Movie Review: Nacho Libre
Starring: Jack Black, Hector Jimenez, Ana de la Reguera
Directed by: Jared Hess

If any of you have read this blog for a while you’ll remember my first reaction to hearing of this film’s production. I believe it went something like this:

“The greatest idea for a movie. Ever.”

Perhaps I am paraphrasing slightly.

I had the honor of watching an early screening of this film with my mother (the poor girl) the night before it was released.
I’m afraid I have to say that this film joins a growing category of films where my concept for the film ends up being funnier than the film produced.

This film has been anticipated by millions for two different reasons:

1. The return of Jack Black. Ever since School of Rock, audiences have fed out of Mr. Black’s hand. The promotions for this film looked beyond ridiculous, and finally gave reason for any comic’s coup de grace: wearing tights. (Think Elf.)

2. The return of Jared Hess. The now infamous director of Napoleon Dynamite, 2004’s cult comedy hit makes his sophomoric return with Nacho.

2(a). Mike White, writer of School of Rock and Orange County reunites with School alum Jack Black for both a writing and a producing credit.

The premise: Black plays a monk (Nacho) in a Mexican monastery who tries to fulfill his childhood dream of being a Luchidore, even despite the warnings by the head priests that wrestling is evil, and he would certainly be dismissed from the monastery for his actions.
Despite the warnings, Black’s character begins an adventure to become the greatest luchadore that Mexico has ever known.
Oh, and Nacho falls in love with a nun, Sister Encarnacioin, (de la Reguera.)

Simple plot, and for a director such as Hess, whose success was entirely based upon his ability to point the camera at his actors and let them do the work.
The reciepe worked wonderfully, and it should be a formula that works again if Mr. Hess gets the right combination of tools to work with.
I say it should work again, because sadly, just like Nacho, this film falls flat on its rear several times.

Jack Black single-handedly attempts to carry this film from start to finish. From opening sequence to finish, he is rarely out of sight of the camera, and sadly, when he is, the film often falls flat on its face.

Jared does try to follow the same formula for success he found with Napoleon, choosing unique and bizarre looking characters, surrounding them by sometimes obscene and hilarious surroundings, trying to let what sits in front of the camera do most of the work for him.
For one reason or another, however, the film staggers across the finish line, dragging its feet behind itself.
There are numerous sequences which I laughed out loud at, but sadly, these parts were too few and far between to consider the film cohesive.

On another note, the writer's obsession with making Nacho fall in love with a nun is both alarming and against all logic. Nacho may want to be a wrestler, but would he really desire the love of a woman as well? Perhaps he didn't pay attention in any of the monastery classes. Either that or the Mormans have an axe to grind with the Catholic church.

Jack Black’s performance is memorable for many different reasons, and it will certainly go down among his funniest, but Nacho Libre will be shelved next to other films whose potential exceeded the product.

Grade: C

T.