Ali G: Who Iz I? Review: Sacha Baron Cohen’s Hip-Hop Journalist Returns, and So Does the Controversy

Content note: This film is rated R and is built on comedy that many viewers may find offensive.

Twenty years is a long time to leave a character alone. Ali G, the yellow-tracksuited, wannabe hip-hop journalist from West Staines, first appeared on British television in the late 1990s. He interviewed senators, scientists, and celebrities with a straight face and a head full of nonsense, and he became one of Sacha Baron Cohen’s most famous creations. Cohen later turned Borat and Brüno into movie stars, and now he’s bringing Ali G back to the big screen with Ali G: Who Iz I?

The film opens in US theaters on October 23, 2026, exclusively in cinemas, through Amazon MGM Studios. It marks Cohen’s feature directorial debut, and he also wrote and produced it under his Four by Two Films banner. Petr Jákl and Emily Kob are executive producers. The film runs 1 hour and 40 minutes and is rated R.

The Story: Twenty Years of “Chillin'” Come to an End

According to the official synopsis, Ali G has spent two decades “chillin’, tokin’, and bonin’.” Then he gets a shock. His long-term girlfriend, Julie, played by Morgana Robinson, is eight months pregnant. With a baby on the way and an extra mouth to feed, Ali gets up off his sofa and heads to America to reclaim his former glory.

His plan is to make something new: a documentary. In the trailer, he announces that for the first time, he’ll be working with real people and not actors. The cameras follow him for more than a year, and nothing is off limits. He takes classes, walks the streets, appears on shows, and goes about his business, often with his pregnant girlfriend in tow. Along the way, he runs into adversaries who could threaten his future and his child’s.

As with Borat, the people he meets don’t know they’re part of a comedy. Cohen filmed the movie in secret, just as he did for Borat and its sequel, so the humor depends on how ordinary people react to an absurd, confident, wildly misinformed man in a tracksuit. In the past, Ali G interviewed figures such as Noam Chomsky, Andy Rooney, and Newt Gingrich, who all struggled to understand who they were talking to. The new film applies the same idea to a very different era.

A Different Kind of Ali G

This isn’t the first Ali G movie. Ali G Indahouse came out in 2002 and had Ali become a member of Parliament. But that film was a fully scripted comedy with actors, and it received only a very limited release in the US. Who Iz I? returns to the format that made the character famous, which is real people in real situations who aren’t in on the joke.

The trailer suggests the film also updates the character for the modern world. Ali G appears to take on TikTok and influencer culture, a natural target for a man who believes he’s much more famous and influential than he really is. That could give the film fresh material, since the original character grew up in an era before social media. Cohen has spent years making comedies and political satire, including Who Is America?, which gave him a chance to direct an episode, and this film puts that experience to the test.

For longtime fans, the big question is whether the character still works. Ali G’s humor has always depended on the contrast between his total confidence and his total ignorance, and on the way the people around him respond. If the film finds new targets and keeps the pranks sharp, it could be one of the funniest comedies of the season.

The Controversy Around the Film

It would be dishonest to talk about Who Iz I? without mentioning the backlash. Just days after the film was announced, criticism began to build. In the UK, a campaign is urging cinemas not to screen it. Some social media users have called Ali G’s look in the trailer, which includes fake dreadlocks and a Rastafarian hat, a racist caricature.

That debate is part of the film’s story now, and viewers will need to decide for themselves how they feel. Some will see it as satire in a long comedic tradition. Others will see a character built on stereotypes that haven’t aged well. The film opens wide on October 23. If you’re considering buying a ticket, it’s worth knowing that this is the kind of comedy that was always designed to provoke, and that not everyone finds that funny.

What Could Go Right and What Could Go Wrong

There’s plenty to be excited about. The character is iconic, the format has a strong track record, and Cohen is stepping behind the camera for the first time. The premise of a pregnant girlfriend and a looming fatherhood gives the story a human hook that the old sketches never had. If the film balances that with the chaos Cohen is known for, it could be both funny and surprisingly sweet.

But there are risks. A secret-camera comedy depends on finding the right victims, and the genre can wear thin when audiences already know what to expect. Ali G himself is now very famous, which makes it harder to fool people. The film also arrives in a very different cultural climate from the early 2000s, and the controversy could shape how it’s received. Finally, there’s the usual risk with revival comedies: the audience’s love for the original may not carry over to a new film.

The Verdict

Ali G: Who Iz I? is one of the more intriguing comedy releases of the year. It has a famous character, a proven format, and a clear sense of ambition. It also carries real controversy, and its success will depend on whether Cohen finds a sharp new angle on an old character. For fans of Borat and Ali G, it’s worth watching, with open eyes about what it is.

Excitement level: 3.5/5

Watch the Trailer

Quick Facts

• Title: Ali G: Who Iz I?
• Director/Writer/Producer: Sacha Baron Cohen
• Genre: Comedy, Mockumentary
• Runtime: 1h 40m
• Rated: R
• Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen, Morgana Robinson
• Executive producers: Petr Jákl, Emily Kob
• Production company: Four by Two Films
• Distributor: Amazon MGM Studios
• Release date: October 23, 2026 (US theaters only)

Where to Watch

Ali G: Who Iz I? opens in US theaters on October 23, 2026, through Amazon MGM Studios. It’s a theatrical-only release, and no streaming date has been announced.

Are you excited for “Ali G: Who Iz I?” Share your thoughts in the comments below.