Movie Description
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.
| Credits | | Producer: | Jack Black, Mike White | | Cast: | Ana DeLa Reguera, Hector Jiminez, Jack Black, Peter Stormare |
Editorial Reviews
"A sweet bliss-out from the writers Mike White, Jerusha Hess and Jared Hess..."
New York Times - Manohla Dargis (06/23/2006)
3 stars out of 5 -- "There's sweetness in the slapstick, while the director mines his missionary past to present a Mexico as eccentric and off-beat as the small-town America lovingly mocked in his first film."
Total Film - James White (08/01/2006)
"Director Jared Hess employs an offbeat aesthetic in keeping with his previous offering....Black's infectious, slapstick energy is also a great asset..."
Sight and Sound - Ali Jaafar (09/01/2006)
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