Ali G is undoubtedly an important character in terms of entertainment. He's a fictional gangster rapper, created and played by Sacha Baron Cohen and was used in short sketches in order to trick unwitting celebrities into giving interviews. And everything about the set-up worked, perfectly. However, when something is designed for 'small bursts' there's sometimes some problems when it's transferred to a full-length movie in terms of story. Here is an example of a film that just about pulls it off. Just.

I quite enjoyed 'Ali G Indahouse,' but then I'm a big fan of the series (and I wasn't expecting too much!). However, I can't see the film attracting too many new converts, or really appealing to a wider audience. Gone are the clever interviews the character was known for, plus any real attempts at poking fun at popular culture or social commentary. Now, all that is replaced by a pretty generic story about Ali G trying to save his local youth centre by running for Parliament and getting used by political heavyweights in order to try and appeal to the youth of today.

There's nothing particularly inspiring about the story and it's all wrapped up in plenty of pretty unsubtle 'toilet' humour (or at least that of the s3xual kind!). What was once a cutting attempt at poking fun of those too stupid or embarrassed to say what's literally staring them in the face has become one 'body-part' joke after the next.

The supporting cast are there for Ali G to play off, including an underused Martin Freeman (before he was mega famous!) and acting greats Charles Dance and Michael Gambon (playing those dastardly 'suits' in power),but it's Sacha Baron Cohen's show all the way. He really does put his all into the role and certainly isn't afraid to send himself up, looking the fool at every given opportunity.

And it's this kind of commitment that saves the film. Even as a fan of the original (sketch-based) creation of Ali G, I wasn't too sure about the full length film. Luckily, it's not too long and, although completely predictable, is certainly watchable enough if you're not offended by the language and subject material. It's definitely not 'high brow,' but I feel there should be a place for films which aren't supposed to tax you mentally after a day's work. Here, you can just put your brain on hold and smirk at the silliness on screen.

I enjoyed it at the time and I still do today. However, I do feel that Cohen's future (big screen) releases were much 'sharper' in terms of taking a character developed for TV sketches and turning it into a feature-length movie. If you like Cohen's work, you should definitely check out his later offerings 'Borat' and 'Bruno.' Maybe 'Ali G Indahouse' was effectively Cohen honing his art? But, if you're still unsure as whether to watch or not, maybe just look up an old Ali G sketch on YouTube and, if you like it, you may just like the big screen version, too.

I used to love Sacha Baron Cohen`s creation of Ali G on THE 11 0`CLOCK SHOW in the late 90s . I also liked the spin off show though it should be pointed out by then the joke was wearing thin and it was obvious his guests were in on the joke of having a white boy impersonating a black ghetto boy wannabe . When ALI G INDAHOUSE was released I didn`t bother to see it because Ali was probably past his sell by date then . But my brother bought me the video of this film and watched it on Boxing day and I must confess it was a lot better than I expected

ALI G INDAHOUSE is a very funny if you understand the " Wigger " culture of middle class white boys wishing they were black . I was laughing out loud at the first half of the film as Ali lays down the facts to his posse that wearing the wrong colours in the ghetto could cost you your life , and Ali on the election trail had me in absolute stitches as he drove down Staines high street giving a rap broadcast , but then the film goes slightly downhill as an extremely unlikely political plot takes shape and the jokes slow down

So all in all ALI G INDAHOUSE is funny but slightly uneven . I still watch the video a couple of months after getting it but only the first half . It`s a lot better than getting socks for Christmas so thanks for the video Neill

Hoping to lose an election and force a vote of no confidence, a politician recruits Ali G to run for Parliament. Much to the politician's chagrin, Ali not only gets elected but impresses his co-workers and other world leaders. How low will the politician sink to get Ali thrown out? This movie is so poorly thrown together. Recycled jokes, amateur acting, directing and editing... a nonsense plot, characters with no consistency. Yes, some of the jokes were funny, but the joke seems to be a white man who thinks he's a gangster. And that joke is old in five minutes.

I really enjoy the Ali G show and the Borat movie is one of the best comedies in a long time... Heck, even Cohen's work in "Talladega Nights" was hilarious. What went wrong here? Is it the poor supporting cast? Many reviewers like to contrast Ali G with Harry Potter and the reviews seem to give Ali the edge. Well, here's a review that says Potter is better. I've never read the books and only saw each movie once, so I'm not a big fan by any means... but the Harry Potter films have better plots, better acting and more heart than this film could ever hope for.

Maybe this is not much a of a review, but it wasn't much of a movie. You'll want to see it if you're Ali fan, but I would ask you to hold back the urge if possible. It's just not a good idea.