What's it all About? Jack Black is a monk at a Mexican orphanage (this is already pretty funny) that cooks naff lunches and dreams of being a wrestler. He gets his chance and uses the money he earns from wrestling (always losing in a rubbish tag team with a really skinny nerd) to buy better dinners for the orphans.
Best bits? This film tickled me JUST RIGHT! I think Jack Black is bloody funny, and there are so many good bits where, even though basically the joke is always "he looks silly being a chubby man doing this!", he plays it so well, it really landed a People's Elbow of fun right on me. His first wrestling match is a Suplex of guffaws! The positions he uses to show off his new snazzy clothes to impress the beautiful nun is a real Tombstone Piledriver of giggles! Every time you see him in his wrestling gear, it's a twice-off-the-ropes-ducking-under-your-opponent's-clothesline-to-spin-him-round-and-boston-crab-him-for-the-three-count of real laughter!
Did it make you think thoughts? Not very serious ones! But this film goes to some STRANGE places! When they go to a party in the middle, there's a fat girl who uses giant mouse tunnels to get around her house quickly... And the skinny guy can be pretty strange too. It does seem to be "isn't it funny, they're fat" which Jack Black plays great, and is really awesomely funny with it, but isn't that the last acceptable prejudice?! Also, big Hollywood ending was obviously unavoidable but still, as he screamed "We did it" to the nun from the ring (I'm not spoiling this for anyone), I thought "This is pay off for a struggle that didn't really happen..."
Would you watch it again? It's stupid, and not perfect, but I'm sure I'll be watching it a few times.
Rating (out of 100%): Now.... I'm surprised I'm giving it more than the Rum Diary, but for what it does, I think it does it well, and you wouldn't want for much more! 70%
