Nacho Cinco

Rating: 5/10 (13 December 2008)

Jack Black is not exactly one of the great or even good comic actors of our time. That said, Black is much better when he's more subdued, as in Orange County, Shallow Hal, or School of Rock. Here in Nacho Libre, he plays a layman who gets stuck cooking for monks in the Mexican desert? And somehow he's a friar? Yeesh! Oh, and ah, the monks are taking care of poor Mexican kids who speak better English than most students in public schools. Enter a nun who comes off as Sister Holy Innocent and adds almost nothing to the film. Never mind the goofy plot; Jared Hess tries to navigate through this mess as best as he can, which means lots of scenes with Jack Black trying to make with the funny and falling flat on his ass or back, literally.
The paper-thin story has Black teaming up with a Mexican street punk with bad teeth to form a tag team combination worthy of fighting luchadores on the Mexican fake-wrestling circuit. He hopes to earn enough money to serve better food to the poor Mexican orphans who are tired of gruel, Mexican style, topped with tortilla chips. Along the way, Black hopes to impress Sister Holy Innocent enough to seriously challenge her vows. Black performs stunts, sings, wrestles, and speaks with an ever-changing accent throughout the film in hopes of entertaining us. However, the film is full of a lot of set-ups that never pay off, like with the obese girl interested in Hector Jimenez. It goes nowhere and generates nary a chuckle. After Napoleon Dynamite, an over-rated sensation itself, Nacho Libre is somewhat of a disappointment. ** of 4 stars.