This Jack Black vehicle seems, on the surface, like a perfect fit for the actor: an opportunity to showcase Black's unique style with the extreme facial gestures and exuberant physicality that have become his forte. Black plays Ignacio, a lowly cook in a monastery in central Mexico who feeds orphans by day, and wrestles in the town square at night. Ignacio teams up with Esqueleto (Hector Jimenez), a street urchin who tormented him, to form a tag-team duo that goes up against the strangest wrestlers Mexico has to offer. Besides doing it for money to feed the orphans, Ignacio is also fighting to win the forbidden affections of Sister Encarnacion (Ana de la Reguera) with predictable difficulty. While the movie has likeable characters and the plot is enjoyable enough, it can’t overcome its plodding pace and formulaic structure enough to keep the movie interesting throughout. Jack Black is a very strong comedic actor, and the wrestling scenes offer plenty of chances for slapstick, physical comedy, but watching him run around in red briefs and blue tights amounts to half the laughs in the movie, and there’s just not enough here for him to really work with. When he plays a more well-formed character, as in School of Rock and High Fidelity, his strengths really show. But in Nacho Libre he’s saddled with a caricature. Weighed down by too much low-brow humour and a script that goes nowhere, Nacho Libre just can’t make full enough use of Black’s talents to overcome the obstacles..
S**O
Funny
Jack Black at his best
A**R
Great film for all ages
Wonderful movie from 2006
M**K
Exceptional
Wholesome Hilarious fun . Jack black is incredibly funny and the visuals and soundtrack is brilliant. It’s a must watch
R**S
Enjoyable fun
If you like Jack Black you’ll probably enjoy this - it’s a fun film that does have laughs throughout.
M**L
NACHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
Nacho (Jack Black) is a young man who was raised in a monastery in Mexico and now works there as the cook. Fueled by his passion for wrestling, he dons a mask and cape and picks up a partner to compete in a local Lucha Libre tournament to try for the $200 prize so he can buy better food for the kids and achieve respect. When a new nun, Sister Encarnacion (Ana de la Reguera), arrives at the monastery, he tries to win her adoration as well while attempting to prove that being a Luchador isn't a sin and win the grand prize at a battle royal tournament so he can buy a bus for the kids.When I heard that Jack Black would be playing a Mexican Friar who moonlighted as a wrestler in Jared Hess' next project I got very happy, because I knew this would be a funny movie. The trailers for the film advertised exactly what this movie was, and that was pure physical comedy. The story is about Nacho, a Friar who wants the fame and fortune that is associated with being a luchadore after living the same old life over and over each day. He then realizes that this journey to become a professional wrestler is not for himself but for the orphans whom he looks after and cooks for at the orphanage. The movie is basically Jack Black running around with his shirt off for an hour and a half while sporting a fake mustache and a funny Mexican accent. While the majority of the comedy in the film is physical, there are some hilarious lines in the film that are delivered with the right spunk by Black. There are also some great physical scenes in and outside the ring that shows just how great of a physical comedian Black is. The movie is incredibly stupid, but it's also so very funny. If you enjoy pure silly comedy executed perfectly then this movie is just the thing you need. Don't expect another Napoleon Dynamite because this is not a reincarnation of Hess' previous cult hit. He uses the same style of shooting the movie though by using a lot of wide symmetrically balanced shots. Personally, I laughed harder at this then I did with Napoleon Dynamite. Napoleon Dynamite had some great one-liners, but Nacho Libre overall is just plain silly fun. Don't take the film seriously at all, just sit back and laugh. It's a hilarious and outstanding movie, if you liked School of Rock, you'll love this, it has the same passion for comedy.
A**R
Not to my taste
I love Jack Black but this comedy film was not to my taste - it was largely slapstick. Bradley Walsh mentioned it on The Chase and he was so enthusiastic about it that I decided to give it a try. I saw the 1st 45 minutes, lost interest, then went fast forward to the end. Sorry, I didn't find it very funny but If you find lots of slapstick funny - this will appeal.
M**N
One of the funniest movies ever.
A very light hearted and extremely funny movie. Jack Black is brilliant as Nacho and all the characters are so well fitted for their parts. A classic keeper for the movie library that I watch over and over again.
K**H
El gordo es gracioso
Another quasi-indie hit that was really always set for success due to the inclusion of the comedy antics of Jack Black. This is closer in tone to Be Kind Rewind and it is a testament to Mr Black that these otherwise under-the-radar gems would go unnoticed if not for his involvement. But these kinds of films were always where he cut his teeth as an actor and he should be duty-bound to champion their obvious worth. That said, the film itself is no classic but it does exactly what it should: it's very funny and it's very quirky.Wonderfully shot and acted it feels like a conventional heartwarmer, which it is in some ways. But it's the oddness that offsets this and makes it funny. It is the classic deadpan style that Black has adopted for this and it works as most of the laughs are at him trying to be serious. The triumph of the film is the charcter's stalwart adherence to his goal and his simple kindness that ultimately overcomes all obstacles. So we may laugh but he wins in the end.But even on a truly base level, it's just a really funny film.
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