User reviews

Classic Jack Black and a simple, fun, feel-good film. Light-hearted and utterly ridiculous, Black performs as his silly self (with a Mexican accent) and whilst the film doesn't utilise jokes, it's goofiness directs the narrative. Black's accent can go wayward at times - especially when he is singing and loses all character - but the story is fun and the choreography is pretty impressive at times.

This is a great movie filled with plenty of fun laughs and a genuinely fulfilling underdog story. Jack Black shines with a classic performance and the set and tone perfectly encapsulates the entire film. This knows the story they are telling and approach it with tenderness and care for all the characters involved. Fans of Napoleon Dynamite will love this film as it feels almost like a spiritual successor. Well rounded cast of fun and delightful supporting characters which paints this small community and makes you truly root for Nacho's story. Cannot say enough great things about this movie. If you haven't checked this one out it's filled with heart and joy. Plenty of jokes in there for the adults to quote and slap stick moments sure to delight the kiddos watching. So underrated and definitely worth a watch.

This movie is based on a real priest, Rev. Sergio Gutierrez Benitez. who has been in over 4,000 matches over the past 23 years. His ring name is Fray Tormenta ("Friar Storm" in Spanish)and he does wrestle under the mask in Mexico to support an orphanage. The story was on the CBS evening news and a couple of the news magazine shows several years ago. Every now and then you either see, or read something about him.

I watch movies to be entertained. If I wanted "deep thought" I'd go to a library. This is Jack Black being Jack Black. The dialog is crude, humor slapstick, and storyline so, so. But it's funny.

I wouldn't buy it for my personal collection, but it's good for an evening of rental movies at home.

It's good to know that farce is alive and well in the world. Since the mid 90's it feels like film makers have lost their grip on truly great weird comedy. Movies that speak to the few and turn off the rest. It seems that even as the tools to unlock our imaginations get flashier and flashier, and special effect budgets grow and grown, American film grow static and stale. Then when it seems like all hope is lost, a film like NACHO LIBRE comes along.

Somewhere in Mexico, a young priest named Nacho (Jack Black) longs to be recognized. He's tired of serving the same bland food to the young boys in his charge. He's tired of being disrespected by the other priests. He longs to be a luchadore (a Mexican wrestler), and to gain the affections of the stunning Sister Encarnación (Ana del la Regura). Then when all hope is lost he teams up with a new friend named Esquelta, and takes the Mexican wrestling world by storm. Will the orphan boys get better food? Will Nacho win the heart of Sister Encarnación? Will he lose everything he has, on a quest to become a great warrior? Giving this movie its due will provide those answers and more. The movie not perfect. It's a little overlong and some of the jokes fall flat on their face. But there is an earnestness and a sweet gentility in the film that will win you over. You cannot enter this movie with the wrong attitude and if you don't like weird movie its not for you. But if you let it entertain you and if you give into the fact that it really bizarre, it will work. You have to take every scene with grain of salt and logic must be thrown out the window. But if you turn off that part of your brain that strives for everything to be plausible, than this film will entertain.

Then for no apparent reason the movie does something I didn't quite expect, it begins to tackle a serious subject. Behind all the silliness is a story about how legalism traps us in a place of boredom and predictability. Whether it be religious legalism or secular legalism, NACHO LIBRE is about a misfit who succeeds because he goes out on a limb. He doesn't give up his religious fervor when the chips are down, when his atheist friend tells him to give into science and logic, and he doesn't give up on God because men of cloth treat him badly. He stays true to his faith and not his religion. This message is not beaten over the audiences head. This is not a religious picture. But it gives the film a dimension that I didn't expect.

Director Jared Hess, doesn't stray to far from his Napoleon Dynamite roots. But that's okay. It works here and he hits the right comic tones. I can't wait for the DVD because I'm convinced that the film really needs to be viewed a second time. Knowing what to expect allows the audience to settle into Hess skewed comedy. The film is very dry and if you don't know what to expect its easy to dismiss the comedy and think the film is horrible. You have to work at it a little bit and let it sink in. But when you get it you'll love it.

If you're looking for an hour and half of silliness you can't go wrong with NACHO LIBRE. It's cute, sweet, and you get to stare at Jack Black's upper torso for far too long. Trust me if you like weirdly sweet Mexican wrestling comedies this is the film for you.

There are two good things about 'Nacho Libre'; one is the cinematography, and the other is an "inspired" performance by Jack Black in the title role. He's actually pretty good, and stays well in character. However, the movie just cannot sustain itself, and there are little laughs to be found. I think I laughed once, if lucky!

I think Jared Hess's follow-up to the excellent 'Napoleon Dynamite' is disappointing, but wouldn't really be a huge blemish on his career in the long run. I noticed that he has a fixation for aerial shots of food so far. 'Nacho Libre' tries to be quirky, but ends up being irritating, and not even Peter Storemare can add much to this film. Ana de le Reguara is a beauty to behold, but she absolutely had no chemistry with Jack Black, nor did she add that much to the movie. The sidekick character in Esqueleto (Hector Jimenez) was downright irritating. The plot of the film was silly and weak, and its humor seemed to be deliberately paced at a meandering level. Where 'Napoleon Dynamite' was able to deftly use that pace to display the introspectiveness and isolation of its title character. I felt the quirkiness worked better in Hess's previous film.

I wouldn't recommend 'Nacho Libre', but if you are a fan of Jack Black or Hess's previous film, you may want to see it and decide for yourself. I was thoroughly bored though, and found 'Nacho Libre' too slow and predictable with very little to laugh at.

** out of *****!

"Nacho Libre" contains much of the same dry, deadpan humor that made "Napoleon Dynamite" so much fun to watch. I'm sure Jared Hess's brand of humor is not for everybody. We're living in an era where Dane Cook is our top comedian. So if you're expecting the same loud, obnoxious gags you see in most comedies nowadays, you'll probably be disappointed. I, on the other hand, love this type of humor. Just like in "ND," the actors don't try hard to be funny. Jack Black is not very convincing as a Mexican. With his skin so white, he sticks out like a sore thumb amongst the rest of the cast. But that's no big criticism. This is a comedy farce, and if his accent didn't sound so phony, I doubt his character would be nearly as funny. As an extra treat for all the "ND" fans out there, his character is paired off with a soft-spoken Mexican buddy. They make a good comic team, with Jack being so short and fat, and his buddy being so tall and thin. I tend to just roll my eyes at many of the crude gags I see in movies nowadays, but I even enjoyed the bathroom humor in this movie. I found myself laughing most of the way through, and this is one of the rare cases where I felt that the film lived up to its trailer. Some of the funniest gags were given away in the trailer, but there are many other funny gags that weren't. If I have any complaints, the movie does sort of drag in the third act. But all in all, "Nacho Libre" is good fun for the entire family. I can't wait to see Jared Hess's next project.

This is a very, very bad movie. I love Jack Black, but I hated this flick. We really didn't "select" this movie; it just happened to fit our time-frame and we needed to kill two hours so this was the only movie starting when we needed. You know, we would have been better off just sitting in our car in front of the water park waiting for our daughter. And we would have saved some money. Even my husband thought it was bad, and he'll watch anything! The characters seemed so underdeveloped and one-dimensional, and a lot of what went on just didn't make sense or flow (was there a lot of footage edited out that would have explained a lot of the stuff going on?). Very jerky movie. One scene that comes to mind is the one where he scales a mountain, eats a bird egg, and then jumps (or falls) into the water. What??? Where's the rest of it? I kept waiting for the mother eagle to come and poke his eye out or pull down his stretchy-pants. Not that that would have improved the scene but I was left "unfulfilled". This experience has reminded me of why I always do extensive research before I see a movie: I hate wasting my time and I hate wasting my money.

Just, watch the movie. It may seem like a dumb 2006 comedy movie with Jack Black, and that's exactly what it is. It's completely ridiculous and nonsensical, but if you have the right mind set (that being that this is a dumb movie with dumb jokes) you'll most likely enjoy yourself. It doesn't try to be something that it's not, it knows it's a stupid comedy with completely ridiculous jokes and it just is what it is. It's nothing great, really nothing special, no hidden meaning or religious messages it just kind of exist to exist. Just appreciate it for what it is. It has some outrageous jokes and some mediocre acting, but actually has a nice enjoyable plot with the main actors being as ridiculous as possible and honest a great soundtrack. Just trust me when I say to give it a watch, it's on Netflix and is short so you're really not wasting yo much of your time if you don't like it. A lot of great memorable moments and very nostalgic for me, and for me and my family it's a cult-classic.

Jack Black really isn't all that funny in this movie. That's all there is to it. It's got a few scenes which are pretty funny, but most of the jokes are played out and just not very funny. I wasn't expecting much from the storyline but what I got was even less. Some of the wrestling sequences are alright and are well-filmed, but as a whole I just didn't think this movie delivered.

Some scenes are overly done intentionally to get a laugh, but in many (if not all) of these scenes they just completely miss their mark. Nacho, for some reason, has a tendency to pass gas at any opportune time (and there are many in the film). I'm sure this is an example of something that is supposed to be funny, but it just doesn't work.

The story is uplifting at least, and there's a good message with Nacho trying to do his best to help out the poor orphans that he cooks for, but the movie is ultimately very passable.

4 out of 10.

I go back to this movie time and time again. I love it

"Nacho Libre" is a 2006 Nickelodeon Movie starring Jack Black and directed by Jared Hess, the director of "Napoleon Dynamite". Each element of that combination brings their own unique flair to this movie. It feels distinctly like a Nickelodeon movie, there are the fair share of slap stick and fart jokes. At the same time, it is clearly a Jared Hess movie. The dry humor, the comedic awkwardness and the strange characters all I have that "Napoleon Dynamite" feel. And this film very much channels Jack Black signature energy and likability. Nacho sings a lot, is a bit bumbling but has a heart of gold. He could be a Mexican version of Dewey from "School of Rock".

These three elements go together quite well, this is easily one of Nickelodeon's best movies. It would be between this and "Rango", beyond that they don't have much competition. I enjoyed this movie's format of telling the joke. Often, they would give the audience pieces of the puzzle, leaving them to ask: "Where are they going with this? "and then pay off the questions with a satisfactory punchline.

The movie is funny but can also be sweet at times. Nacho's motivation struggles between wrestling for glory or for raising funds to feed the orphans. Like many sports' movie, there are themes of hard work, teamwork and humility. It is an easy formula to get right.

The movie isn't doing anything revolutionary, and perhaps they rely too heavily on low hanging "kids' movies jokes". But it is a fun movie, full of quotable lines, likable characters and a good simple story kids can enjoy. Much like nachos, they may not be the most healthy or filling of meals, but they are good every now and then for a tasty treat.

• A Mexican priest becomes a wrestler to save an orphanage or something -

I went to see this movie because it was about non-WWF wrestling and so I thought it might be funny. It wasn't. It is excruciating to watch. Embarrassing. Any and every opportunity for comedy is mercilessly squandered.

I admit I don't like Jack Black anyway. After this I have been racking my brain to think of one good role that he has performed. The only thing I can come up with where he was o.k. was as a necessary foil to the John Cusack character in 'High Fidelity'. Jack Black is one of those awful relentless flat-out ham-it-up knockabout guys (like the little fat one in Abbot & Costello or Jerry Lewis) who should be told that being overbearingly idiotic is not the same thing as being funny.

It is not even slapstick. It's just irritating. It's not even stoopid, it's just stupid.

I heard good things about Napoleon Dynamite too, but if this is anything to go by I wont be rushing out to find it on DVD.

I have fallen asleep every time I watch Napoleon Dynamite. Without fail. But aside from embarrassing myself to every reader, I have to say that I did not mind Nacho Libre at all. The dialog is fine yes, and fart jokes are strategically, if not diabolically, placed from scene to scene. But Nacho is very much a visual film. A treat for the eyes where, with the obvious exception of Ana de la Reguera, actors are not beautiful or glamorous or drowned out in makeup but are real. Their faces have more expressive character than anyone in Hollywood does and, with that foundation, you can build a comedy around that, package it, and let the talent do the rest. With that in mind, I have to say Nacho Libre is a fantastic movie in its own right and Jack Black, well, he just runs wherever the script lets him.

Ignacio grows up all his life wanting to be a luchador. The monastery slaps a ladle and pot in his hands and makes him cook to make some kind of use of him. But inspiration returns to him when he sees a chance at making money in the sport he so often wanted to do.

Jared Hess made a smart move by letting Jack Black run around with the film. From making Ignacio sing for Encarnacion or Ramses, the comedy comes from Black's wit in knowing how Hess wants the film. Extra thumbs up goes to Nacho's partner, Esqueleto, who lets Hess run wild with his unusual imagination. No one knows really the hows or whys of Esqueleto's stance on science, or relationships, or even orphans for that matter but Jimenez delivers the punches. I recommend Nacho to everyone who loved Dynamite. Hess delivers a Hollywood ending, but throws it so over the top that only your inner 4yr. old might laugh for it. Visually, I enjoyed the real world look of Nacho Libre, with the comedy being a plus. But if you look for consistency and you lack the patience of what could be a generally silent film, maybe wait till it comes out for the home.

I saw this movie last night at a screening on the Paramount lot. There are some laughs throughout, but the writing isn't particularly great. Much of what we're expected to find funny is the nuance in Jack Black's performance, which has its appeal. He is a great performer and very graceful in the wrestling ring.

The movie will probably do okay at the box office, just due to Black's appeal and the cult status of Napoleon Dynamite and Mike White. If it was as low a budget as everyone on the bulletin board here claims, the movie will make money and everyone will be happy. I don't think that it will be a huge hit, though, even on the order of Napoleon Dynamite.

Also, I'm curious to know what fans of Lucha Libre will think of this movie. It doesn't explain anything about the sport and some may even find it insulting, in that it often goes for laughs at the expense of the luchadores.

When I first saw this movie's trailers I thought it could be good(because I am a Jack Black fan),but then I saw from the makers of Napoleon Dynamite.Now I didn't like Napoleon Dynamite at all and after seeing that I was convinced I didn't want to see it,but I thought it is a completely different movie and I should give it a chance.I was awfully mistaken.To start the story was choppy and confusing,I was at many times wondering what was happening.I am a big fan of story and character in films and this had none of that.Now I wasn't that surprised when this happened though because Napoleon Dynamite didn't have any of this,but I was shocked about Jack Black.Jack is a funny man and I thought well he could maybe redeem this movie from being awful and he let me down.There were only one or two funny scenes in this movie.Now there may be fans of this movie out there,but I am not one of them.Now this would be a great dollar movie(if you have one near you),but is not worth your money for a full admission's ticket.There are hundreds of funnier comedies out there.

Score:A 2 out of 10!

Much to my surprise, as I begrudgingly went to the movies with my 12 yr old son, I LOVED this film. I expected nothing, yet in return, I received a wonderful 1 hour and 40 minute respite from the real world, filled with slapstick humor and total silliness. Slapstick humor always walks a tightrope between bad taste and belly laughs. The Three Stooges are mind-numbingly inane: most laugh intensely and some never get the joke. Laurel and Hardy isn't for everyone either. Nacho Libre is not filled with Woody Allen irony, it doesn't have Christopher Guest's drollness, and it's not James Brook slick. It's not sophisticated humor! How can any film featuring Jack Black as a Mexican friar/fryer/wrestler/wannabe wooer ... all for the "good of the orphans" be taken seriously? It's simply for the 12 year old boy in all of us who laughs when Moe hits Curly and laughs when fat guys, even with over the top Mexican accents, are paired with skinny guys ... in a wrestling ring ... with stretchy pants.

I originally wrote this as a reply to a poster who asked if the mean IQ of people who liked this was 93, but the post was subsequently deleted. But to him I say, "By the way, I'm a physician and my IQ is a tad over 93. But even if I had no job at all and even if my IQ was 93 ... who cares ... I laughed, with my son, eating popcorn, in the dark. And that's the joy of sharing a movie like this." No es?

Nacho Libre is good family entertainment. That pretty much wraps up the film in a nutshell. Does this mean it's a kids film? No, not really, I have no kids and enjoyed it, but that doesn't mean that kids that see it won't be cracking up either. The humor in this film is a bit more from the toilet, there are lots of funny accents and there's wrestling. You can't find a better formula for kids.

Jack Black seems to be really enjoying himself in this film, and his portrayal of Nacho is just as fun to watch. This film might be the closest big screen foray into showcasing the comedic strengths that Black has displayed in really funny SNL sketches and his Tenacious D persona, and maybe that's what made it so fun for him.

The best part of the film though is Esqueleto(Héctor Jiménez), a homeless man turned wrestler and only friend of Nacho. Jiménez is total scene stealer and thankfully they give him plenty of screen time. It's as if someone took the best parts of Taylor Negron and Felix Montano and created the ultimate comedic sidekick.

I thought that this was disappointing. And, given that I had read reviews that said it was disappointing and thus went in with low expectations, that's not a good thing. The main disappointment of course, is that it could have been great – Jack Black as Mexican priest cum wrestler doing it for the orphans with a sidekick and a nun in tow – really, what's not to like? But, somehow (and by 'somehow' I mean 'due to misjudged direction') it didn't come off. Jack Black is like a wind-up toy when he's at his best, and you should just point him in the approximate direction you want and hope for the best, but Hess' films are all about little chuckles and being desperately indie and the two don't sit well. Because of this, when the film is funny it is jarring, as Ignacio (Black) seems to be two men – not a priest and a luchador, but a funny man and a not-very-funny man! Having said all of that – it isn't that bad. Worth a look if you liked Napoleon Dynamite (which I did) but I'd say rent, don't buy.

This is one of the funniest movies ever. I can see how Nacho Libre's unique and comedic delivery, resonates with a lot of Napoleon Dynamite viewers. But, really, it's not even close. Every single scene in Nacho is outrageously funny, and Jack Black is BRILLIANT! The supporting cast was awesome too. With a ridiculous premise, arduous plot, and inconceivable message, I chose to watch nothing instead. Many times. I chose...poorly, because the director/cast/comedic gods of this flick have gone and made the impossible possible. Nacho Libre is "dee-based"!. See it, please.

A idealistic monk leaves the monastery to fight as a luchador wrestler and discovers what is worth fighting for. With an indie style of filmmaking playing jokes in the Jack Black way or in the seriously weird way. To great hilarity. The action is poor in execution, due to it being wrestling, the over the top opponents really add to the fights. With the character arc based around faith rather than machoness.

I think this movie was great and excellent. It's very humorous, funny, and entertaining. The best comedy I've ever seen.

There isn't that lot of jokes here or there, it's just Jack Black being a fool of himself and doing his best to make this movie entertaining. Jack Black does the best at making this movie funny and comedical, he fits every role of a funny character, his line delivery is fun and hilarious. Everyone's performance and line delivery just makes this movie enjoyable. The interesting thing about this movie is the purpose to why Nacho wants to fight.

I overall like this film. It's funny and entertaining and I enjoyed it. This is an excellent comedy film of all time.