The life of Ali Bouali has been in the national spotlight for nearly twenty years, but what do the people of the Netherlands really know about him? The documentary Ali Bouali shows us that his success was not self-evident after all.
His father left Ali and his brother at a very young age and their hardworking and therefore often absent mother caused them to spend most of their time hanging out on the streets. Violence, drug use and a gambling addiction have led Ali to his family in Morocco to rehabilitate, after which he decided it was time to change the course of his life. His return to the Netherlands is followed by his official breakthrough, but for Ali B, this is just the beginning. As a result of Bouali turning forty, the camera follows him as he reflects on his life and while he openly wonders whether he has succeeded and what his next step will be.