Napoleon Dynamite tells the story of a young, teenage boy going through his high school troubles in an Idaho, early 2000s setting. Napoleon Dynamite, the protagonist, is awkward and struggles to make friends easily. When Pedro Sanchez transfers to the local high school, Napoleon is extremely excited to prove his friendship although what you see on his face is disconcerting, with a trembling lip and undisturbed eyes.
Other characters include Kip Dynamite, Napoleon’s older but not-so-wise brother; Deb, the embarrassed and shy, quirky friend of Napoleon and Pedro, who can’t help herself to a good photo shoot; and Uncle Rico, the uncle to both Kip and Napoleon who has taken the responsibility of caring for them while their grandma stays in the hospital from a suspicious injury concerning a girls trip to the desert.
Though this film can be discussed with many different critiques aside, it does encompass the uncomfortable side of teenagehood like growing up without a mentor, or even just not knowing what to say to your crush. Napoleon Dynamite takes us back to a time with limited technology and realistic self-expression through the art of pinatas and friendship bracelets.
The aesthetic of this movie sticks to the period of the early 2000s when it was filmed. It centers around the difficult high school years of teenagers, especially outsiders in small towns. Napoleon Dynamite looks like how you would picture every geeky teenager, dressed to the nines with large chunky glasses and buck teeth along with a hilarious perm. Although his character is visually abnormal to the current look of a teenager, it still applies to us as high schoolers slowly finding our place and purpose in the world. We have our ups and downs. We make mistakes. We build friendships. We are living through the most uneasy and embarrassing parts of our lives and the movie showcases this realistically.
If you say you watched the whole movie with a straight face, you are lying. There are many moments throughout Napoleon Dynamite that will force you to laugh out loud and wince too frequently. One moment you will never forget is when Napoleon first met Deb. In this clip we learn she has been traveling from door to door trying to sell her homemade craft projects when she came upon Napoleon’s house. He answers the door with a lack of facial empathy as she tries to sell her crafts. She stumbles on her words as she is nervous to talk to him until she ends up shoving her supplies in Napoleon's hands and running away, leaving all of her merchandise behind at his door. He is left confused and with the unwanted products.
Another moment is when Napoleon gets his first job harvesting eggs. In this clip, it is shown that when lunchtime rolled around all that was provided was sandwiches covered in flies, hard-boiled eggs, and a tub of yolk to hydrate the workers. An old man, one of the bosses, took a swig and sighed at how refreshing it was. Napoleon then tried it and gagged leaving a lasting face of disbelief. He ended up just enjoying his fly-covered sandwich with nothing to wash it down with. These sequences are just two examples of uncomfortable moments that create a sense of laughter but also sympathy for the strange life Napoleon is leading. His anxious demeanor is something people can laugh along with as well as reminisce or relate to, him and his unreliably random habits.
One of the multiple aspects of this film that creates tension and uncomfortable feelings between the viewer and the screen is the camera lens. A specific example of this is Napoleon Dynamite opening titles. Simply put, it includes objects placed across a background with the names of people who worked on the film printed on them. Some include a matchbox, lip balm, and a very saucy, greasy steak. These items capture the aesthetic of an average, awkward high school student. A disgusting lunch placed in our faces is something that is not a comfortable image, and may produce words like “squelch” or “sticky.” Not only are the opening credits a great introduction to the movie and the specific camera angles they use but throughout the film we are continuously shown such awkward angles. For example, one of the first shots of Napoleon is him standing in front of his house, but like how the movie feels, he is not aligned in the center, creating an awkward stance and presence, something noticeable for the viewer to identify.
The relatability of the film stands out to many fans which includes the uncomfortable dialogue. Even with the interactions being portrayed as almost strange and unnatural, the dialogue feels honest. The script in particular is what makes the movie so unpleasant but relatable as well. It creates a sense of revision, where you can reflect on your youth and all those awkward moments that came with it. As well as those embarrassing pieces of dialogue, we also receive iconic lines spoken by all lovers of the film, such as “Whatever I feel like I wanna do. Gosh!” and “Vote for Pedro.”
Napoleon Dynamite has the attributes of a good film, is reliably funny, and tells a universal story, yet some people do not gravitate towards this independently made movie. After previously being a short film, and really only receiving recognition after being picked up by the Sundance Film Festival, the movie became popular and resonated with many current or childhood small-town residents. It is still beloved as a film of awkwardness with representation to Generation X, as well as millennial and Gen Z generations. Napoleon Dynamite, like many cult films, built a community full of hilarious one-liners and a fanbase that will live on always and forever.
If you want more about the delightful film Napoleon Dynamite, click on this link for more helpful information about how it was made! Napoleon Dynamite | The Making Of An Indie Blockbuster
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