Charles was David Carlton in Ali G ~ alyssadu

Ali G Indahouse is a 2002 film directed by Mark Mylod and written and performed by Sacha Baron Cohen

You’re not renowned for comedy. How did you get Ali G?

I was asked. When Mike Gambon and I were doing Gosford Park together, I went into make-up one morning and Mike said: ‘I’ve got this Ali G film.’ I said: ‘So have I.’ He replied: ‘I’ll do it if you do.’ We share the same agent so we went in and thought it would be fun for a few weeks. It was nice as – you’re right – I don’t do much comedy. In this business you are what you are deemed to be and if you don’t do much comedy you aren’t asked to do much.

Cast: Sacha Baron Cohen, Kellie Bright, Martin Freeman, Charles Dance, Michael Gambon, Tony Way
I suppose it was inevitable. Once Sacha Baron Cohen's comic alter ego Ali G was rightfully awarded iconic status for injecting something new into British comedy, it was only a matter of time before a feature film was greenlit........

The plot, such as it is involves Ali being drawn into the Machiavellian world of British politics by unscrupulous Deputy PM David Carlton (Charles Dance).

Carlton sets up the inept and naive wannabe Gangsta rapper as Parliamentary Candidate for Staines on the basis that he would offer 'street' appeal to his constituency. His real aim however, is to embarrass the Prime Minister (Michael Gambon) out of office and nab the job for himself.

Unfortunately, The jokes are firmly of the 'groan' variety which favour base humour over wit every time.

No taboo goes unexploited, whether its bestiality, homophobia or sexism. All fair game you might say and I'm certainly no prude but the gags generally fall flat or just leave you shaking your head instead of laughing it off.

It has been proved with the likes of There's Something About Mary and American Pie that politically incorrect and tasteless movies can be genuinely hilarious, but the calibre of this screenplay is in an utterly inferior league.

One wonders what possessed Gambon and Dance to lend their award-winning talents to this misfire. In his favour, Dance at least looks positively humiliated throughout. Not least when dressed in drag at the finale.
The funniest scene in the whole film is a brief flashback sequence to when Ali and Julie first met. It amusingly shows a younger Ali as a long-haired Goth slow-dancing in a disco which adds a wafer-thin layer of substance to the character, who if we didn't already realise, is clearly a shallow disciple of fickle fashion trends.

Baron Cohen's as yet, only other character, Borat, also makes a cameo along with the likes of Naomi Campbell, Richard and Judy, John Humphreys and Jon Snow.

There is mild enjoyment in seeing oft-talked about but never seen characters like Ali's girlfriend, Me Julie (Kellie Bright) and his hapless friends Ricky C (Martin Freeman) and Dave (Tony Way) finally brought to life.

However the overused slang, constant references to marijuana and Ali's ever-present misguided notion that he is actually cool just seem tired and dated in 2002.

Perhaps if the film had been released two years ago when the character was still fresh it might not be so noticeable.

The sparsely attended screening I went to perhaps indicates that the general viewing public have also had enough of the character as well.

4/10

Daniel Garrett