Ranking every Sacha Baron Cohen character from worst to best
Sacha Baron Cohen has wrangled himself into one of the most prominent comedic writers of the 21st Century on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. His films are intentionally provocative and satirise many facets of culture from both the Western and Middle Eastern worlds.
Several of Cohen’s characters have explored the notions of class, nationality and sexuality, and as such, much criticism has been sent Cohen’s way, particularly in recent years. Although in the first part of the 21st Century, the comedic climate was admittedly different.
Today marks Sacha Baron Cohen’s 51st birthday. So to celebrate, we’re going to take a closer look at his character creations and rank them from best to worse.
So, without further ado, let us introduce Bruno, Borat and Ali G.
Sacha Baron Cohen’s character creations from worst to best:
5. Admiral General Haffaz Aladeen – The Dictator
Compared to some of Cohen’s best work, The Dictator felt a little flat. Like many of Cohen’s characters, Admiral General Aladeen, the dictator of the fictional Republic of Wadiya, visits the United States to gain an understanding of Western culture.
However, the true comedy of Cohen was surprisingly absent from the character; he felt like a weak caricature of a Middle Eastern leader. What’s more, satirising a tyrant in 2012 had become a tired trope and the film ultimately failed where Cohen’s others had succeeded.
4. Kyle Allen ‘Nobby’ Butcher – Grimsby
It always felt best when Cohen’s target was British culture rather than him aiming at nations where he is not actually from. Whilst some of Grimsby was admittedly funny, it was Cohen pointing his finger at the British working class when he himself is from a wealthy, middle-class background.
Cohen played Kyle Allen ‘Nobby’ Butcher, an alcoholic football hooligan from Grimsby. While Cohen made fun of the British working class, Nobby was also shown to be thoroughly content with his life and proved himself to be affable and empathetic, which perhaps Cohen’s other characters lack.
3. Bruno Gerhard – Bruno
2009 marked one of the last few years before comedy was about to change. The 2000s, in general, were a period in which overt offence was the order of the day and Cohen’s Bruno took central European gay culture beyond mockery.
However, the situations that Bruno Gerhard got himself into were utterly outrageous, and like many of the best Cohen moments, he exposed the grim reality and opinions of much of conservative America. Bruno is one of the naturally funniest characters of Cohen, and like his best creations, he is completely oblivious and unaware of his own ridiculousness.
2. Borat Sagdiyev – Borat & Borat Subsequent Movie Film
After the success of Ali G Indahouse, Cohen followed up strong with one of the most talked about comedies of the 21st Century thus far. Cohen reprised one of his old characters, the Kazahkstanin, Borat Sagdiyev. Like many of Cohen’s characters, unfortunately, Borat was an ultimately racist portrayal of the people of Kazahkstan.
However, Cohen’s subversive comedy not only pointed fun at Kazakhstan but at America too. Borat’s friendly character was at odds with the sometimes spiky Americans he would meet in the “US and A”. Borat was a sensation back in 2006, a serious commercial success and one of the most quotable films of all time.
1. Ali G – Da Ali G Show & Ali G Indahouse
The character that got the ball rolling for Cohen on his way to stardom. Alistair Leslie Graham, AKA Ali G, is a posing rudeboy from what he thinks is “the hood” but is actually just the commuter town of Staines. Ali G starred on The 11 O’Clock Show on Channel 4 before moving to his own programme, The Ali G Show.
Ali would conduct interviews with well-known celebrities and politicians such as David and Victoria Beckham and Donald Trump, who were unsuspecting of the fact that they had been set up. The film Ali G Indahouse was absolutely brilliant, too, if by now a little dated. As such, we would argue that Ali G is Sacha Baron Cohen’s best-ever character.
