Many people know Sacha Baron Cohen for playing outrageous, satirical characters. These characters include Borat, General Aladeen, and Ali G. Baron Cohen embodies the characters he creates and pushes the boundaries when they meet ordinary people in his movies.
In the last two decades, Baron Cohen has made movies that sometimes may go to the extreme and he is one of the funniest comedians on the big screen while in disguise. However, this does not take away his versatility as an actor who has starred in more serious films. In fact, some of Baron Cohen’s best films range from comedies and mockumentaries to musicals and dramas.
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008) – 64%
Out of the three Madagascar films, two made it to the top 10 list. Coincidentally, both films happen to be the sequels to the first film, which only shows how much the franchise improved since its start. However, there is no denying that one of the best characters of the franchise is King Julien, who is voiced by none other than Sacha Baron Cohen.
In Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, the zoo animals escape Madagascar and make their way to the continent of Africa. While Alex and his gang learn and adapt to the environment in Africa, King Julien tries to rule as a king over his species of lemurs.
Brüno (2009) – 67%
Coming off the success of Borat, Baron Cohen once again worked with Larry Charles on his next satirical figure, Brüno. Brüno was written to be a gay Austrian man who worked as a fashion journalist. However, compared to most of his characters, he ended up being one of Baron Cohen’s more controversial characters, who at times, crossed the line.
In Brüno, the character gets fired from his show, so he travels to the United States to launch his career as a fashion reporter. Though Brüno had mixed reviews, many critics still praise the film for its humor and for pushing the boundaries on certain topics, including child beauty pageants and conversion therapy.
Les Misérables (2012) – 69%
In one of his more serious films, Baron Cohen starred in 2012’s musical adaptation of Les Misérables. In a film that has an ensemble cast consisting of Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe, Baron Cohen shares his screen with Helena Bonham Carter as the Thenardiers.
As the innkeepers who deceive and cheat out of people, the Thenardiers take advantage of Jean Valjean several times in his life, such as when they blackmail him for the ring and ask for a payment for Cosette. Throughout the film, Baron Cohen gives an impressive performance as one of the Thenardiers and even provides his fair share of singing, such as in “Master of the House.”
Talladega Nights: The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby (2006) – 71%
Baron Cohen joined the cast of Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby in 2006. The film itself was a parody of auto racing, so the genre was nothing new to the comedian.
Starring opposite Will Ferrell, Baron Cohen played Jean Girard, a French Formula One driver and rival to Ricky Bobby. He eventually becomes of the best auto racing drivers, which causes Ricky Bobby to decline in his performance and creates problems in his personal life. After losing everything, it is up to Ricky Bobby to get his life back and defeat Jean Girard.
Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted (2012) – 78%
Another Madagascar film makes it into the top 10 list with the second sequel, Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted. This time, the zoo animals end up in Europe as they try to return to their zoo in New York City.
Once again, Baron Cohen reprised his role as King Julien, and things become more hectic than ever for the animals. The group comes across circle animals and travel along with them to return home. For King Julien, he soon starts to develop a romantic relationship with a brown bear named Sonya.
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (2020) – 84%
After having retired his character of Borat for more than a decade, Baron Cohen revived his most famous character to create a sequel to the 2006 film, and he did not pull any punches. Though the film does not feature his producer Azamat, Borat introduces his teenage daughter, Tutar, who becomes the central focus of the film’s plot.
In Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Borat goes on a mission in America to send a gift to Mike Pence and help negotiate his country’s relationship with the United States. However, when things do not go to plan, Borat uses his daughter to fulfill his mission. Of course, the film will not be without some of Borat’s political stunts, such as when he breaks into Mike Pence’s rally and exposes Rudy Giuliani in the bedroom scene.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street (2007) – 86%
One of Baron Cohen’s earlier works in a musical adaptation occurred in 2007’s film Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Working alongside director Tim Burton, he shared the screen with Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter, who were the two leads of the film.
Baron Cohen played Adolfo Pirelli, who was a rival to Johnny Depp’s Sweeney Todd. Having been humiliated by Todd throughout the film, Adolfo learns about Todd’s secret and tries to take advantage of this information to earn half of Todd’s earnings.
The Trial Of The Chicago 7 (2020) – 90%
Though most people will know Baron Cohen for playing unconventional characters, his portrayal of Abbie Hoffman may change everyone’s perspective about him and his acting chops. In The Trial of the Chicago 7, Baron Cohen’s Abbie Hoffman is one of the eight defendants charged for causing the riot in Chicago during the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Though Baron Cohen plays a much more serious role compared to his usual comedic characters, he still had his comedic moments in court, which actually occurred in the real case.
This 2020 courtroom film is already considered one of the best films of 2020 and may become one of the frontrunners of the 2021 Academy Awards. The outstanding performance by the ensemble cast was also one of the biggest highlights of the movie. However, most critics and audiences will agree that Sacha Baron Cohen was the standout performance in the film and was perhaps the perfect actor to play Abbie Hoffman.
Borat: Cultural Learnings Of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation Of Kazakhstan (2006) – 91%
It is no surprise that one of Baron Cohen’s highest-rated movies happens to be the film that launched his career as an established actor and comedian. He does so by playing one of his most famous character creations, Borat Sagdiyev. 2006’s Borat is a mockumentary in which Borat travels to the United States to learn about the American culture with hopes of sharing it with his people in Kazakhstan.
Much of the film is unscripted, but Baron Cohen’s Borat manages to troll several people that he encounters. Despite the unusual approach to filmmaking, critics and audiences loved the film for its hilarious and cringe-worthy scenes and the character for the outrageous gimmicks. His portrayal of Borat even led Baron Cohen to win the prestigious award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy at the 64th Golden Globe Awards.
Hugo (2011) – 93%
After taking on a series of comedic roles, Baron Cohen starred in a 2011’s critically acclaimed film, Hugo. He even worked alongside one of Hollywood’s legendary directors, Martin Scorsese.
Taking place in the 1930s in Paris, an orphaned boy named Hugo is on a quest to fix his father’s automaton. However, Hugo faces problems along the way, which includes running into a law enforcement officer who tries to put him in an orphanage. Baron Cohen gives a stellar performance in the film while portraying Inspector Gustave Dasté.
