Nacho Libre (2006)
Directed by Jared Hess
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.
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What critics compared Nacho Libre to
That’s not terribly surprising: it’s directed by Jared Hess, who was responsible for “Napoleon Dynamite” and “Nacho Libre,” both of them pictures that treated their characters with something akin to contempt.
But while there are enough nods to Hess’ style to make the director’s presence felt, “Masterminds” feels crafted more towards showcasing the talents of its celebrity cast, similar to Hess’ Jack Black vehicle “Nacho Libre.”
As a filmmaker, Jared Hess ( Napoleon Dynamite , Nacho Libre ) has always taken special delight in turning his actors into mortifying cartoon dorks.
Another tale from director Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre) involving trailer-park-grade oddballs wearing weird clothes, sporting weirder haircuts, and speaking in all sorts of crazy-weird ways, this long-delayed film—originally intended for a summer 2015 release before Relativity Media spiraled into financial crisis—ignores character detail and zips past seemingly crucial plot points with almost spastic speed.
Not even a batch of SNL alums could save this insufferable comedy from director Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre) and writers Chris Bowman, Hubbel Palmer, and Emily Spivey.
“Masterminds” is a small, very strange film, and definitely doesn’t enter the upper echelons of director Jared Hess’ oeuvre, which includes the wacky comedy classics “Napoleon Dynamite” and “Nacho Libre,” or even the best work of its stars.
At 24-years-old, Scott Carlin (Davidson) stills lives with his mom, Marge (Marisa Tomei, My Cousin Vinny ) an ER nurse, hangs out in the basement with his homeboys Oscar (Ricky Velez, The Night Show with Larry Wilmore ), Igor (Moises Arias, Nacho Libre ) and Ritchie (Lou Wilson, TV’s The Coop ) and smokes spliff after spliff.
His brand of comedy is squarely deadpan, with a splash of kid-friendly whimsy, but it owes less to the influence of Wes Anderson and more to Jared Hess, the underrated auteur behind Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre.
Edward (Kal Penn) has grown up in a Mexican monastery cribbed from Nacho Libre, the unfunny Jack Black comedy, and Peter (Adam Campbell) is a failed X-Man.