 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Nacho Libre
- Review Date: October 23, 2006
- PG
- Genre: Comedy
- 2006
Common Sense Media says
A sweet, offbeat movie about caring for others.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know this movie contains a lot of comic action – including some training sessions where Ignacio gets splattered by food and attacked by bees -- and some violence in the wrestling ring (body slams, flying leaps, one character gets a corn cob in the eyesocket). Basically, the stuff 11-year-old boys everywhere will love with nothing to alarm the parents. Some of Nacho's opponents are quirky characters, including some feral dwarf wrestlers.
What's the story?
Ignacio (Jack Black) is a cook at the Mexican monastery where he was raised. But he just doesn't fit in. He cares deeply for the orphans he feeds, but the food is terrible. He decides to make money to buy better food for the kids, and while he's at it, impress the lovely Sister Encarnacion (Ana de la Reguera). When he discovers he has a natural talent for wrestling, he becomes "Nacho Libre," a masked wrestler who takes matches for cash. His training partner, Esqueleto (Hector Jimenez) puts him through his paces, but not without inflicting bodily harm during training sessions. A major flaw in Nacho's plan is that wrestling is strictly forbidden by the church elders at the monastery. So he's forced to lead a double life, concealing his true identity with a sky blue mask and painfully tight wrestling garb. For the first time in his life, Ignacio fits in and has something to fight for. He tries explaining this to Sister Encarnacion, but she tells him, "Wrestling is a sin. When you fight for someone who needs your help, only then will God bless you."
Is it any good?
Given the offbeat nature of director Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite), the star (School of Rock), and the writer (Mike White, who wrote The Good Girl and School of Rock), this movie is destined to go down as a cult classic, with lines you'll be quoting for years. It's funny and silly, with some of the best writing and characters around. Jack Black (who also produced the movie) is surprisingly agile in the ring, and Hector Jimenez is a scene stealer.
Even if you don't "get" this type of goofy humor, Nacho Libre is still a sweet movie with a good message about caring for others -- even if Jack Black in tight pants is an image you'd just as soon forget.
Explore, discuss, enjoy
Families can talk about the importance of helping others. Do you have particular gifts (i.e. music, art, ability to talk with others) that could be used to help others? Is it ok for Ignacio to become a masked wrestler, even though the church elders frown on it? Are his motives – helping the orphans – a good enough reason to become a masked wrestler? And how does the Lucha Libre wrestling bring the Mexican community together?
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- Teens & kids
Parent of 6 and 8 year old
March 7, 2009
AGE
No way would I let my children watch this.
I personally thought the movie was extremely weird. I think there are way to many sexual comments made to allow a child to watch this movie. I would not recommend this as a family movie.
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Kid, 12 years old
April 9, 2008
AGE
AHHHHHHHHHHHH!
WORST MOVIE EVER! SHIELD YOUR EYES!
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Kid, 11 years old
June 28, 2009
AGE
i really hate this movie
What other families should know:
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Kid, 9 years old
December 23, 2009
AGE
i just love nacho its so funny with a touch of sick out raging moves in the ring that i love as everyone know ignacio likes sister enacircon so yeah it rules like awesome
What other families should know:
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Parent of 16 year old
November 5, 2009
AGE
What other families should know:
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Teen, 17 years old
March 21, 2009
AGE
Really funny!
This movie is hilarious and has a good message about caring for others and using God to help you thru lifes little speedbumps. A great family movie!
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Parent
February 1, 2009
AGE
The only "family movie" my 10 year-old walked away from
We were looking for a movie that was innocent enough for our 10 yr-old daughter, but meaty enough for our 13 yr-old son. He loved it, but my daughter didn't get it at all. It starts out slow and if your kids don't get the whole monastery thing, and the subtleties of the attraction between the nun and Ignacio, it takes forever to get interesting. My son and I liked it, but my husband ended up walking away too. I just don't think the subject is interesting enough, and the humor obvious enough, for a 10 yr-old (girl, anyway).
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Adult
April 9, 2008
AGE
So Bad, Not Just Lame But BAD
I took my daughter who's seven and what we didn't expect was how violent the wrestling scenes were - she was distressed by the punching, hitting, kicking, slamming, beating and more that all happens in the ring. I admit, I blew it. I forgot about that wrestling was so gross (I never watch it and just spaced). I spent a lot of time explaining to her that it was fake. We both agreed, the movie was BAD. We want that 90 minutes of our life back!
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Kid, 12 years old
April 9, 2008
AGE
Dumb, dumb, dumb!
Don't waste your time or money on this movie, it is stupid! I am an 11 year old boy and I did not think it was very funny at all. I thought the part where he threw the corn cob into the guys eye was very gross and surprising. Don't bother with this movie!
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Teen, 13 years old
June 8, 2009
AGE
Nacho Libre Roxxxxxxxxxxxxx!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is a great freaking movie. and nacho doesn't just go against the church for the hell of it! He does so to help out the kids at the orphanage! What's wrong with you people!?
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| Topics: | sports and martial arts, misfits and underdogs |
| Studio: | Paramount Pictures |
| Director: | Jared Hess |
| Cast: | Ana de la Reguera, Hector Jimenez, Jack Black, Peter Stormare, Richard Montoya |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Run time: | 100 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | June 16, 2006 |
| DVD release date: | October 24, 2006 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | some rough action, crude humor, and language |
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