Ali G: Who Iz I? Movie Review

Ali G Returns to a Very Different World

Almost two decades after being one of the most recognizable characters from British comedy, Ali G returns in the film Ali G: Who Iz I? Directed, written, and starred in by Sacha Baron Cohen, this is another mockumentary comedy featuring the beloved character in one of his funniest endeavors.

In an ever-changing world where much has happened since the time of the early 2000s, the tracksuit-wearing wannabe gangster returns for a new challenge in Ali G: Who Iz I?.

Upon realizing that his longtime girlfriend, Julie (played by Morgana Robinson), is expecting him to have a baby with her, Ali G chooses to take off to America to earn some quick cash in ways such as TikTok and reality television.

As always, Ali G faces many challenges, leading to the type of hilarious encounters that made the character so loved.

As before, Sacha Baron Cohen mixes comedy with real life, putting random people in embarrassing situations where their prejudices, expectations, and sense of humor come out.

This concept holds many promises. Social media has opened up ways for people to promote themselves, while reality TV has kept rewarding shocking conduct. Ali G seems to be an ideal candidate for a society where attention is currency.

However, Ali G: Who Iz I? requires some time to get into its stride. This movie needs the first two acts to figure out why this character can still have his place in the current society. By the time the comedy starts getting funny, a lot of patience is already needed.

Has Ali G Outstayed His Welcome?

The biggest question hanging over the film is whether Ali G can still work in 2026.

When the character first emerged, his combination of exaggerated street slang, misplaced confidence, and complete obliviousness made him an effective vehicle for satire.

He could expose the absurdities of public life by asking seemingly ridiculous questions with absolute sincerity.

The whole comedy was based on the contrast between Ali’s own self-perception and the rest of the world. He thought of himself as an intellectual who had a lot going for him, but it was not the case at all.

It still works the same way, although much has changed since those times. There is a lot of intentionally outrageous personalities on social media now and reality TV shows make it possible to confuse sincere ignorance with a performance.

Ali G no longer seems like such an eccentric character. Many of the attitudes he portrays are now visible within mainstream culture.

Whilst it is a good idea to bring back a popular character, there needs to be a substantial reason for him coming back.

In ‘Ali G: Who Iz I?’ it seems the directors are aware of this problem so there are many instances where they attempt to show how relevant Ali is in today’s society.

However, this can often backfire as the comedy doesn’t come across as naturally as it should. At times the film feels like it is trying to justify why they brought Ali back.

Ali G can still be funny, but nostalgia alone cannot sustain a feature-length comedy. The character needs fresh targets, sharper observations, and a world that makes his particular brand of stupidity feel revealing again.

The First Two Acts Struggle to Find Their Funny Bone

Ali G: Who Iz I? struggles to get off on the right foot around the 100 minute mark.

The beginning sets up quite clearly the personal situation Ali is facing and how he will work to earn money in America.

The motivation of his girlfriend being pregnant is very clear and the idea of him trying to take advantage of current entertainment methods is an obvious way to include some modern comedy.

However, the first few parts can seem repetitive. Whilst we do get to understand quickly that Ali is confused about the modern world, the film keeps coming back to this idea without really developing the joke well.

This makes the film feel slow and at times there isn’t a build-up to some ridiculous situations.

It does however make you frustrated because you can still see Baron Cohen’s comedic talents and the character can still make you uncomfortable.

There is a lot of potential for comedic moments exposing the foolishness of those looking for attention and power.

There is however too much build up.

On various occasions it does try to be too direct with its satire rather than just being satirical. The references to modern celebrity culture can come across as forced especially if you can already work out the joke.

If it had been more confident it could have relied on the main character to show the foolishness of modern life rather than constantly telling us why he is important.

When the Satire Finally Hits Its Target

Fortunately however, things really start to get entertaining in the last 30 minutes.

Baron Cohen’s unique style comes through in this section of film. It really gets into some risque territory, and uses real-life situations to put people in awkward, unpredictable and sometimes very funny situations.

The key thing about Ali is his confidence. This is the best thing he has going for him. He can talk people into doing something ridiculous that sounds completely logical.

This puts them in a position where they can choose to confront him, laugh at him or be his patsies.

These scenes really have a nice element of unpredictability to them. Unlike traditional comedy where you know everyone is following a script, these interactions depend on peoples unpredictable reactions. They may not even know what’s happening.

Much of Baron Cohen’s career has revolved around creating these scenarios that highlight peoples reactions to being provoked, authority figures and social situations.

However, some of the best moments come from later on in the film, it can be hilarious if you create enough absurd scenarios to make people react in ways that tell us something about them.

There are genuinely funny moments that make you laugh out loud.

The problem is, there is a lot of inconsistent content leading up to those moments. However, the final act shows what could have been achieved if the film had more confidence in itself.

Sacha Baron Cohen Still Knows How to Make People Uncomfortable

Baron Cohen’s strong point is creating comedy out of awkward social situations.

Ali G fully embraces the character and doesn’t seem to doubt himself throughout. He gives full confidence to his delusional character.

This is key as if he knew he looked stupid whilst giving jokes it wouldn’t be as funny. As he fully believes in his character it creates comedy based on how others react.

The film also has a unique mix of scripted and guerilla comedy. Some of the best moments come from not knowing what will happen in real life situations.

Having a cameo from former US Congressman George Santos adds more interest to the theme of public personas.

This also fits well with the comedy as it looks at the strange link between notoriety, promotion and credibility.

However, the film can sometimes lack as it relies on shock value. Whilst provoking can create a reaction, it needs a better concept.

When Baron Cohen highlights hypocrisy or uses ridiculous situations to show something uncomfortable about human behaviour it creates a strong comedic effect.

However, when it’s just trying to make the situation more outrageous it can feel lacking.

The best parts of Ali G: Who Iz I? know that embarrassment works best when there is something to be learnt from it.

TikTok, Reality TV, and the Search for Relevance

An obvious plot to transition Ali G into TikTok and reality TV.

With our current attention economy, you have to make a fuss, cause controversy and keep people watching. Ali is perfect to do this with over-the-top persona.

His attempts at monetising his online fame also reflects our culture where being well known is seen as a success.

This causes a problem for the character. As we know, Ali G was created to highlight how ridiculous it was to live in a world where Ali was ignorant and an outsider. However, now those very traits can make him a popular online personality.

This could have been used to create a more thought provoking film. Since Ali’s foolishness isn’t special anymore, what happens when the world starts rewarding him?

Although the film does hint at this, it does not always go into much detail. Often it feels like they are trying to show that Ali can still work in today’s celebrity culture rather than going into the contradictions.

As a result, it doesn’t feel as daring. There is a huge number of topics to satirise in today’s world such as influencer culture, political branding and outrage.

Ali G is still a good way to look at these issues. However, they need to make sure they aren’t just putting him into modern situations. They need to find the new ridiculous things that only he can bring to light.

Does the Nostalgia Work?

There is certainly a comfort to those who are familiar with Ali G’s original TV appearances.

The character is instantly recognisable thanks to his unique mannerisms, cocky attitude and broken slang. There is a feeling of returning to an old friend who hasn’t changed much.

However, this can leave you wanting to compare it to previous material, whilst creating a nostalgic feeling.

Time has passed and both the audience and the target audience of the satire have changed. Some jokes that were meant to surprise aren’t as shocking anymore. Ali’s struggle to understand modern culture highlights how out of date he is at times.

The best parts of the film actually highlight this by putting him into situations where his outdated views clash with the real world.

The weaker parts of the film are unsure of how to portray Ali G in today’s day and age. Whilst there is a genuine fondness for the character, there isn’t always a strong enough reason to care about his return.

Whilst it is fun to see Baron Cohen play the character again, his return needs to offer a fresh view on why the character is important.

Final Verdict

Ali G: Who Iz I? is an uneven attempt to bring back one of British comedy’s most unique characters. Sacha Baron Cohen still knows how to cause awkwardness and elicit unexpected reactions.

The film’s saving grace lies within the last 30 minutes. Here we see some of the most brazen real life stunts and finally get some real awkward humour out of the satirical premise. Ali G still knows how to utilise the ridiculousness of public life.

However, the first two acts are very poor. The film is slow moving and there is little that hasn’t been done before. A lot of time is wasted explaining why he has returned.

The main issue revolves around the fact that Ali G is an old school comedian. In a world where internet personalities are already ludicrous and controversy is manufactured, his brand of ignorance needs to be aimed at something more specific.

There are plenty of good moments throughout and fans will still spot glimpses of the edgy humour Baron Cohen is known for but the uneven nature of the film makes it a bit of a let down.

Overall, the film works best when it forgets about trying to make Ali G fit into the modern world and just lets him run wild.

The comedic final act shows that he still knows how to cause a stir and bring a smile to peoples faces. He just needs better material and a more confident film.

Ali G: Who Iz I? delivers some genuinely hilarious moments and a strong final act, but sluggish pacing and an outdated comic formula make this comeback an uneven return.