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

Was sent to theaters under the codename "Toast".

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Goofs

Under lucha libre rules, once a luchador is on the ropes, his opponent must release any holds. In Nacho's first match, he does not let go of his opponent's legs after he grabs the ropes.

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Quotes

Nacho: I'm a little concerned right now. About... your salvation and stuff. How come you have not been baptized?
Esqueleto: Because I never got around to it ok? I dunno why you always have to be judging me because I only believe in science.

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Connections

Referenced in Half in the Bag: Box Office Number Crunching (2016)

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Soundtracks

Ska Cha Chase
Written & Performed by Andrew Gross
Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Music Inc.
Under license from Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc.

User Reviews

Masked Mexican Mother Teresa Wrestles for Orphanage Dollars In a Schizophrenic & Zany Chicano World!

...........................................................from Pasto,Colombia...Via: L.A. CA., CALI, COLOMBIA...and ORLANDO, FL

Nacho Libre barely had 10 million(US) at its disposal to cover the cost of its production. With the exception of Jack Black(School of Rock, King Kong), there really is no cast member who is well-known outside of the USA. In the Hispanic world, Ana de la Reguera is known for numerous appearances in soap operas and movies, but for the English-speaking audience, she is a complete unknown…. at least until the release of Nacho Libre.

Directed and written by Jared Hess(Napoleon Dynamite) a director who has gained a well-earned reputation for going against all the Hollywood rules of "Formula". To enjoy the schizophrenic world of Nacho Libre, however, you don't have to be to be a genius. It is a uniquely original and zany vision that no one could possibly confuse with reality. However, it is the kind of film that does not frame itself very well in high expectations. It is somewhat counterproductive to announce beforehand, "Oh, now here we have a very amusing and hilarious movie". (Despite the fact that for my wife, Carmen and I, "LIBRE" most certainly was both!)

Perhaps the main attraction here is a surreal simplicity, innocence and freshness, and that its basic raison d'etre is so utterly hair-brained and absurd...but in the best possible way! Shouldn't go into much more detail here, so as not to ruin it for you with anything resembling a Spoiler. But taking this into account, I will dare to offer the following observations: Another interesting element of LIBRE is that, seemingly, it was made tailored to seek out a new market in the United States...The bilingual movie buff! (at least "new" in relation to film production.) Jack Black is listed as the sole producer. That is, he put up his own money betting there would be a receptive bilingual viewing audience segment! .

It must be noted, however, that there are a number of attempts at humor that flat out do not work in LIBRE. But these flubs, fortunately, are handily outnumbered by scenes that DO produce considerable laughter. The sight of Nacho Libre and his tag-teammate "Esqueleto" ("Skeleton") wrestling and taking on the world is about as close as I ever want to come to dying of laughter! The love songs composed and sung by Jack Black are so slapstick operatic exaggerated, so insanely ridiculous and so poorly rendered, that they end up being immensely entertaining.

Most certainly, Nacho Libre is not a classic of the Seventh Art that will be much debated ten years in the future. But it definitely will keep you laughing a lot during an hour and a half of your life!

8*....ENJOY/DISFRUTELA!!!