New Ali G movie branded "crass" and "dawdling" as it lands in cinemas for one weekend only

Sacha Baron Cohen's return as Ali G hasn't gone down well with critics, with Ali G: Who Iz I? receiving negative reviews ahead of its debut in cinemas, where it will screen for one weekend only.

Marking Baron Cohen's directorial debut, the film sees the polarising, fictional rapper gearing up to become a dad when his girlfriend Julie – with Morgana Robinson taking over the role from EastEnders' Kellie Bright – finds out she's pregnant. As Ali heads back to America to reclaim his fame and provide for his family, he crosses paths with several enemies.

A standalone film that's not a sequel to 2002's Ali G Indahouse, Who Iz I? has been branded "crass" by The Guardian's two-star review.

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"Broad and crass as it often is – in fact always is – this Ali G sequel is sometimes funny," their review conceded, while Variety called it "dawdling and cumbersome, and far less 'relevant' than it thinks".

Time Out noted the film is "occasionally properly funny and often choke-on-your-popcorn disgusting", arguing that even the Jackass crew "would turn their noses up" at some the stunts.

Similarly, The Times praised some of this new Ali G's best jokes, writing: "The plot of the film is shamelessly flimsy and not all of the gags land, but when they do, they are hilarious.

Empire Magazine was a tad more positive towards the film's final act, with some "unbelievable" moments succeeding in carrying the movie.

"But the shortcomings of Ali G himself mean that long stretches of this film simply aren’t terribly funny," the review reads.

Meanwhile at Digital Spy, we wrote that "the Ali G character has long offended people with racial stereotyping that punches down".

Our editorial also: "What worked at the turn of the century isn't necessarily funny now, especially when you take into account just how many people online are doing the same kind of stunts and pranks that once made Ali G feel fresh and new."

Ali G: Who Iz I? is released in cinemas on 23 October.

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Reporter, Digital Spy

Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy. 

Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).