Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
Ignacio, a disrespected cook at a Mexican monastery, can barely afford to feed the orphans who live there. Inspired by a local wrestling hero, he decides to moonlight as the not-so-famous Luchador "Nacho Libre" to earn money for the monastery -- not to mention the admiration of beautiful nun Sister Encarnación.
Nacho Libre is a quirky, Jack Black-led comedy with a genuinely charming and offbeat tone rooted in Mexican luchador culture and Catholic monastery life — a fairly distinctive comedic setting. Black's committed physical performance and absurdist energy elevate the material, and the film has a colorful, sun-drenched visual style that suits its setting. However, the plot is thin and predictable — an underdog rises, faces setbacks, triumphs — offering little surprise. The ending wraps up too neatly and without much emotional payoff, feeling rote for the genre. While the film has a singular comedic voice (Jared Hess's deadpan oddness), it doesn't fully capitalize on its premise's potential.