Napoleon Dynamite was one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. Nacho Libre was not.
Several hours after leaving the theater, I still am trying to figure out whether this was a horrible movie made tolerable by Jack Black, or a potentially funny movie ruined by excessive focus on its star. But one thing is clear to me: Jack Black is not one of those rare people (like John Belushi) who makes me laugh just to look at him. This movie had too many shots where the audience was supposed to laugh just because Jack Black's face was filling the screen. Most of the time, we didn't.
Audience reaction was mixed. My 12-year-old daughter, not one to mince words, just told me, "Nacho Libre stunk." (She is a big Napoleon Dynamite fan, by the way.) On the other hand, three thirtysomething guys sat behind us, and one of them commented afterwards, "That was one of the best movies ever!" But listening to their comments during the movie, it was pretty clear that there was a high school thing going on there. I am fairly certain that he would change his mind at any hint of dissent from his buddies.
One of my 10-year-old sons summed up my feelings pretty well: "It was funny in parts, but I didn't bust a gut laughing."
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1. Posted by China Law Blog on June 17, 2006 @ 19:34 | Permalink
Should have gone to The Heart of the Game instead. It is excellent.
2. Posted by tRJ on June 19, 2006 @ 12:22 | Permalink
I find that I infinitely prefer Jack Black as a supporting character, a la High Fidelity.
3. Posted by Jim Gleeson on July 5, 2006 @ 20:13 | Permalink
I sat alone during the movie so it must be some sort of collective pressure, but I also loved Nacho Libre. Maybe it was the toxic emissions of the fake butter smell to encourage people to buy the popcorn; but I liked the mixture of humor the movie had.
Warning spoiler alert:
1. Ignacio enjoying the scenery and then wrecks his inverted tricycle.
2. The introduction of Esqueleto, jumping off a roof into the alley in order to wrest the scrap tortillas, part of the ingredients of the wretched stew Ignacio must make on a daily basis.
3. Esqueleto in general. He reminded me of Pedro from Napoleon. At other times he reminded me of Cato from the Pink Panther movies.
4. The salad scene when Ignacio shows off his salad creating abilities before Sistern Encarnacion.
5. Wresting with the two rabid little people in the wrestling rink.
Well I could go on and I would, but there is a lot of humorous examples of why the movie was funny. I cannot however think of more than say three for a more conventional comedy like "Guess Who."
Still, it takes all kinds.
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