Streaming Shift: Baron Cohen’s New Comedy Lands on Prime Video
Amazon MGM Studios released the film to digital platforms just two days after its limited theatrical debut.
By Daniel Rogers ·
A two-day window in movie theaters was all that separated a major new comedy from its digital release. Amazon MGM Studios moved Sacha Baron Cohen’s latest project, Ali G: Who Iz I?, to Prime Video on Wednesday, following a brief theatrical run that began on Friday.
The rapid transition from cinema to screen marks a distinct shift in how the studio handles its recent releases. The film represents Baron Cohen’s feature directorial debut. It continues the legacy of the character he created for Da Ali G Show, a sketch comedy series that premiered in the United Kingdom in 2000 and later aired on HBO.
Baron Cohen promoted the streaming launch on Instagram on Monday. Writing in the persona’s distinctive dialect, he told followers that there are 14,400 minutes in a day. This calculation, he noted, allows viewers to watch the movie 161 times daily for free for the rest of their lives.
The plot follows the titular character as he learns his girlfriend, Morgana Robinson, is eight months pregnant. This news prompts him to travel to America to prepare for the child’s arrival. The narrative employs the same hidden camera style used in previous features such as Borat and Brüno. In these films, unsuspecting individuals serve as the focus for social commentary.
The theatrical strategy aimed to create a sense of urgency for audiences to see the film on a large screen. In the weeks before release, an AI-generated email campaign requested that global theater chains boycott the movie. No cinema chains supported the ban, and Amazon MGM did not report gross earnings for the weekend release.
Baron Cohen addressed criticism of the character in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. He described the core joke as a white man interviewing a high-status politician who believes the imbecile is real. He stated that this dynamic slightly undermines the power of the establishment.
Frank Scheck, a critic for The Hollywood Reporter, reviewed the film. He described the work as having plenty of laughs but noted the presence of many dead spots. The character Ali G made his first big screen appearance in 2002 in Ali G Indahouse. A previous sequel, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, went directly to Prime Video in October 2020 and earned two Academy Award nominations.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
