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Movies / Upcoming / Nacho Libre
Nacho Libre

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Nacho Libre (2006)

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Reviews Counted:159

Fresh:62

Rotten:97

Average Rating:5/10

Consensus: At times hilarious, but other times offensive, Director Jared Hess is unable to recapture the collective charisma of his Napoleon characters, instead relying on a one-joke concept that runs out of steam. Sure to entertain the adolescents, however.

Runtime: 1 hr 40 mins

Genre: Comedies

US Box Office: $80,197,993

Synopsis: Celebrating the triumphs and tribulations of the lovable loser is no easy thing, but filmmaker Jared Hess seems to thrive in this specific cinematic exercise. Working fresh off the success of... Celebrating the triumphs and tribulations of the lovable loser is no easy thing, but filmmaker Jared Hess seems to thrive in this specific cinematic exercise. Working fresh off the success of NAPOLEON DYNAMITE, Hess finds a similarly endearing hero-without-a-clue in Ignacio, played by Jack Black (HIGH FIDELITY, KING KONG), the title character in NACHO LIBRE. Ignacio, growing up in a poor monastery in Mexico, has dreamed of being a professional wrestler since childhood. This obsession has led him to a thankless adult existence as monastery whipping-boy and chef, serving stale, day-old nacho chips to finicky orphans. In an effort to earn the respect of new nun-hottie Sister Encarnacion (Ana De La Reguera) and escape the monastery into the greedy excess of pro wrestling, Ignacio enters a local amateur competition. Along the way, he picks up the notably scrawny yet tough street urchin Esqueleto (Hector Jimenez) as his tag-team partner. The duo hilariously loses badly and repeatedly to all manner of local wrestling oddities. It is only when Ignacio recognizes a higher goal than money and glory that he can truly compete with his professional idols, including the dreaded and evil champion Ramses. Co-written with Hess's writing partner and wife, Jerusha, and noted screenwriter Mike White (CHUCK & BUCK, SCHOOL OF ROCK), NACHO LIBRE is stocked with real-life wrestlers doing their thing. Jack Black's over-the-top physical humor blends in perfectly with repeated viewings of his "stretchie pants" and timely flatulence. In concert, the elements fuse to distill a comedy that should appeal to all ages eager to be pinned down in a full-nelson by laughter. [More]

Starring: Jack Black, Ana DeLa Reguera, Hector Jiminez, Peter Stormare

Starring: Jack Black, Ana DeLa Reguera, Hector Jiminez, Peter Stormare, Darius Rose

Director: Jared Hess

Director: Jared Hess
Screenwriter: Mike White, Jerusha Hess
Producer: Mike White, Jack Black
Composer: Danny Elfman
Studio: Paramount Pictures

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Reviews for Nacho Libre

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1 - 20 (sorted by critic A-Z; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 >> >|
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Jared Hess's far too self consciously campy comedy that takes a one-note joke and beats that dead horse until it's a fine paste splayed all over the ground

Full Review Source: Dark Horizons | comment Comment
06/29/06
Garth Franklin
Garth Franklin
Dark Horizons
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It's more outrageous than hilarious, yet Nacho Libre has the same kind of sweet poignancy its filmmaker Jared Hess brought to his 2004 cult hit Napoleon Dynamite.

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
09/08/06
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Sydney Morning Herald | comment Comment
09/23/06
Sydney Morning Herald
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

As common wisdom says, you can't make a cult classic on purpose.

Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | comment Comment
07/06/06
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid

Hess colors the film with his askew sensibility that twists the slapstick into an oddball realm of droll humor that favors the eccentric over the hilarious.

Full Review Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer | comment Comment
06/15/06
Sean Axmaker
Sean Axmaker
Seattle Post-Intelligencer

A thin and tasteless Nacho.

Full Review Source: Sympatico.ca | comment Comment
06/19/06
Angela Baldassarre
Angela Baldassarre
Sympatico.ca

Another tale (like 'Napoleon Dynamite') of a dreamy misfit seeking recognition and innocent love in an appealingly hermetic land of living cartoon characters.

Full Review Source: Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) | comment Comment
06/16/06
John Beifuss
John Beifuss
Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)

A perfect storm of excessive mugging and catch-phrasery.

Full Review Source: Las Vegas Weekly | comment Comment
06/15/06
Josh Bell
Josh Bell
Las Vegas Weekly

Beyond its sight gags and kitschy camp appeal, 'Nacho Libre' is a comedy that earns its underdog ambitions.

Full Review Source: Spectrum (St. George, Utah) | comment Comment
08/14/06
Bruce Bennett
Bruce Bennett
Spectrum (St. George, Utah)

After a promising beginning, Nacho Libre goes off the rails with its over-the-top satire and intentional campiness failing to generate many laughs.

Full Review Source: ReelViews | comment Comment
06/16/06
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
ReelViews

A spongy guy in a clingy suit who has a spongy hairdo is funny, to a point, and kudos to Black for the self-deprecation. Kudos as well for his athleticism and balletic grace as he leaps around the ring. Unfortunately, they can't support a movie.

Full Review Source: Houston Chronicle | comment Comment
06/16/06
Amy Biancolli
Amy Biancolli
Houston Chronicle

The humor is strictly grade school. The movie is missing the wit and charm Hess, who directs, created for Napoleon Dynamite and White and Black used in School of Rock.

Full Review Source: Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN) | comment Comment
06/16/06
Bob Bloom
Bob Bloom
Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)

High concept still fails without writers filling in the blank spots, and 'Jack Black in wrestling tights' is funny for about as long as the trailer you've already seen.

Full Review Source: Denver Post | comment Comment
06/16/06
Michael Booth
Michael Booth
Denver Post

After a while, this disappointing film just lays there, like a wrestler body-slammed one time too many.

Full Review Source: Creative Loafing | comment Comment
06/23/06
Matt Brunson
Matt Brunson
Creative Loafing

Fans of Napoleon Dynamite will love this endearing comedy with its visual flair and delicious fairy-tale magic.

Full Review Source: Spirituality and Practice | comment Comment
06/15/06
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Spirituality and Practice

Creating hermetic worlds in a manner so reminiscent of Wes Anderson that the Rushmore auteur should consider suing, Hess shows little affection for his characters.

Full Review Source: FilmStew.com | comment Comment
06/15/06
Brett Buckalew
Brett Buckalew
FilmStew.com

Slightly less funny than cancer...

Full Review Source: Philadelphia Weekly | comment Comment
06/20/06
Sean Burns
Sean Burns
Philadelphia Weekly

Very broad and very silly, it's a doodle of a comedy -- a one-joke idea (fat guy goes luchador) padded out to feature length by Black's willingness to do anything for a laugh.

Full Review Source: Boston Globe | comment Comment
06/16/06
Ty Burr
Ty Burr
Boston Globe

Extremely silly... and surprisingly sweet.

Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews | comment Comment
07/08/06
David N. Butterworth
David N. Butterworth
rec.arts.movies.reviews

I really did want to like this film, but I found it pedantic and dull. I actually dozed off in the middle, and I haven't done that since Elizabethtown.

Full Review Source: 7M Pictures | comment Comment
06/15/06
Kevin Carr
Kevin Carr
7M Pictures
 
 
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