Sacha Baron Cohen

[Troy]

Sacha Baron Cohen, possibly better known as Ali G, Borat, Bruno and Admiral General Aladeen, has made a career out of creating extreme comedy characters and immersing them in every day life on the unsuspecting public. He shot to fame as Ali G on The 11 O'Clock Show and was so successful that they gave him his own show, Da Ali G show.

I remember watching Da Ali G show when it aired and I was a fan right away. The clever way that he uses the character to expose peoples hidden prejudices is great and his interview with Mohammad Al Fayed where he raps with him is one of my favourite moments. He created a film based on the Ali G character but it wasn't as well received because it was completely scripted and didn't involve any of the segments with unsuspecting public that fans of the show usual expect to see. I myself liked the movie even though it was completely scripted, it was still a funny movie.

His next movie was Borat and that became one of the biggest hits of the summer. This time it was a mockumentary that featured him interviewing the public who had no clue as to who he was. It was an eye opener and how he managed to stay straight faced throughout the entire movie I do not know. I think that this was his best work and he thoroughly deserved the Golden Globe award.

He has done two more in character films with Bruno and The Dictator both of which had mixed success.

Outside of his own movies he has also appeared in big hits like Talledega Nights and Sweeney Todd. I especially liked him in Sweeney Todd which is just a brilliant movie. He is also scheduled to star as Queen's lead signer Freddy Mercury in a movie about his life entitled Mercury. That will be a real test for him to show his range and show how well he can play serious.

What do people think about Cohen? Are you are a fan of him as an actor and his films and if so what are your favourites?

 

[John McHenry]

I've never actually enjoyed a single movie I've seen him in, so I would assume I wouldn't enjoy any of his solo stuff either. I don't know if it's that he picks bad films or what but based on the stuff that he's done I don't plan on trying to watch Ali G Borat or the fashionista one. Borat actually looked like it'd be kind of offensive and racist.

 

[Pete]

I cannot stand him. He is one of the most aggravating comedians active today, and his characters are absolutely unbearable. He almost managed to ruin a perfectly good movie like Sweeney Todd with his unfunny mugging - luckily, he died about 10 minutes after first appearing (and the civilised world cheered). The only thing I actually like him in is as King Julian in Madagascar, and then, just because I don't have to look at his ugly-ass horseface.

PS if he plays Freddie Mercury, I riot.

/rant

 

[Rated R Superstar]

I enjoyed his stuff in Talledega Nights, and his voice work in Madagascar was pretty good, but other than that I haven't liked really anything of his.

 

[Ozymandias]

He was fantastic when he initially burst on the scene with Ali G, the whole thing was about him poking fun at those people who try to adopt black culture for themselves despite not being black. It was true then and it is true today, the irony of it was he ended up becoming a bit of a poster boy for the very people he sought to make fun of who obviously didn't get the joke.

I didn't enjoy the film at all, I think he was forced to dilute the character and he effectively became a parody of his own parody. Ali G died with that film and it was for the best.

Borat is my favourite of his creations, Borat was even better than Ali G as exposing people's (often not so hidden) prejudices. The scene with him asking the gun shop owner which is the best gun for "shooting the Jew" and the owner responding by showing him a gun still shocks me to this day.

Bruno was great in the TV show, but I felt in the film he just tried to push it to be shocking for shocking's sake. The funniest Bruno stuff is the subtle stuff ("show me your September 12th face") as opposed to the ridiculously outrageous stuff. It was still a decent movie, better than Ali G, but nowhere near as good as Borat.

I've not seen the Great Dictator, heard mixed reviews so decided to wait and catch it on netflix or the like as opposed to seeing at the cinema. The only other thing I've saw him do recently is his appearance in the Simpsons which I thought was an all too rare example of a funny episode from the newer series'.

So basically I do like him, but I think he peaked with Borat. A move into series acting might be best for him. He's too recognisable now to do another Borat/Bruno, and his scripted comedy seems a bit too hit and miss. The Freddie Mercury performance will be make or break for him as far as his acting career goes.

 

[zigglerHEEL]

I enjoyed his stuff in Talledega Nights, and his voice work in Madagascar was pretty good, but other than that I haven't liked really anything of his.

Agreed!.. thought he was fantastic in Talldega Nights and King Julian is a great character, but any of his starring roles have been bad, really bad... I won't ever watch a movie with him as the lead, but I'm ok when he shows up in a supporting type role

 

[Mick Donalds]

I like Sacha Baron Cohen. I'm excited to see him play a serious role by being Freddie Mercury. I think he can do it.

 

[Rated R Superstar]

What was that newish movie he was just in? He looked like he could have been alright in that and it looked some what serious.

 

[Deezy]

Outside of Ali G, all his characters are Peter Sellers ripoffs.

I don't care for his comedy, as it is merely one off jokes that are long and drawn out until it ceases to be funny.

 

[Defiant]

Not much of a SBC fan, either. He's nailed it with a couple of characters before like Ali G and the French Nascar Driver, but the creativity seems to be running dry a bit. I never saw Bruno and The Dictator but the fact that they looked almost exactly like Borat was what turned me off them. I think I just stopped laughing at that kind of humour once I was 16, too.

He's still a talented guy and at least he's making a unique effort to stand out, but Cohen needs to do something different if I'm ever going to be interested again. Otherwise, he's had his run.

 

[CaptainxBumout]

I agree with majority, he just comes off as really annoying and dumb. I don't hate the guy but I don't like him either. I didn't really care for borat. He was fine in Hugo but other than that I don't think I've liked a performance by him. The same can be said for Russel Brand.

 

[The Cork]

Borat is one of the funniest parody films ever and Da Ali G Show was genius, Bruno was a pile of shit though.

 

[Pete]

I agree with majority, he just comes off as really annoying and dumb. I don't hate the guy but I don't like him either. I didn't really care for borat. He was fine in Hugo but other than that I don't think I've liked a performance by him. The same can be said for Russel Brand.

Oh yeah, don't get me started on Russell Fucking Brand

 

[Troy]

His quality has definitely dropped over the years, he peaked with Borat and before that Ali G was fantastic but the next two films have been disappointing. I would like to see him do more work in film outside of his own productions, go for roles under different directors and not with material that he has written. I think that he has exhausted all his current characters and should try to step away from them for the time being and start taking on a variety of roles.

 

[Embrace Thou Maryse]

I'm a fan, The Dictator was one of the funniest movies I've seen in a long time.