Napoleon Dynamite (2004) User Reviews

Napoleon Dynamite mayn't be to everybody's tastes, but personally I liked it

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 16 May 2010]

Napoleon Dynamite by all means is not a five-star masterpiece, and it mayn't be to everybody's tastes but I was surprised at how much I liked it, even with its problems. I can also say I do think there are much worse movies out there- Disaster Movie, Epic Movie, Home Alone 4, Cat in the Hat and Superbabies:Baby Geniuses 2 are much worse than this film.

What I did like about Napoleon Dynamite was that it was unique, funny, quirky and original. Where it is not quite so good is in the episodic story structure and some of the supporting characters particularly comic-book-geek older brother and the ageing jock uncle were disappointingly one-dimensional and could have been further explored in terms of depth.

Napoleon Dynamite does have a refreshingly distinctive time-warp look that recalls the style-challenged 1980s though, and that was refreshing in itself. The soundtrack is nice and nostalgic, and there are some genuinely laugh-out-loud funny moments. Also the ending is suitably uplifting and the limited horizons of young people in small-town America is nicely conveyed. The script is good and the direction is pretty solid.

As are the performances. Jon Heder is delightfully eccentric in the title role, and he is really entertaining throughout, whether it is in the voice, the facial expressions or his character's actions. Napoleon is a blank-faced teen with carrot-coloured hair and seriously underdeveloped interpersonal skills, and here he tries to help his nerd of a best friend Pedro, amusingly played by Efren Ramirez. In terms of other supporting performances, Aaron Ruell also does a good job as Kip and while his role wasn't as well-sketched as it could have been, Jonathan Gries does nicely as Uncle Rico.

Overall, not perfect, but amusing, quirky and unique. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Funny and unique!

[dfranzen70 · 7/10 · 30 December 2004]

Napoleon Dynamite (Jon Heder) is the typical sad-sack, luckless loser that has permeated high schools for seemingly centuries. He has no friends, he's picked on by bullies, he has a somewhat-odd home life ... but through it all, he's sure things will be just plain okay in the end.

Napoleon and his older brother Kip (Aaron Ruell) live with their grandmother, but at the beginning of the film she tells them she needs to take off for a couple days. Enter their Uncle Rico (Jon Gries), a self-starter who's living in 1982 (when the coach of his high school football team declined to put him in as quarterback, thus altering Rico's life forever). Some of the funniest scenes in the film involve Napoleon's often-combative relationship with Uncle Rico; Rico is also bound and determined to return to those halcyon days of his youth via a time machine he's seen advertised on the Internet, and he enlists Kip to help him raise the funds.

Napoleon befriends the new kid in school, Pedro (Efren Ramirez), who has a sweet bike, can talk to girls, and has an actual mustache. But like Napoleon, Pedro is a misfit. Both sometimes hang out with yet another taciturn student, Deb (Tina Majorino, all grown up from Waterworld), who secretly (it seems) likes Napoleon. But there isn't a lot of focus on their relationship, because Napoleon himself is fairly oblivious to how people perceive him. This isn't a story about young love or lust, it's a story about a misfit refusing to fit - while fitting in with others like him.

Jon Heder is perfectly cast as the gawky, dorky Napoleon; he resembles Butt-Head in countenance, although certainly not in temperament or intelligence. Mouth agape and with an awkward gait, Napoleon is about as odd a duck as you'd find in high school, and yet he still manages to survive with his dignity intact. He's a good egg, although he seems to overreact at times: "What are you gonna do today, Napoleon? Napoleon: Whatever I feel like I wanna do.....GOSH!" Still, his delivery is perfect. You can readily picture a Napoleon in any high school.

I think where the film ultimately succeeds, aside from the casting of Heder, is that it doesn't fall into the traps of predictability and stereotyping. Sure, it's a high school movie, and there are snobby pretty girls and arrogant jocks, but not much time is devoted to them. Sure, there's a big dance, but it doesn't necessarily turn out the way you'd expect it to. What you're left with, then, isn't a typical coming-of-age story, but rather a unique take on a rather mundane - albeit life-altering - time in a boy's life.

The Smartest Dumb Comedy Ever Made

[gavin6942 · 7/10 · 11 August 2010]

Napoleon Dynamite (yes, that's his real name) is an outcast student in Preston, Idaho. But he befriends some other outcasts and in their own strange way they may just make themselves known. There may not be a definite plot, but it would be something like that.

I am calling this film "the smartest dumb comedy ever made" because the humor is all really stupid -- one-liners, absurd events and situations... with characters that really are not your typical movie heroes. But it's clear the people behind the film are not dumb at all. There's a hidden gem in this film.

The problem may be that the smartness is not on the surface. The first time I saw the film, I thought it was lame. The second time, I loved it. The third time, loved it more. I showed it to a friend once, who disliked it, but I wonder if she tried it again... and saw the genius. (Some might argue that "Freddy Got Fingered" is similar... I'm not going to try that here.)

You either get it, or you don't.

[Amthermandes · 10/10 · 15 October 2022]

This is the epitome of quotable movies. It's random absurdity on a level only matched by the genius of Monty Python. What is it about? Honestly, nothing. Are there any morals to be learned? Not really. Is it relatable? Most likely, not in the slightest.

But damn if it isn't one of the most hysterical, comedic masterpieces of all time. This is what movies are all about, it's about something that brings people together. And when you get a Napoleon Dynamite fan, and introduce them to another fan, what you'll get is a back-and-forth barrage of quotes and laughs and bonding that could last for hours.

I personally have made a trek to Preston, Idaho where this movie was filmed, and visited all the locations in the film, including the park and the very spot where LaFawnduh played footsie with Kip. And even the locals get in on it. The way my group was dressed, there was no doubt we were fans of the movie, and we even had a local driving by and stop to give us a map of the filming locations. Many people honked at us. And we even visited the very Deseret Industries thrift store in which Napoleon famously bought his groovy mix tape and sai, and I kid you not, we found a plastic toy sai for sale. Naturally we bought it and I sheathed it in my belt loop. We are still in awe that it was even there to begin with, and we have a theory that they have a bag full of toy sais in the back, in order to keep at least one in stock on the shelves, for obvious reasons if you've seen the movie.

But all that is to show the affect this movie has on people. It has developed a massive cult following for a good reason. It's absolutely brilliant. Every scene generates genuine laughter. Every scene contains at least one classic quote that everybody uses when interacting in society. Every. Single. Scene. Is. GOLD. Except maybe the creepy scene with Uncle Rico in the photo shop. Other than that awkwardness, every scene is a comedic gold mine, and that is NO hyperbole.

This is a movie to be passionate about. And if you didn't get it, if you hated it, it's ok. It's not for everybody, for sure. Don't feel bad, don't feel like you're missing out. But if you haven't yet seen it, you are obligated now to find out which side of the severely polarized audience of the film you are on: Are you on the side that thought it was the stupidest thing you've ever watched, or are you voting for Pedro and part of the nunchuck-wielding fans who can quote practically the whole movie?

Regardless if you enjoyed it or not, unless you are in complete denial, you would have to admit the influence it had on society when it came out, and the power it still holds. Haters gonna hate, lovers gonna love.

TOO FUNNY!

[eht5y · 7 December 2004]

It seems based on many of the comments on this site that certain folks may be expecting a bit too much from a movie such as 'Napoleon Dynamite.'

This ain't art cinema, folks. It's absurdist comedy. Don't go to see this film looking for deep meaning or well-constructed plot--the vague semblance of a plot is as artificial as they come, and seems inserted mostly to give the film structure and to permit the audience a somewhat 'happy' ending.

NO, Napoleon Dynamite isn't about changing the world--it's live action 'South Park' (Preston, Idaho, where the film is set, actually bears a strong resemblance to the real South Park, Colorado). It's a highly ironic, self-mocking, merciless run of sight gags and one liners with no apparent purpose other than to get laughs at the expense of its main characters, especially the eponymous Napoleon, a fit stand-in for everyone who's ever felt like a socially inept outcast trapped in the hell of high school.

This movie isn't for everybody, but if you don't see glimpses of your own childhood in the various awkwardnesses and failures of the main characters, you're in denial. Don't see Napoleon Dynamite if you're expecting sensitivity--go see it if you're pissed off at the world and just need to laugh. I saw it for the first time last night, and I'm still busting into spontaneous laughter whenever one of Napoleon's silly one-liners or blank-faced dead-pan non-sequitirs comes to mind.

The real "Revenge of the Nerds"

[Buddy-51 · 7/10 · 31 December 2005]

Napoleon Dynamite is a king among nerds, a slack-jawed, mouth-breathing high school student who suffers the slings and arrows of perpetual ridicule, yet who gives as good as he gets when the treatment gets too rough. Luckily, Napoleon is far from alone in his nerddom. He has an older brother who wears buttoned-up short sleeve dress shirts and black-rimmed glasses, and whose social contact is limited mainly to people he meets in internet chat rooms. Napoleon's Uncle Rick is what might be called a "muscular nerd," a used-up, middle aged football player who dreams of his glory days in 1982 when he was just one play away from a career in the NFL and a life of fame and fortune, and who now spends his time hawking Tupperware products, selling miracle breast enhancement devices, and investing in time travel machines he finds in catalogues. Napoleon also befriends the school's newest nerd, a transfer student named Pedro, and tries to start up a romance with the shy and awkward Deb, who sheepishly goes door to door drumming up business for her studio that specializes in "glamour" photo shots for a decidedly unglamorous clientele.

Set in a small town in rural Idaho, "Napoleon Dynamite" is a quirky regional comedy that achieved phenomenal mainstream success at the American box office. Its appeal is in its low-keyed, understated look at a group of people that more of us probably identify with than we would like to acknowledge. This is a movie for anyone who has ever felt unattractive or unpopular, who just never quite "fit in" with the people who really counted, especially in those dark ages known as the "teen years." One can't help liking and rooting for these bizarre and eccentric individuals who are really just looking for the same love and acceptance that we all are.

Director Jared Hess, along with co-writer Jerusha Hess, never feels the need to exaggerate or overstate the comedy. It would have been easy for them to have turned this into another "Revenge of the Nerds," placing their characters in over-the-top predicaments and situations to appease audience expectations. Instead, they let the story develop subtly and gradually, making the film feel more attuned to real life in the process. It may seem like a contradiction in terms, but the writers achieve their humor through a kind of understated hyperbole that allows us to laugh with the characters rather than at them. These nerds may be nerds to the core, but they reflect the longings and doubts common to all of us at one time or another. As a result, "Napoleon Dynamite" is warm and humanistic where it could easily have been cruel and condescending.

The filmmakers are helped immeasurably by a wonderfully talented cast, all of whom play their parts perfectly. Joe Heder as Napoleon, Aaron Ruell as his brother, Kip, Efren Ramirez as Pedro, and Tina Majorino as Deb all deliver their lines in a flat, emotionless, singsong monotone that perfectly captures the defense mechanism each of them has set up as a shield against a brutal, uncomprehending world. Yet, Napoleon and his fellow nerds never settle for victim status, as each finds a way to assert his individuality and carve out a little piece of happiness for himself. As an actor, only Jon Gries as Napoleon's Uncle Rico gets to break through the somnambulist haze and go for the fences in his delivery.

"Napoleon Dynamite" is clearly not the kind of movie that every audience will appreciate, but those movie watchers with a taste for the offbeat and quirky will have a fun time with it.

Grandma called...she said you're ruining everyone's life...

[ArizWldcat · 7/10 · 3 July 2004]

I am so glad "Napoleon Dynamite" is out in theaters now--we couldn't get tickets at Sundance, and I wanted to see it then! I've read comments saying that the younger the audience, the more appreciative. Hmmm...I am 40 something, and I took my 16 and 9 year old daughters. There were people of ALL ages in the theater, and I heard many many people laughing their heads off. Maybe part of its appeal was that it's set in Southern Idaho, which might as well be Utah. (We live in Utah and are NOT part of the dominant religion here..but we've grown to love our neighbors!) Part of the film's charm for me was understanding the quirkiness of some people who live here. I've read comments from people who are confused about WHEN the film takes place...there's an old saying by those of us who live in Utah (and Idaho might as well be part of Utah) "Welcome to Utah, now set your clock back 10 years"...it indeed does take things a few years to make it up here to the sticks!! And the uncle who was stuck in '82 was SUCH a hoot! What a smarmy creep he was! There were so many laughs in this movie, I don't know which part I liked best. I've read reviews from people like Roger Ebert who say that we are laughing AT Napoleon, Deb, and Pedro because we feel superior to them, and therefore, that's why people enjoy this film. I disagree with that. I found Napoleon and his friends to be likable underneath their nerdiness, and I was rooting for them the whole time. I do believe there's a valid comparison of this movie with "Welcome to the Dollhouse". Funny, I don't remember the oh-so-intellectual reviewers having a problem with THAT movie having a supposed lack of storyline (For the record, I saw WTTD, and enjoyed it...but I thought THIS movie was actually better...it was more uplifting, while "Welcome to the Dollhouse" was rather dark and more than a bit sadistic.) And as far as that goes, I don't think this movie lacked a storyline, as the director allowed for good things to happen to Napoleon at the end of the film. I found it to be heartwarming. I'll agree that this isn't for everyone, but it was very funny and I think it deserves a look.

The greatest thing America has contributed to the world.

[mtcurtner · 10/10 · 4 August 2019]

Magnum Opus. Perfection. Sent by God to undeserved man.

"Napoleon Dynamite" Not Just A Comedy

[AW_McGOWAN · 6/10 · 27 November 2020]

Every time I watch "Napoleon Dynamite," I am struck by its humanity. For most of the film, everything feels inconsequential, even dumb. But come the final scene, I am reminded of the subtle, yet strong message at hand, and realize how deeply I've come to know the characters.

"Napoleon Dynamite" is about people that most of the world would call losers. The titular protagonist is a beyond-awkward high schooler with surreal aesthetics and interests. His pal Pedro is a quiet newcomer to the school with no friends. Brother Kip Dynamite is a grown man who still lives with his grandmother and searches the Internet for his soul mate. Even the antagonist, Uncle Rico, is an ambitious man crutched by aching nostalgia and a desire to find love.

The film follows these one-of-a-kind characters as their worlds collide in what seems to be the most boring part of Idaho. Filmed entirely on-location, it almost feels like director Jared Hess puts a magnifying glass on a fly-over part of the country, showing that people actually live in these remote areas and although their lives area little different, their hearts beat all the same.

Filmically, "Napoleon Dynamite" is a very simple piece of work. Its independent spirit is reminiscent of Kevin Smith's "Clerks" or Richard Linklater's "Slacker." The camera hardly ever moves and the editing remains functional throughout. Quite frankly, it's the kind of movie that any amateur filmmaker could put together.

Thus, what distinguishes "Napoleon Dynamite" is the script. Written by Jared and his wife Jerusha, the story is charmingly episodic, and the characters are unforgettable. Each on-screen person is utterly unique, and they offer some of the most quotable lines in comedy-movie history.

Jon Heder, of course, has the best one-liners. His performance as Napoleon is quite underrated, as he essentially created a new archetype here. It's hard to imagine being told to play Napoleon Dynamite before Napoleon Dynamite existed, but Heder nails it. I'm convinced that nobody else - not even the most accomplished thespian - could have done Napoleon better than Heder.

As seemingly pointless as "Napoleon Dynamite" can feel throughout, there is a quiet redemption for all the characters in the end, which leaves the audience feeling good. It demonstrates that even these painfully strange, lowest-brow figures can find happiness.

Honestly, I didn't understand this movie when I first watched it - I found the humor stupid and the story meaningless- but as I've become more versed in independent cinema, I've come to realize it as more than just a comedy. Every time I return to the film, I not only find it funnier, but I also find it more touching. Even if the awkward humor or flat storyline isn't for everyone, there is still something to be appreciated in "Napoleon Dynamite" - even if it's just the (undervalued) soundtrack.

you will either think it's genius or the worst movie ever made...

[tlcglitznglam · 1/10 · 13 February 2005]

This movie has become idolized on my college campus, and basically every other one across the country. You simply do not understand half the jokes people say unless you see the movie. I was shocked to find that the first time I watched it I already knew most of the lines just from hearing them being recited by my friends. So, I watched the movie expecting to be entertained. No. I've heard that if you're under 30 you will love this movie. Well, I'm 18 and hated it. I know that it's not a movie driven on plot or any sort of character depth, and that it's supposed to just be about humor. But ND wasn't in ANY WAY funny. The only point of my watching it is to now understand posters around campus and things people say. Other than that, it was a waste of time. Seriously... it's just awful. If you don't like stupid humor then ND is not for you. It goes beyond stupid humor even.... it's just stupid.

Why you stay home and eat of the chips Kip

[jaroddfinch · 7/10 · 2 May 2021]

I saw this movie when I was five and i didn't really get it at first but when I got older I started to get the jokes and the movie it's now really funny Jon header play a grumpy teenager and doesn't really care about anything if you like these type of movies you should watch this one it's really funny.

Definitely not for fossils like me

[racedowling · 3/10 · 13 March 2005]

My 25 year old daughter rented this during a family gathering. Out of 10 people who watched it 4 were under 30 and 7 were fossils (like me). Without exception the over 30 crowd thought it was the stupidest movie in recent memory. The under 30 crowd seemed to enjoy it, even though they all had already seen it. I'm giving this a 3 from my admittedly parochial view of a 50 year old.

Younger adults will probably like it, but the older crowd will sit in complete befuddlement as to what's going on and amazement as to how they've failed as parents in that their kids actually like this film.

My suggestion is that if you rent this, it would be more enjoyable for the parents to find "something else to do" while they're kids are mesmerized watching it.

nothing else like it

[jabruford · 10/10 · 14 June 2004]

This is by far one of the best movies I have ever seen. I had to drive 2 hours and pay $10 just to see it, but it was all worth it. The material in this movie was fresh, creative, original, and kept you laughing the whole time. You won't find another movie quite like it.

If you're still curious about it, there were only 40 or less people in the theater when I saw it, but if you were sitting in the front like I was you'd think that the theater was packed because of the crowd response. I've read some reviews that this movie doesn't go anywhere, but they're all full of crap. It does go somewhere, and ends strong. You have to give it to the director Jered Hess. No one makes their first movie this good. And all the actors (most of them having hardly any acting experience on film) did an incredible job. You can't top a movie like this. You'll regret it if you don't see Napoleon Dynamite

Awesome!

[rmonroe401 · 7 December 2004]

I have to say I was so intrigued by the mixed responses to this film on this board I had to see it. In my opinion it was the best movie I have seen in years. I am so tired of the typical BS Hollywood crap, and this movie was far from that. Napoleon was indeed dynamite! The first couple minutes I was kinda worried that the naysayers were right, but as the movie continued I couldn't stop laughing! And for those how think that it was wrong to exploit the nerds in society, you definitely missed the whole point of the movie. It wasn't exploited them, it was more celebrating them and their uniqueness. And as for being unrealistic, this movie was more realistic than any movie I have seen. That was part of what made it hilarious. Not doubt this will be a cult classic! GO NAPOLEON!

I give this film a 10 out of 10

You have to "get it" before you find it funny. And it is VERY funny.

[gawkman · 9/10 · 30 December 2004]

The love/hate reactions I've seen do not surprise me at all. This movie is very different, it's own style... and it is PURE GENIUS. But it's definitely not for everyone... you have to back off and understand the mood and general feel of the movie before you have the context to find the actions of the characters funny. Then you will "get it". And what is this context I'm referring to? This movie explores the very essence of boredom and mediocrity as you follow the daily life of a dorky guy doing uninteresting things in a small, unexciting town. Napolean's constant, open-mouth, blank stare says, "I'm only tolerating this monotonous existence because I've got nothing better to do." It took me about 15 minutes into the movie and then I GOT it. The movie has no real plot because it isn't about an interesting story, it's about the real life that exists BETWEEN the interesting stories. Ever call up your bud because you're bored, then talk about what you're not doing, then decide to get together and be bored together, and spend the remainder of the evening trying to think of something to do to no avail? This movie is about this very type of thing... a tribute to the ordinary every-day stuff that you have no reason or desire to remember... like eating reheated leftover Hamburger Helper, or that old shirt you wear when you're working that you're not afraid to get dirty, or some magazine you flipped through to pass the time in the dentist's waiting room.

I constantly found myself saying, "This all seems too strangely familiar. I knew a guy like that. I've done stuff like that. I've been to a store like that. I've been in a house like that." This isn't the kind of movie to make you suddenly laugh out loud, it's a movie that will first make you chuckle, and then chuckle some more, and pretty soon you can't stop laughing as scenes and characters continuously remind you about the absurdity of watching random, stupid pointlessness. Why would something boring be interesting to watch? You'll just have to see it to understand.

Brilliant comedy, definitely dynamite

[zingbot · 7/10 · 5 April 2006]

Going in to watch Napoleon Dynamite I must admit my expectations weren't high. It looked like a typical teen comedy which I would never normally watch, but interesting reviews pulled me in. What is so good about this film is that it is really funny without being cruel to the characters. Napoleon and his nerdy friends know they are geeks, but really don't seem to care, and they come out winning in the end against all odds. Watching Napoleon Dynamite you never quite know what stupid scene might come next, with great characters such as 1982 obsessed Uncle Rico, the scope for crazy sequences is endless. I have to admit crying with laughter, which is no easy feat for a film to achieve. I cannot recommend this comedy highly enough. If you enjoy absurd comedy such as Airplane or Police Squad (the series) you must watch this. It may not appeal to everyone, you need to just sit back and enjoy the stupidity. Don't expect any particular plot, stunts or special effects. This is a film to just turn off your brain and absorb. I can understand the negative reviews, if you were expecting an Adam Sandler type comedy you may be sadly disappointed. Actually if you expecting ANY sort of normal comedy you may be disappointed. Can't wait for Napoleon Dynamite 2!

Not Just Another Teen Nerd Story, This Is Both Original & Very Funny

[ccthemovieman-1 · 10/10 · 14 July 2007]

If you like dry or dark humor, you should get a big kick out of this movie. I know I did. If you are between 12-20 you might even like it more because this deals with high school kids primarily. However, there are some adults in here who play key roles, too.

The teens and the adults have a couple of things in common: they are nerds and weird people and they are all hilarious. They also are unlike a cast of characters you have seen in any other movie. In other words, this movie is an "original."

I didn't know any of these actors and I think that helped. It made it even more original, looking at new faces. That begins with the title character, played by Jon Heder. A white kid in Idaho with a afro haircut, over-sized glasses, moon boots and an unpredictable and low-key personality unlike anyone I've ever seen in other films. Even though he's pictured as a huge nerd, he surprises you all the time. Just when you think you have this kid figured out, he does something unexpected. Whatever, he's fun to watch and hear throughout the movie.

Suffice to say "Napoleon" and about everyone in this film is totally whacked and all of them - male, female, young, old, good and bad people are extremely entertaining. A lot of the humor is visual, meaning the looks and reactions on these character's faces and the weird deadpan lines they deliver. Are there stereotypes in here? Yes, like the bimbo, prettiest girl in school running for class president , and her stupid, macho boyfriend, but most of the people were pretty unique.

If you like absurd humor, this is your cup of tea, and you don't have to be a teen to enjoy this. Hey, I'm old enough to be Napoleon's grandfather and I laughed my butt off from the beginning to the end of this unconventional film.

One from the heart, I s'ppose

[tributarystu · 6/10 · 16 July 2005]

It's hard to be fair with movies as bizarre as this one. After the first twenty minutes I was convinced I had wasted some serious seconds of life, actually three hundred more than during the weekly football matches. I wouldn't want to say it was "lucky" that I went on with the film, because it was bound to happen one way or the other. Don't ask why. The great thing is, I was actually glad to do it. At least a bit...

So my problem is rather simple to pinpoint: in trying to portray the total loser "Napoleon Dynamite", the film is so borderline to the pathetic and the absurd that it nearly becomes unbearable. However, soon enough, a rather enjoyable character pops up - Uncle Rico - which simply pulsates with life and a certain "normality". What I believe struck me as pleasant was the fact that I could finally see a believable, somewhat traditional, character. Someone to whom I could relate the other guys, because they seemed so other-worldly.

Once Rico takes his place into the world, you can actually put the plot into some perspective. It all makes sense, although Napoleon, Pedro, Deb and the other terribly weird characters seem a bit exaggerated. Ultimately, there is something to get, which is really good and important. Everyone has his place in the world and no matter how strange you may seem, there's probably (definitely) someone for you...somewhere. Of course, chance was the appropriate people were around each other, which isn't necessarily valid for the real world, but even in such cases...you've got the wondrous internet, how amusing!

"Napoleon Dynamite" is, in a nutshell, a film about people who are different fitting into this "normal" world. And Napoleon is so great because he proves that everything is possible when there aren't any inhibitions, when you just do what your heart wants you to. That's a sweet way to see it and you can't look beyond the cheerful optimism. It's healthy to see joyful and honest films.

One of the Best of 2004

[evanston_dad · 9/10 · 1 September 2005]

Yes, for all the pomp and broo-hah-hah surrounding last year's "serious" films like "Million Dollar Baby," "The Aviator," "Ray" and "Finding Neverland," this little quirky comedy made its way on to my personal 10 best list when none of the aforementioned films did. It's small, personal and definitely not to everybody's tastes, but it's also hilarious and even rather touching. Overall, it really is just a goofy comedy with low aspirations, but there is a slightly sober tone underlying the goofiness, whether intended or not. This movie is for anyone who's ever felt the unfairness of being labeled a dork or nerd simply for being different, or having interests outside of the mainstream. Napoleon is weird, and his sullen manner doesn't win him any admirers (though it does provide the film with countless laughs), but there's something noble about his refusal to change himself to accommodate the whims of the popular, acceptable crowd. I loved this movie because all of the outcasts have happy endings on their own terms, but the film avoids any dopey life-affirming lessons.

But lest you think I'm taking the movie too seriously, let me repeat that it is first and foremost a silly, goofy, stupid comedy, and on those terms it's a classic.

Grade: A

Nerd. Outcast. Social retard. HERO.

[Derek237 · 7/10 · 9 October 2005]

Last night I tuned into Saturday Night Live and noticed that John Heder was the host. I thought, why the hell is he hosting? I doubt it had much to do with his role in Just Like Heaven, but obviously because of the huge popularity he's gained through the role of Napoleon Dynamite. Everyone knows Napoleon Dynamite. You can't even call it a cult film anymore, it's made its way into the mainstream- with those VOTE FOR PEDRO shirts popping up everywhere, fans quoting the film left and right, and now John Heder's appearance on SNL. I honestly don't know if Heder would be able to live down this role. It seems like he's become a one-hit-wonder. He did one Napoleon impression throughout the entire show and the audience went nuts. Too nuts. For his good, at least.

But here I am talking about John Heder when I should be talking about the actual movie. I liked it. Was it the greatest, most original indie creation ever to grace the screen? No, but it certainly was amusing. Memorable characters and lines...not much of a plot, but it's not about plot, altogether an oddball film with some good laughs. Everyone seems to love the title character, they find him...interesting in some way. He is interesting alright, but I don't think I'd want to be this guy's friend. Maybe that's the point. Either way, Napoleon Dynamite is now a widely recognized character in our pop culture.

I don't know if this movie tries to make any statement about anything, but I guess it doesn't matter. Maybe it's just that Idaho sucks. That's the impression I got.

My rating: 7/10

A boring movie about boring people with boring lives

[indy42 · 3/10 · 8 April 2006]

When you have a movie about boring people with boring lives, the movie is going to be boring. Napolean Dynamite (Joe Heder) is stumbling through life, a geek who's only friend is a new student named Pedro. The movie has a few little plots, but no real plot. Pedro decides to run for president, but even in that he just mumbles through a speech and has Napolean do a dance. It has a few amusing moments but really it made me almost fall asleep. It's a movie you can borrow from a friend if you really feel the need. Joe Heder is pretty good I guess as Napolean, who's part is so dull you can't tell if he's doing a good job or not.

Overall: 3/10.

Not Realistic?

[death2steelers · 10/10 · 27 January 2005]

This movie is quite possibly the funniest movie ever. It doesn't have much of a storyline, but in this case, it doesn't matter. I keep reading reviews that say it isn't believable. Anyone who has attended High School in the last 10 years knows that this movie portrays exactly what it is like. Who doesn't know someone exactly like Napoleon? Or Pedro? Or Summer? Or Deb? Or Don? There are Napoleons, Pedros, Summers, Debs, and Dons in EVERY American High School. One of the funniest parts about this movie is that it IS so accurate. And who hasn't run across an internet geek like Kip? This movie is filled with jokes about our culture today. I haven't met one person yet who has seen it and not liked it. Talk about a cult classic in the making. The film uses witty humor, and a little goofy humor. It's the PERFECT film for light comedy. If you're into those kind of films that make you think a lot, this one definitely isn't for you. On the other hand, if you laugh at things like Napoleon getting psyched for a milk-testing contest, or lying about hunting wolverines in Alaska, exaggerating about his bow staff skills or his brother bragging about chatting online with "babes" all day, you can't go wrong. (10/10)

Who would have thought that a movie with no real plot could be so good...

[SarahM42 · 15 December 2004]

OK, I have seen a lot of negative reviews on this movie. It made me leery of even seeing it. I work at a video store so I get to see movies before their street release date. There were a few naysayers at work, but I rented it anyway. This was a rental well spent. This is the first movie I have seen in some time that doesn't have swear words or sex in any form so it is OK for any age. If you are or ever were just a little bit geeky, Napoleon is the hero for you. This movie is much funnier to a gen-x'er. There are a lot of things that you won't "get" if you weren't a part of the 80's. All in all, I think that it is a great way to spend an evening. I am looking forward to seeing more from this writer/director.

You'll either like it or hate it, I liked it- it's an original and satirical comedy about small town outcasts

[Quinoa1984 · 7/10 · 7 July 2004]

Like Wes Anderson, co-writer and director Jared Hess has created his own little world (if it's based on a true story I can't tell, but some little details feel like they're truer than expected), and with a lead character with the title's name. Played with a down-beat, almost dead-pan style by Jon Heder (who, if he plays his cards right, could be a fine character actor), Dynamite's a character that definitely won't appeal to everyone, which is why I can't recommend the film as much as I would like to. Unlike Wes Anderson, the humor in the film isn't so subtle, and many of the characters aren't the kind you'd want to run into on a daily basis. But in Napoleon, and with those he's friends with (a funny Mexican immigrant named Pedro, a shy girl named Deb, and his brother Kip who has a internet dating crush), is an attitude and existence that's a great change of pace from the stretch of teen comedies where the main characters are all perfect looking and the lessor ones (the main characters in this film, even the supporting characters Uncle Rico and Rex) are given minute, in-consequential parts. And, for much of it, there's a lot of laughs.

But the laughs don't necessarily come from Napoleon being someone to laugh at (laughing down on), though Hess and co-writer Hess give him some good lines and mannerisms. It's in the other people he knows, and how it's a sort of satire on small-town life. A challenge, it could be said, to like Napoleon, but when other characters turn out to be far more ridiculous than him, he's a worthy protagonist. When his Uncle Rico soon turns out to show himself as a sort of antagonist, it's comfortable to laugh at him. Or with Rex-Kwan Do (with the appropriately goofy Diedrich Bader), this is a scene with some juvenile humor, yet the humor doesn't pit to one part of the audience over another. A film like Napoleon Dynamite owes as much to (though, in my view, is a better than) Revenge of the Nerds, it also is in the vein of a film like Angus, where the ones who are always pushed to the side and made to feel little by the popular ones have their day. And, as a nice little touch, some of the scenes have a very sweet feeling to them (when Napoleon dances, not just in his brilliant climax at the auditorium, but with Deb at the school dance).

Though I would usually advise against this, I suggest that if you've heard about this film and don't know whether or not to see it, watch the trailer. It doesn't spoil the better parts of the film, and once you're done with it you'll know if Napoleon Dynamite is the cult comedy film you've been waiting for this year, or if it's a piece of s***. A-

Very Funny...

[eskimosound · 10/10 · 8 December 2019]

Not sure how to describe this movie, it's beautifully shot, Napoleon is just funny, he's funny to look at, he's funny the way he acts and speaks and everyone around him is odd and funny too... The movie has a definite look to it from the wonderful opening credits to the long lingering shots... It's a must watch.