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Movie Review - Nacho Libre (2006)
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(What this rating means)
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| Director: |
Jared Hess |
| Starring: |
Jack Black, Héctor Jiménez, and Ana de la Reguera |
| Rated: |
PG (for some rough action, and crude humor including dialogue) |
| Length: |
91 minutes |
| Genre: |
Comedy |
| Tagline: |
None. |
| Studio: |
Paramount Pictures |
| Website: |
Nacho Libre |
| Release: |
June 16, 2006 |
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PLOT
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Nacho Libre (Black) is a man whose heart is even bigger than his sizeable stomach. Considering the size of his
stomach, he might want to get a doctor to look at that. Heart disease isn't something to mess around with. Despite
the fact that his cooking is terrible, Nacho works as a cook in the Mexican monastery where he grew up. He blames
his lack of culinary ability on the monastery brothers and their unwillingness to give him the money to buy proper
ingredients.
One day Nacho is struck by the idea to earn money as a Lucha Libre wrestler. He quickly finds a tag team partner,
a man named Esqueleto who gives Luis Guzmán a run for his money in the ugly department, and the two begin
their training.
The trick is that Lucha is forbidden by the church, so Nacho is forced to lead a double life. He knows in his heart
that he's not doing anything wrong because rather than fighting for money and fame; he's fighting for a better way of
life for the orphans at the monastery. A true example of a "hit and miss" movie ensues.
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JOHNNY'S TAKE
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Watching Nacho Libre is a weird experience. Just when you're convinced that you hate it and you're making
plans to hunt down director Jared Hess and punch him in the face, Jack Black goes and does something totally
outrageous that has you unashamedly laughing out loud. Hess should thank Black, his saving grace, because about 15
minutes into the movie (with hardly a laugh in sight) I was already forming a posse.
It says a lot about Black's talent that his mere presence can keep a film afloat. His contorted facial expressions,
decidedly unsexy poses, fake Spanish accent, and tendency to break out into song is enough to keep his fans, like
yours truly, entertained. His narration of a letter he wrote to Sister Encarnacion is particularly hysterical. But
the movie's strong point also exposes its main weakness - without Black this film is a disaster.
Feel free to send your letter of thanks to the screenwriters for that. The script is surprisingly weak, the plethora
of bathroom jokes giving testament to that. Who sits around and thinks, "Hey, smearing manure on a guy's face would
be HIIII-LARIOUS"? And what purpose, other than appealing to the least common denominator, is served by having
Nacho occassionally accompanied by really fake-sounding farts?
I question the necessity of such bathroom humor, my pupils rolling 180 degrees into the back of my head at each
poop reference, yet at least 50% of the audience howls with laughter. Cheap laughs, "purpose" be thy name.
Thank goodness for Black's ad-libbing. There's no other way to explain the laugh-out-loud moments. Even when
a slice of dialogue is obviously weak on paper, Black is skillful enough to make it work. It looks effortless.
Unfortunately, Nacho Libre doesn't sustain a high enough laugh-to-head shaking ratio to make me a
completely satisfied viewer.
I can appreciate the film's desire to offer something quirky and original, but I can't appreciate its inability to
be consistently funny while doing so. There are just too many stupid jokes that fall flatter than Kate
Moss' ... current hairdo.
Nacho Libre is one of those films that will be more enjoyable on a second viewing thanks to the wonderful
mechanism that is known as the fast-forward button. I know where the good stuff is and can hopscotch my way to it.
Disappointing? A little. Since I like Jack and his over-the-top stylings, this is a movie I wanted to love all
the way through. Walking out of the theater, feeling slightly relieved that it wasn't "as horrible as I
feared" just isn't a benchmark of greatness.
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JEN'S TWO CENTS
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In a macrobiotic, Atkins-obsessed Hollywood, Jack Black is perfectly comfortable in his less than taut (I’m being
extremely generous here) physique. He makes this clear as his belly-baring costume; including “stretchy pants,”
leave nothing to the imagination. I must stress that there is something to be said of modesty in some cases.
Maybe Sister Encarnacion can lend her 2-ton wooden door to Ignacio.
While I sound condescending towards Black’s body, it’s more directed toward his caped costume, and its lack of
ability to put a barrier between my eyes and Black’s man boobs. I actually applaud his lack of desire to be
another cookie-cutter (albeit, cut) leading actor.
Black carries the film with his almost disconnected facial expressions and over-enunciated Spanish accent. His
seemingly improvised song numbers let his “Tenacious D” background shine through in an entertaining way, even
though he would slip out of his accent.
Is it just me, or does the creepy shellacked-hair priest look like an older, less-lovable version of Pedro of
Napoleon Dynamite fame?
Black seems to play Ignacio with a confused persona. The movie opens and you’d think that he hates his job (which
to be fair, he kind of does) and the children of the orphanage. The way he slings his refried bean and corn chip
shard concoction at the orphans would leave no reason to believe otherwise. I realize you’re unhappy about not
having fresh ingredients to cook with, but how is hurling it in the children's faces going to be less of a
punishment for having to survive on this gruel?
I don’t understand why a scarce spice rack is such an issue to Ignacio, since he explains how he hates “cooking
duty.” I guess that was just something to throw in to bring him to his “I need a new doody” line. One of many
attempts to throw in the rectal activity references children love (that was not sarcastic).
This scene did leave me wondering ... How many times did this scene have to be re-shot to get the right
bean-out-of-nose trajectory?
Ignacio then abandons his priestly duties for days to chase his dream of becoming a “false idol” Luchador, as the
Sister puts it.
Then Ignacio pleads to God, promising all winnings will go to the children, only after he has failed at everything
else. It doesn’t really make sense that a man with his perspective would even be a priest.
Maybe I’m expecting too much from the man who ends up carrying the whole movie. “Hello, paging ‘supporting’
actors!” Scratch that. “Paging, screen writer!”
Ignacio’s sidekick, Esqueleto, is extremely hard to understand when he delivers some of his lines. His accent is
a bit too thick and he mumbles quite a bit.
It doesn’t make sense that a man who can be lured with a handful of stale tortilla chips lying in dirt would
catapult an entire cantaloupe for endurance training.
Chancho has some audience appeal, but that’s probably due to the fact that he’s an abnormally obese child, not
comedic timing.
This movie also relies a bit too heavily on flatulence. Someone tell the guy in the sound studio to stop falling
asleep on the fart button.
Even though this film was affiliated with Nickelodeon I would say it’s best suited for children slightly older
than Blue’s Clues age. I say this because I overheard a *child of maybe four sitting beside me say he
wanted to go home because the movie was scary. I can’t say that I blame him - savage goat wrestlers, hairy
half-naked Black, and let's just be honest; Luchador masks share quite a resemblance with leather bondage
masks.
I did like that Ramses and his entourage hold true to Lucha Libre tradition by wearing their masks even when out
of the ring. One of the most infamous Luchadores, named El Santo was even buried in his mask. Little bit of
history for you.
I did find the little bit of Scientology vs. Christianity quips entertaining. Think forced baptism. I also
found it a bit ironic, as that is such a hot-button issue in Hollywood right now. Issue/trend ... can be used
interchangeably in the preceding sentence.
Overall, Nacho Libre did its job of getting a few audible laughs out of me. Just don’t go in expecting
anything substantial. Which I didn’t, and guess what? I didn’t leave disappointed (Note: I don’t think it hurt
that I didn’t have to pay to see this movie). I will say that if Paramount can sell you on its trailer, you may
actually find the film worthy of a matinee showing.
*I would like to dedicate this review to the mother of the child mentioned above. The entire audience could hear
your kid throughout the movie, as he wouldn’t stop talking and making noise. If I was the only one, well then I
apologize for saying “entire audience” but just let it be known that I was especially annoyed. “Special thanks,
way to teach movie-watching etiquette!”
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ODDS & ENDS
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- Johnny Betts has never worn stretchy pants.
- "I don't want to brag, but I've been told that I'm a natural luchador wrestler," says Jack Black. "I think I
have some inborn skills and I think maybe Jared (Hess, the director) sensed that and that's why he wanted me to
do this. I know he was thinking, 'I would love to see J.B. throw down some hardcore, Lucha-style wrestling.' It
was meant to be."
- The Movie Mark Rumor Mill reports that the "J.B." Hess was thinking about was actually Johnny Betts.
- Co-writer Mike White claims this is inspired by the true story of a guy who cooked for friars and orphans by
day and wrestled by night.
- Jack Black's inverted nipples freak me out.
- Jack Black worked hard to perfect his Mexican accent. Any ideas where his inspiration came from? "I would think
of Ricardo Montalban, especially his performance in The Wrath of Khan," said Black. "I'm not trying to do an
impersonation - it's just something that I would think of for inspiration. I love Ricardo Montalban - he's so
dramatic!"
- In Mexico, Lucha Libre is a sport that enjoys a popularity that is second only to soccer.
- In America, soccer is a sport that enjoys a LACK of popularity that is second only to little league
curling.
- Lucha Libre differs from American wrestling in that Luchadores wear masks to hide their true identities, and
they are very protective about it. It is also said that it must be seen live to truly appreciate.
- The movie was filmed in Mexico. Large open casting calls were held in Oaxaca, Mexico to find the supporting
actors and hundreds of extras that were needed for the film.
- Other than Black and Jiménez, all the wrestlers in the movie are indeed real-life professional
Luchadores.
- No Luchadores were harmed during the filming of the movie. Well, I guess they could have been. I just said that
to try to be funny.
- Black studied in Los Angeles during the summer of 2005 with a Lucha coach, learning all the basic moves and
the language of the ring.
- Nick Powell served as the film's stunt coordinator and choreographed every fight. Powell is famous
for overseeing some of the greatest cinema fights of all time, including Gladiator, Braveheart,
The Last Samurai, The Bourne Identity, and Cinderella Man.
- The wrestling choreography is quite entertaining, but once again this owes little to the screenwriters.
Powell gets the tip of the hat for that.
- Jack Black was in Saving Silverman with Amanda Peet who was in Melinda & Melinda with Josh Brolin
who was in Hollow Man with Kevin Bacon.
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MAMA'S APPROVAL
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Yes, this is rated PG, but that doesn't mean mama would grant her approval for all ages. There's surprisingly
no bad language, but there's bathroom humor to spare. This is most appropriate for those whose age has reached
double digits.
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TRAILER COMPARISON
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Prior to seeing the film, I had watched two different trailers. I probably laughed about three times combined. I
was worried. Very worried. The good thing is that I went in with expectations so low that they had no choice but to
be exceeded.
If the trailers and commercials look hilarious to you then you'll likely enjoy this more than I.
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THE GIST
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Nacho Libre is blatantly going after the same cult following that affixed itself to Napoleon Dynamite
(same director, after all), and that's fine - it'll definitely have a following. You don't need Fodor's Guide to
Nacho Libre to figure out if you'll be a part of this following.
If you've deemed the trailer the funniest thing since Johnny Betts' last review then go have a blast. If, like I,
you're on the fence then don't risk it - save it for a rental. And if you don't like Jack Black at all then this
is definitely NACHO kind of movie ... BWAHAHAHA! Sorry, but considering some of the bad jokes the Hess brothers
forced on me, I figured I owed 'em one.
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