Nacho Libre DVD > Reviews > I am, I am...

Author's product rating:   

Did you enjoy it?	Loved it
Story	Outstanding
Characters / Performances	Outstanding
Special Effects	Outstanding
How does it compare to similar films?	Outstanding

Advantages:	Hilarious, Jack Black under control
Disadvantages:	Incredibly silly, naturally

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Ignacio is a tubby Mexican friar in charge of cooking meals for the orphans. He's a simple man who harbours a secret ambition, to become a famous wrestler. Increasingly frustrated by the lack of fresh ingredients for his orphans' dinners, he teams up with a local urchin to try and earn some cash.

It's just occurred to me that I've just described The Blues Brothers for the wrestling world, and that's not a bad way to look at the film. There's an awesome soundtrack (Mr Loco's 'Religious Man' permeates a lot of the film and it's been stuck in my head ever since, but in a good way), a fat guy and a skinny guy, and lots of bizarre scenes which don't really make much sense in terms of the plot but which are all sorts of fun. And they're saving the orphanage.

Jack Black is a man with patchy form, to say the least. He can either be brilliantly manic or punchably irritating, sometimes even in the same film. Until now, his career highs have been generally regarded as King Kong, High Fidelity, School of Rock and that Foo Fighters video where he's an airline steward. Lowlights have included Shallow Hal, School of Rock again and Orange County.

Nacho Libre will definitely be remembered in the first bunch. Black's Mexican accent is horrendous, but his childlike, vulnerable character is note-perfect otherwise. Ignacio is an innocent with a simple dream, a man who takes his responsibilities to the orphaned children ridiculously seriously but whose eyes frequently betray utter disatisfaction with his lot in life.

The pastoral scenes of life at the orphanage also contrast magnificently with the faux glamour of the Mexican wrestling circuit. The gallery of grotesques that Nacho and Squeletto encounter as they struggle towards the big time are a particular highlight of the film. Whether they're genuine wrestlers or the result of the costume designer smoking some particularly potent crack, I have no idea, but they are brilliant, from the midget monsters up to the imposing lipstick daubed colossus Rameses.

One of my favourite aspects of the film is the way in which the two heroes at no point become magically gifted. This is no Billy Elliott or Karate Kid, Nacho and Squeletto are hopelessly outclassed throughout the film, despite training their socks off. The worst thing about films about loveable losers is that you love them less as soon as they stop losing, and seeing Jack Black get mauled repeatedly does at least compensate for all those films where he is, as I mentioned, punchably irritating.

The love interest for the film is also great, a nun who looks like Penelope Cruz if you squint a bit, only possibly a little bit hotter (I don't care how bad Captain Corelli's Mandolin was, she's stunning). In what can only be a scene demanded by Jack Black's agent, Ignacio sings a song in praise of her that's just hilarious, and there's an even better version in the closing credits...

If you've watched Napoleon Dynamite, you'll have your own ideas about what to expect from this film. And you wouldn't be far from the mark. Although there's a bit more plot than Jared Hess's debut, the film's full of little subplots that never really go anywhere, most notably the 'magic eagle powers' sequence and many of the bizarre training scenes. It's a great style in that it gives you the feeling of occupying the same world as the characters, and it's the kind of approach that rewards repeat viewings (this is the first film this year that I saw twice at the cinema).

The dialogue is great, although hidden behind thick Mexican accents, and endlessly quotable. I shan't quote it at you, for that is boring writing, but I imagine there will be a fair few Nacho Libre t-shirts accompanying the 'Vote for Pedro' design that followed Napoleon Dynamite.

With additional emphasis on slapstick humour though, the whole family will get a lot out of the film. It's a 12A but remember that film classifications are fascist pieces of censorship that actually have their roots in fire safety laws, so ignore that useless piece of information. Each time I've watched it, I've come away feeling indescribably good about the world, it's got a real bouyant feel to it. And that's got to be a good thing.

Ah, I utterly and unreservedly love the film. From the title sequence, with a kid who looks more like Jack Black than Jack Black himself does, to the forced baptism and all the many many silly wrestling matches. At one point two main characters sit and eat toast for a solid minute and I even love that too. It's unremittingly funny, endearingly silly and frequently bizarre enough to touch even the most jaded and cynical reviewer. So if you're going to put a comment saying 'nice review lol but not my kind of thing', don't, because you're wrong and we'll all laugh at you.

Nachoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!