevertheless, it’s distracting when it does.
English captions as well as Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish subtitles are provided.
Extras:
Again, Universal has provided a wealth of extras for you to enjoy.
First up, the Screen Specific Audio Commentary from Ali G is hysterical. While it lacks any real detail about the production, I find it hard to believe that there’s anyone who really wants to hear about how many hours it took to choreograph the dance numbers (though I wouldn’t mind finding out how they got Charles Dance to flit around in a dress like a J. Lo backup dancer), it’s still a hilarious listen. If you’re a fan of Ali G, be sure to check this track out.
Next, cruise on over to the Deleted Scenes (23 minutes) section and be treated to several rather hilarious bits. It would have been great to see some of these bits cut back into the feature via an extended branching version. Regardless, they are here for your enjoyment.
Video Diary (11 minutes) is a quick little behind the scenes featurette hosted by Ali G himself. Again, if you love the character, this will be a treat for you.
Talking the Talk (2 minutes) will teach you the art is speaking like Ali G. I’m not going to attempt it here for fear of embarrassing myself. In other words, I’m going to ‘Keep it Real’...There, I did it.
Finally, there is a Photo Gallery and a slew of Trailers for Ali G and other films coming or already available from Universal Home Video.
Final Thoughts:
Ali G is, without a doubt, one guilty pleasure of a movie. It’s the sort of humor that we’re ashamed we enjoy, but we can’t turn away. A great disc overall, Ali G: Indahouse is a solid late night farce.
*Film Scorecard*
As entertainment: * * *
As a film: * *
Overall: * * ½
*DVD Scorecard*
Video: 8.5
Audio: 8
Extras: 7
Overall: 8
Rated R: For strong sexual content, pervasive crude humor, language and drug content.
* Running Time: 88 minutes
* List Price: $27.98
* Available on DVD November 2nd 2004.
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----R. L. Shaffer