Nacho Libre (2006)

Berated all his life by those around him, a monk follows his dream and dons a mask to moonlight as a Luchador (Mexican wrestler).

Director:

Jared Hess

Writers:

Jared Hess, Jerusha Hess

Stars:

Jack Black, Ana de la Reguera, Héctor Jiménez

1 win & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jack Black	...	Nacho
Ana de la Reguera	...	Sister Encarnación
Héctor Jiménez	...	Esqueleto
Darius Rose	...	Chancho (as Darius A. Rose)
Moises Arias	...	Juan Pablo
Diego Eduardo Gomez	...	Chuy
Carlos Maycotte	...	Segundo Nuñez
Richard Montoya	...	Guillermo
Cesar Gonzalez	...	Ramses (as Cesar Gonzalez 'Silver King')
Rafael Montalvo	...	Elderly Monk
Julio Sandoval	...	Snaggle Tooth Monk
Ventura 'Tigre Hispano' Lahoz	...	Arena Referee #1
Felipe Jesus 'Terror Chino' Hernandez	...	Arena Referee #2
Enrique Muñoz	...	Señor Ramon
Carla Jimenez	...	Candidia

Storyline

Nacho (Black) is a monastery cook, who spends his day feeding orphans and being overlooked by the monastery. When Sister Encarnación (Reguera) arrive at the monastery, Nacho realises that the only way to win her affection and to save the children, will be by competing as a Luchador wrestler.

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Plot Keywords:

two word title | male butt clench | slapstick comedy | monastery | orphan | 

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Taglines:

He's not lean. He's not mean. He's nacho average hero.

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Genres:

Comedy | Family | Sport

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for some rough action, and crude humor including dialogue

Details

Country:

Germany USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

16 June 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

Untitled Jack Black Project

Filming Locations:

Monte Alban, Oaxaca, Mexico

Box Office

Budget:

$32,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$28,309,599, 18 June 2006, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$80,197,993

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$99,255,460

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures,Nickelodeon Movies,Black & White Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

DTS SDDS Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

While filming a wrestling scene, Jack Black jumped from the ring and struck his head on a chair. This caused a black eye and a gash above his right eye which needed stitches.

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Goofs

The plot takes place in early '70s. In one of the first cuts, when Nacho is a kid (some 20 years before the main plot), he pulls off a cloth from above a color TV. Color television started in Mexico in late '60s.

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Quotes

Sister Encarnación: Ignacio, I have been looking all over for you, where have you been?
Nacho: I have been here. I have been sleeping.
Sister Encarnación: In a frilly shirt and slacks?
Nacho: They are my PJ's

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Connections

Spoofed in Epic Movie (2007)

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Soundtracks

Encarnacion
by Mike White, Jack Black & Jared Hess
Performed by Jack Black
Jack Black performs courtesy of Epic Records

User Reviews

Slapstick south of the border ... in tights

Much to my surprise, as I begrudgingly went to the movies with my 12 yr old son, I LOVED this film. I expected nothing, yet in return, I received a wonderful 1 hour and 40 minute respite from the real world, filled with slapstick humor and total silliness. Slapstick humor always walks a tightrope between bad taste and belly laughs. The Three Stooges are mind-numbingly inane: most laugh intensely and some never get the joke. Laurel and Hardy isn't for everyone either. Nacho Libre is not filled with Woody Allen irony, it doesn't have Christopher Guest's drollness, and it's not James Brook slick. It's not sophisticated humor! How can any film featuring Jack Black as a Mexican friar/fryer/wrestler/wannabe wooer ... all for the "good of the orphans" be taken seriously? It's simply for the 12 year old boy in all of us who laughs when Moe hits Curly and laughs when fat guys, even with over the top Mexican accents, are paired with skinny guys ... in a wrestling ring ... with stretchy pants.

I originally wrote this as a reply to a poster who asked if the mean IQ of people who liked this was 93, but the post was subsequently deleted. But to him I say, "By the way, I'm a physician and my IQ is a tad over 93. But even if I had no job at all and even if my IQ was 93 ... who cares ... I laughed, with my son, eating popcorn, in the dark. And that's the joy of sharing a movie like this." No es?