Nacho Libre
Let's get to the point: This movie was awful. It was fruitless, pointless, and tasteless. I really do not know who to point my finger at first: the producer for making it, the director, the actors, or the writers. Nacho Libre is about a fat monk, played by the mostly humorous Jack Black, who dreams of escaping his mundane life as a monastery cook to become a luchador (a professional wrestler). The movie was directed, written, and produced by the same clowns who brought us "Napoleon Dynamite." The style in "Napoleon Dynamite" was forcibly carried over to "Nacho Libre"; the audience is forced to meet a plethora of bizarre, over-the-top characters. Nacho meets an ape-like homeless man who becomes his tag team partner. Nacho wrestles angry dwarfs in the ring. Nacho wrestles admidst a stereotypically Spanish audience (greasy, dark skinned men with John Waters mustaches). While this type of cast worked in "Napoleon Dynamite" (Indeed, we all know the quiet weird nerds in high school), it failed miserably in "Nacho Libre" (We cannot empathize with weird Spanish people because most Americans have not traveled abroad).
Although the entire movie was a waste of time, money, and a movie screen, there are certain small parts that are worth mentioning. First, it was a shame to see Jack Black, who has performed well in other comedies, lower himself to the common denominator. Additionally, I wanted to punch him in the face for using that ridiculously annoying accent. Second, it was maddening but also laughable, that the director tried to shoot the film "legitimately" by borrowing many techniques from the esteemed Wes Anderson (close-ups on gaudy objects and details). Speaking as someone who loves Wes Anderson, and holds "Rushmore" and "The Royal Tenenbaums" in his pantheon of great movies, "Nacho Libre" was a petty attempt to be original and interesting when it was neither.
For those of you who liked "Napoleon Dynamite" (I did), Nacho Libre will be a huge disappointment. It is not as funny, original, or entertaining. In fact, it is flippin' terrible. Avoid this movie at all costs.
1.5
posted by Unknown at 9:31 AM
2 Comments:
i disagree. this movie is delightful and jack black does quite well by his physical comedy. it's sillier than napoleon, but that's not a bad thing, and it certainly doesn't feel like a wes anderson knockoff. i think you just have wes anderson on the brain. he's great, but comedy does predate him, querido. i wonder if you were busy daydreaming about rushmore while watching this movie, as that would explain why you mistook Mexico for Spain. the accents would be funny even if they actors were reading the ingredients on a poptarts box instead of the memorable lines they actually say. and jack gets to sing, always a treat, wear spandex, and woo a nun. next time, enjoy it for what it is- a clever and entertaining story with endearing characters. until then,
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In repsonse to Liz: What was it about the movie that placed it in Mexico? To try and argue where it took place misses the point entirely. The director was not making a statement about Mexico or Spain; he was destroying the Spanish language and all of the stereotypical thoughts that Americans have about both countries. As for my Wes Anderson assertions, I stand by them. Perhaps you need to watch "Rushmore" and "The Royal Tenenbaums again. Trust me--the same visual style is there. Finally, a Jack Black vaudeville show is not enough to make a movie. He may be an entertaining man (especially while singing), but what about the other hour and half of the movie? To my readers, "Nacho Libre" is a hatchet job of a comedy. You are better off renting "Rushmore" or Dr. Strangelove (wow, me knows about older stuff too!)
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