DVD Movie Review: Nacho Libre Starring Jack Black

I wanted to see the movie, Nacho Libre, because Jack Black is in it and I think he's cool. Plus the movie had the added bonus of being a comedy and who couldn't use a little comedy in their life? I am sorry to say that I was somewhat disappointed in Nacho Libre. It seemed to me that the only really funny parts were the ones the company used in advertising it.

The friars at the orphanage where he lived were mean to Ignacio or Nacho, Jack Black's character in the movie. And not just a little bit mean either, but very mean. In fact it seemed like just about everyone was mean to Nacho except for the orphans and a nun, Sister Encarnacion. Nacho was a friar who was the cook for a Mexican orphanage and there was very little money for food so meals consisted of some very nasty-looking substance.

So Nacho and a new friend decided to become a Mexican wrestling tag team (lucha libre) at night for money.

Unfortunately they always lost but miracle of miracles; they were paid for losing because the people loved them. So each week they could be in a new fight and be paid for it. Nacho used the money to buy good food for the orphans. There is a funny scene where he fixed individual salads for each orphan with different designs and faces. He also fixes Sister Encarnacion a special giant salad because he has a crush on her. But Nacho is not happy to be paid to lose every week; he wants to be paid to win. He wants to go pro and get the big money and fight the best of the pro-wrestlers, Ramses. Nacho has big dreams.

Nacho always wore his wrestler's tights under his friar's robes and one day the robes caught on fire. After the fire was out, his tights were revealed and he was kicked out of the monastery because God does not like wrestling. It was kind of sad as he wanders off to the wilderness to die, as Nacho said. But it seems that he wandered into the wilderness that happened to be within sight of the town. That was funny! Everything ends up happily ever after when Nacho wins against the big mean pro-wrestler, Ramses, and gets big money and buys a bus for the orphans so they can go on field trips.

Nacho Libre wasn't as funny as I had hoped it would be and was instead more serious and kind of sad in a lot of parts. So if you want a good laugh, this movie might not do it. And that is my major complaint about the movie; it seemed to be more serious than funny.

I can't say that Nacho Libre was the worst movie I've ever seen because it definitely is not. There were funny parts and Jack Black was entertaining so if you are a Jack Black fan, you may enjoy Nacho Libre. In fact, that would be my recommendation for this movie; it would be great for Jack Black fans.

CAST:

Nacho - Jack Black

Sister Encarnacion - Ana de la Reguera

Esqueleto - Hector Jimenez

Guillermo - Richard Montoya

Nacho Libre. Released in 2006 by Paramount Pictures; Rated PG (for some crude humor and violence); 91 minutes long.

You can find a copy of the DVD, Nacho Libre, at Amazon.com or you can rent it through Netflix.com.