Ali G Indahouse

Ali G Indahouse
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Mark Mylod
Produced by	Sacha Baron Cohen Dan Mazer Tim Bevan Eric Fellner
Written by	Sacha Baron Cohen Dan Mazer
Based on	Ali G from Da Ali G Show
Starring	Sacha Baron Cohen
Music by	Adam F
Cinematography	Ashley Rowe
Editing by	Paul Knight
Studio	Working Title Films StudioCanal WT2 Productions Talkback Productions
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date(s)	22 March 2002
Running time	87 minutes
Country	United Kingdom United States
Language	English
Box office	$25,936,616

Ali G Indahouse is a 2002 British comedy film directed by Mark Mylod and starring the fictional character Ali G, who is written and performed by comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. Ali G was originally developed for the Channel 4 series The 11 O'Clock Show and Da Ali G Show. The film was released on DVD in Region 2 in the United Kingdom on 11 November 2002, and in Region 1 in United States and Canada on 2 November 2004. It is the first of three films based on Baron Cohen's characters from Da Ali G Show, and is followed by Borat and Brüno.

Plot

Ali G (Sacha Baron Cohen) is the leader of Da West Staines Massiv, a fictional gang composed of a group of wannabe gangsters from Staines (a suburban town in north Surrey, to the west of London); their chief rivals are Da East Staines Massiv. Ali and Da West Staines Massiv are heartbroken to learn that their beloved local leisure centre (where they like to chill out and also where Ali teaches his "Keep it Real" classes) will be demolished by the local council. Ali and his friends decide to protest this injustice. After he goes on a hunger strike and is spotted chained to some railings by the nefarious Chancellor of the Exchequer/Deputy Prime Minister David Carlton (Charles Dance), he is drawn into a world of seedy political intrigue, as the Deputy Prime Minister tries to use Ali as a tool to destroy the Prime Minister's credibility. Ali is put forward as a candidate to be the next MP for Staines in a crucial by-election and manages to alienate most who cross his path, including feminists and the elderly. During a debate with his rival candidate, Ali tries to insult his rival by claiming that he "sucked off a horse". Unknown to Ali and the public, it turns out that the rival did indeed do such a thing, and trying to explain it away, he claims when he was out hunting with a friend he slipped, and his mouth landed on a horse's penis, which due to the mating season was erect. Ali then wins.

Although originally seeming out of his depth as a Member of Parliament, Ali's bizarre behaviour and solutions seem to actually work. He visits a Customs checkpoint in Dover, as a delegate compiling a report (though all he does is consume, steal confiscated pornography and drugs and invite his friends to use them with him). Through ideas such as making more "relatable" education and selectively ensuring the immigration of attractive (or "fit") women into the UK, Ali becomes incredibly popular, meeting the Prime Minister's intentions and bringing his percentage lead in the polls up twenty two percent. With this the Prime Minister offers to save Ali's leisure centre. First though, Ali accompanies the Prime Minister to a United Nations peace conference to avert war between the French-speaking African nations of Chad and Burkina Faso. The United States and Russia back opposite countries and both threaten nuclear attacks. It gets to the point where World War III is almost declared when Ali sneaks into the catering area and puts an entire bag of marijuana, which he had stolen from Customs earlier, into the delegates' tea and orders that they be served it right away. He throws the empty bag into a nearby rubbish bin. A side-effect is that the two opposing African presidents become allies (in fact they begin to kiss lovingly). The Prime Minister says that Ali has saved the world. However, Carlton's secretary Kate Hedges figures out what Ali has done and retrieves the empty marijuana bag (which has "Ali's stash. DO NOT NICK" written on the back), which she mails to the press. Upon his return to the UK, Ali is forced to leave parliament.

Before the Leisure Centre can be saved, a video emerges of Ali and his girlfriend having sex in the Prime Minister's bedroom at Chequers. As Ali was wearing items of the Prime Minister's clothing at the time, the media believe the video details the Prime Minister with a prostitute, forcing his resignation. This results in Deputy Prime Minister David Carlton being made Prime Minister. Carlton, who despises Ali, orders the destruction of the aforementioned leisure centre. He has also bought all available real estate in Staines in the knowledge that the town is to be destroyed to make way for a new terminal for Heathrow Airport, which will make him super wealthy. After turning down an offer to have sex with Kate Hedges, in exchange for "keeping his mouth shut" about the videotape, Ali and the West Staines Massiv must race against time to find the master copy of the CCTV tape proving the former Prime Minister's innocence, extending the olive branch to all the gangs all over Staines and neighbouring Berkshire (even to the East Staines Massiv) to help them break into the vaults and retrieve the said tape. They do this successfully and manage to reinstate the original Prime Minister, save the Leisure Centre, and all live happily ever after when Ali is posted as the British ambassador to Jamaica. Staines is saved from destruction, with the reinstated Prime Minister declaring that Slough is to be destroyed instead. This film features one of Baron Cohen's other character, Borat Sagdiyev, in a meeting with Ali G, where a double was used for different shots.

Cast

• Sacha Baron Cohen as Alistair "Ali G" Graham/Borat Sagdiyev
• Michael Gambon as Prime Minister
• Charles Dance as Deputy Prime Minister David Carlton
• Kellie Bright as Julie
• Martin Freeman as Richard "Ricky C" Cunningham
• Rhona Mitra as Kate Hedges
• Barbara New as Nan
• Ray Panthaki as Hassan B
• Emilio Rivera as Rico
• Olegar Fedoro as Russian Minister
• Tony Way as Dangerous Dave
• Daniela Lavender as Maid (as Daniella Lavender)
• John Scott Martin as Mr. Johnson

Reception

The film received mixed reviews and opened to some notably negative reviews from critics; however, it did over the years receive some positive mentions following the success of Borat and Brüno. While some hailed it as a successful low culture comedy, it inspired little of the strong fan enthusiasm associated with Da Ali G Show and with Baron Cohen's subsequent film, Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.It currently holds a 56% 'Rotten' rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Soundtrack

Ali G Indahouse – Da Soundtrack
Soundtrack album by Various Artists
Released	18 March 2002
Genre	Soundtrack, hip hop, garage, grime, 2-step, R&B, reggae
Length	69:35
Label	Island
Producer	Nick Angel Dan Mazer Sacha Baron Cohen

On 18 March 2002, a soundtrack album for the film was released. Featuring music used in the film, it also featured linking material by Ali G, as if the album was a pirate radio broadcast on Ali's "Drive By FM." It was an enhanced CD, featuring the music video for "Me Julie."

1. "Drive By"
2. "Stand Clear" (Adam F feat. M.O.P)
3. "Straight Outta Compton" (NWA)
4. "Incredible" (M Beat feat. General Levy)
5. "Swallow Back"
6. "Me Julie" (Ali G and Shaggy)
7. "Yo!"
8. "Dynamite" (Ms Dynamite)
9. "Ride wid Us (AC's Dark Dub Edit)" (So Solid Crew)
10. "Baddest Ruffest" (Backyard Dog)
11. "Oh Yeah" (Foxy Brown feat. Spragga Benz)
12. "Put It on Me" (Ja Rule feat. Vita)
13. "This Is How We Do It " (Mis-Teeq)
14. "Freak Me" (Another Level)
15. "Hold Tight"
16. "E.I." (Nelly)
17. "Legalise"
18. "Shoot to Kill" (Oxide & Neutrino)
19. "Mad Props"
20. "Fight the Power" (Public Enemy)
21. "Planet Rock" (Afrika Bambaataa and The Soul Sonic Force)
22. "Spread de Love"
23. "Me Julie" (video) (Ali G and Shaggy)
24. "Tease Me" (Chaka Demus & Pliers)

• "Three Times A Lady" (The Commodores)

Locations

The opening 'gangland' dream sequence was filmed in Los Angeles, with all other scenes photographed in London and Staines.

When Ali references the Berkshire Massiv of Englefield Green, this is actually in Surrey. The John Nike Leisure Centre is a real facility, though located several miles west of Staines in Bracknell, central Berkshire.

Cultural impact

Staines was officially renamed by local councillors to Staines-upon-Thames in part to avoid the fictional gangland associations implied by this film.

External links

• Ali G Indahouse at the Internet Movie Database
• Ali G Indahouse at AllRovi
• Ali G Indahouse at Rotten Tomatoes
• "The ultimate Borat + Ali G website"
• Ali G InDaHouse London Movie Review