Nacho Libre (DVD, 2006, Special Edition/ Widescreen)

MOVIE: 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.

ACTING: This is clearly a one man show, and it's been advertised like that. Jack Black is in every scene of the movie, and he's funny pretty much in every scene. His facial expressions and ability to jump around remind me a lot of Chris Farley. He is incredibly hilarious as Nacho and he gets some great support from Hector Jimenez who plays his sidekick, Esqueleto (directly translates to Skeleton). In fact there are few names in the film that directly translate to funny names in English. I recall one boy's name as Chancho, which means filthy. So, you can basically get the tone of the movie just by the characters' names.

BOTTOM LINE: Lots of fun and lots of physical comedy that takes the right tone so that it is in fact funny in a stupid way. Usually movies like this fall flat and just end up stupid, but the ingrediants were right on this one and I found Nacho Libre pleasently entertaining. I also found the funniest line of the movie to be "get that corn outta my face!"

It's definitely not the best movie that I've seen, but it had it's moments.

The story centers around a man named Ignacio (or Nacho Libre) who grew up in a poor monastery, and later became the chef. He always dreamed of becoming a pro wrestler. He teams up with Esqueleto, a tough and scrawny street urchin, to be his tag-team partner. They lose every wrestling match repeatedly. Even though they lost every match, they still get paid since the crowd loved them. Ignacio uses his money to help feed the orphans.

It's a decent storyline, but it's too drawn out. It was funny in some parts, but not enough to keep me laughing throughout. Definitely not one of Jack Black's best movies.

Overall, this is a movie that you are better off renting.

We had seen this Nacho Libre movie at the show and we laughed out loud. Jack Black is just hysterical in this movie. He always dreamed of being a wrestler growing up. He is now a cook at a monastery that doesn't have much money and he practically begs for left over chips so he can make meals for all the children. Trying to figure out how to earn money, he see's an advertisement for wrestling in town. He needs a disguise and works one up. I can't wait for next week so I can pick up the DVD.

As many know Jack Black is known for his know it all comedic performances and raw humor. I expected the same from him in this film as I did all his others... but here, we see the more pensive side of his acting... If you are looking for a tenacious D performance, look elsewhere.

I myself liked this movie more so that I had imagined because I don't like his hyper off the wall humor all of the time. This is a more calm movie with a mission to better the lives of the children at the monestary... Awed by the way the fighters are treated (getting flowers thrown to them in the middle of town), Ignacio decides to enter into a fighting contest with a complete stranger (esqueleto) in order to buy food so that the children can enjoy their meals. You'll see a lot of silly humor in jack running around in tight pants and losing fight after fight... but there no real though put into the making of it... Seems like the director relied more on Black's reputation as a comedic actor more so than he spent time constructing ways to make us laugh. It was more the storyline than anything that carried this movie. So if you LOVE Jack Black as Tenecious D... don't buy this movie. Its two different kinds of acting and you will find yourself unsatisfied.

The plot is not unique any more than are the stereotypical supporting cast. A reluctant friar moonlights as a professional wrestler to get better food for the orphans living at the monastery. He is inspired by a beautiful, dare I say "spiritual", nun who of course comes to understand the higher power of wrestling...at least as practiced by the indomitable Nacho Libre. Neither Nacho's sidekick partner (who looks like the cavemen in those Geico ads) nor any of the kids (the anorexic one and the obese one) are appealing enough to pull any heartstrings or to cause you to feel much more than detached indifference. Black can be funny and even appealing at times, but his antics don't carry this movie farther than jokes about "stretchy pants", clenched butt cheeks and lots of smacking-down.