Ali G: Who Iz I? Review
Sacha Baron Cohen’s attempt to resurrect Ali G goes disastrously off the rails, with barely a joke to be found.
Ali G: Who Iz I? premiered on Prime Video five days after its theatrical release, signaling a possible end to Sacha Baron Cohen's mockumentary career. The film, which Cohen directed, follows Ali G, a white Rude Boy poseur, as he grapples with fatherhood when his girlfriend becomes pregnant. This movie marks a less impressive chapter in a career that began with his exceptionally popular Borat.
Cohen's efforts feel feeble and lack the same depth and impact as his previous work, falling short of creating laughter or provocation.
In an attempt to create a political portrait of the United States, the movie borrows elements from his HBO show Da Ali G show and Showtime series Who Is America?. The storyline involves Ali G learning of his girlfriend's pregnancy and landing in Los Angeles, where he encounters another Cohen character, Dr. Nira Cain-N Degeocello, who aims to accuse him of cultural appropriation. Both Ali G and Dr. Nira interact with various bystanders, using Cohen's trademark prankish style, but the instigations fall flat.
The film tries to capture attention by bombarding viewers with everyday people's reactions, but the commonplace, microcelebrity tomfoolery seems to bore audiences. Cohen even has to explain the format of his mockumentary in the movie's opening and closing scenes. While the film touches on "cancel culture" and "DEI" issues, its mission seems misguided.
The caricatures of Cohen's targets are tame, and the movie's political bent is asymmetric, focusing more on low-hanging fruit like penile humor. Ultimately, Who Iz I? is a film lacking risks and meaningful content, primarily about the self-preservation of its creator, Sacha Baron Cohen.
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