SummaryJack Black stars as Ignacio (friends call him Nacho), a cook by day in a Mexican orphanage, who moonlights as a lucha libre wrestler to raise money for the orphans in this comedy from the creators of "Napoleon Dynamite" and the writer of "The School of Rock." (Paramount)
Directed By:Jared Hess
Written By:Jared Hess, Jerusha Hess, Mike White
Nacho Libre
Metascore
Mixed or Average
52
User score
Generally Favorable
6.8
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Metascore
Mixed or Average
33% Positive
12 Reviews
12 Reviews
58% Mixed
21 Reviews
21 Reviews
8% Negative
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
80
What's rare to see, and what ultimately makes Nacho Libre so enjoyable, is the story of an underdog who's allowed to remain a humble clown all the way to becoming a hero.
70
Nacho Libre strikes a delicate balance of whimsy and absurdity that may surprise auds primed to expect wall-to-wall slapstick.
User score
Generally Favorable
58% Positive
69 Ratings
69 Ratings
29% Mixed
34 Ratings
34 Ratings
13% Negative
16 Ratings
16 Ratings
60
A daft idea perfectly calibrated to Black’s pop mania, then hermetically sealed by a director who thinks he’s making a Hal Hartley movie.
50
The comedy is hit and miss, with good bits interrupted by dead patches. It's a movie to root for more than to enjoy.
50
Too much in Nacho Libre doesn't work to enable me to recommend it to anyone except a card-carrying member of the Jack Black fan club.
50
When he runs out of material to tickle with, Black dips into his musically tenacious "deedle-diddle-dee" for some sure-fire ridiculousness.
33
You can see what the film was going for, but the jokes just sit there; you chuckle a few times, mostly out of lame hope, but you never bust a gut, never really get what you came for.
Jun 19, 2022
10
La mejor peli de la historia de la humanidad jskdbakhdjakzkaksjskdhakdjaljdmajdkakdkaldkaldjlajdlakdks
Jan 22, 2026
6
The rhythmic machinery of a monastic wrestler: A 3.0-star vivid but uneven drift through quirky absurdity.2011(3.0)I watched "Nacho Libre" on New Year's Day in 2011, and it remains a functional 3.0-star record in my archive—a vivid but ultimately stagnant exploration of lucha libre dreams. This experience **** the fourth wall of the sports comedy genre by infusing Jared Hess’s raw and deadpan visual style with a high-tension eccentricity that felt 100% unique but often mechanical. While the production attempted a sensational and rebellious take on the underdog trope, the narrative rhythm felt too stagnant and episodic, dragging through a pathetic cycle of flatulence jokes and awkward silences that lacked the chewy intellectual depth of my 5.0-star pillars. Seeing Jack Black’s vivid but pathetic dedication to the role provided a rhythmic sense of humor, but the emotional payoff felt too stagnant and thin, leaving me in a state of silent frustration at its repetitive structure. The 95% preservation of my memory is dominated by the rhythmic, raw aesthetic of the Mexican wrestling ring and the vivid but stagnant warmth of the cinematography, creating a journey that felt more like a pathetic diversion than a permanent, sensational scar on my soul. Unlike the vivid soul of "Hot Fuzz" or the raw energy of "Shaun of the Dead," this encounter possessed a rhythm that was far too stagnant to reach a higher tier. It stands in my 2011 record as a vivid exercise in stylistic quirkiness—a 3.0-star artifact of rhythmic mildness that remained too stagnant to achieve a sensational impact on my psychological archive.
Aug 15, 2021
6
Didn't quite work for me. Which is disappointing given what a huge fan I am of Napoleon Dynamite. Like that other Jared Hess comedy, most of the humor comes from watching characters in a slightly cartoonish world do and say ridiculous things in a deadpan manner. Only because this is a Nickelodeon production there are also fart jokes. That's kind of the problem. This is primarily aimed at children so the whole thing is very juvenile. Too juvenile even. There are some themes you can pick out involving being unhappy with your place in life specifically in regards to class and some shots taken at organized religion, but it will all go over the kids' heads while adults will be too annoyed by all the slapstick and gross out gags to care. The are certainly some funny moments, but not enough to keep this from missing the mark with the older members of the family.
Jun 5, 2021
6
Charming and unique story about the fairly obscure Mexican Wrestling culture. It's a shame that depsite a lot of heart and nice cinematography, it's the humor that falls short. When it does try to be funny, it relys too much on absurdaty, slapstick and awkwardness, rather than genuine humor.
Jun 22, 2013
3
I have to say that this movie was not funny not entertaining. The fight scenes were funny but in general the movie is bad. Firstly, it is racist to latin american people and i don't think this is funny. I love Jack Black. He makes great films that make you laugh. But in this one i was disappointed with the script i guess that wants to show racist thoughts. Too bad
Production Company:
- Paramount Pictures
- Nickelodeon Movies
- Black & White Productions
- MP Inka
Release Date:Jun 16, 2006
Duration:1 h 32 m
Rating:PG
Tagline:He's not lean. He's not mean. He's nacho average hero.
Awards
Teen Choice Awards
• 5 Nominations
BMI Film & TV Awards
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
MTV Movie + TV Awards
• 1 Nomination




























