The Critics Speak

Nacho Libre

Critic: Steph Lewis
On a scale of 0 to Awesome, I rate this: Fun
Released: June 16, 2006
Director: Jared Hess
MPAA RATING: PG, for some rough action, and crude humor including dialogue.

Synopsis: Nacho (Jack Black) is a man without skills. After growing up in a Mexican monastery, he is now a grown man and the monastery's cook, but doesn't seem to fit in. Nacho cares deeply for the orphans he feeds, but his food is terrible – mostly, if you ask him, a result of his terrible ingredients. He realizes he must hatch a plan to make money to buy better food for "the young orphans, who have nothing" (…and if in doing so Nacho can impress the lovely Sister Encarnación, that would be a big plus).

When Nacho is struck by the idea to earn money as a Lucha Libre wrestler, he finds that he has a natural, raw talent for wrestling. As he teams with his rail-thin, unconventional partner, Esqueleto (the Skeleton), Nacho feels for the first time in his life that he has something to fight for and a place where he belongs.

As Lucha is strictly forbidden by the church elders at the monastery, Nacho is forced to lead a double life. Disguised by a sky blue mask, Nacho conceals his true identity as he takes on Mexico's most famous wrestlers and takes on a hilarious quest to make life a little sweeter at the orphanage. --© Paramount Pictures --Taken from Rotten Tomatoes

My Take: I didn't want to go see this because it got terrible reviews. However, I think it was a bit better than the reviews it got because Jack Black is just hilarious. There were several quotable moments in the movie that were brought up even several weeks after watching it. So, it's at least memorable and quotable. There were no major plot holes. All in all, it's a good screw around, don't want to think, chill with some friends on an afternoon kind of movie.