NACHO LIBRE (Theatrical Release USA 2006)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.6|5.0 Stars ìììì

Nacho Libre—the best of Jack Black since School of Rock—is funny, unique, offbeat, and worth a viewing. Director Jared Hess’ work deserves study.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Ignacio (Jack Black), an orphan, has grown up in one of Mexico’s Catholic monasteries where he eventually becomes the cook for other orphans who live there. He wants to provide better food for the orphans and realizes, even though wrestling is forbidden by the church, that he can earn money and serve better food to the orphans through wrestling because, win or lose, every wrestler shares a part of the prize money. He names himself Nacho Libre and works secretly as a wrestler in the evenings. A homeless man, Esqueleto (Héctor Jiménez), helps him.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Executive Producer Steve Nicolaides for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Sister Encarnación (Ana de la Reguera), Chancho (Darius Rose), Juan Pablo (Moises Arias), Chuy (Diego Eduardo Gomez), Segundo Nuñez (Carlos Maycotte), Guillermo (Richard Montoya), Ramses (Cesar Gonzales), Elderly Monk (Rafael Montalvo), Snaggle Tooth Monk (Julio Sandoval), Arena Referee #1 (Ventura ‘Tigre Hispano’ Lahoz), Snaggle Tooth Monk (Julio Sandoval), Arena Referee #1 (Ventura ‘Tigre Hispano’ Lahoz), and Arena Referee #2 (Felipe Jesus ‘Terror Chino’ Hernandez).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. This simple story has an offbeat charm that makes it worth every dollar.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers