User reviews

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

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.

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.

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.)

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.

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.

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!

I find it hard to believe that I have now seen this movie twice but sure enough I have. This film is so incredibly dry and deadpan that it's not like watching a comedy but more like being stuck in the little backwater western town it takes place in with the dysfunctional family it follows and having to incredulously observe the day to day events of your time spent there. It's been my observation that most small rural towns across Amercia are at least five years behind the times but this film takes that to the extreme and makes this rural Idaho town about 20 years behind the times except for some technological advances like the internet but basically and culturally it's 1984 despite the calender insisting on 2004. Napoleon Dynamite (Jon Heder) is your classic high school nerd who lives with even nerdier internet surfing 32 year old brother Kip (Aaron Ruell). They live with their dune buggy riding, would-be llama ranching grandmother (Sandy Martin). In her absence the brothers well-being are overseen by their 40 year old ex-jock uncle Rico (Jon Gries) who hasn't even caught up to the town and lives in a world about 22 years behind the times instead of 20. A new student from Mexico named Pedro Sanchez (Efren Ramirez) is enrolled in the school and proves to be even more nerdier but slight less quirky than Napoleon. Pedro is smitten by the class beauty with the name of amber waves of grain, Summer Wheatly (Haylie Duff) and Napoleon organizes a campaign to elect Pedro as class president with the help of Napoleon's romantic interest Deb (Tina Majorino). Filmmaker Jared Hess had made a short film at BYU called Peluca which starred Heder as a nerd and was set in Hess's hometown of Preston, Idaho. That quirky nine minute film received enough attention that Hess and his wife Jerusha wrote a feature-length screenplay that Hess would direct to become this film. This film may have worked better as say a 24 minute short film, but it works OK enough for me. The MTV crowd embraced it as the winner of Best Movie, Best Musical Performance, (for a dance scene) and Breakthrough Male for Heder's performance as Napoleon Dynamite. But don't let that deter you from seeing it. It has the element of being a cult classic and I will likely someday see it for a third time. I would give it a 7.0 out of 10.

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

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-

"Napoleon Dynamite" is a tour-de-force of comedic entertainment! Napoleon has conquered moviegoers across the nation by gaining 34 million box office dollars. This is another one of those independent film success stories of profit heaven. The film did cost around the $300,000 mark to produce and again did make over 34 million dollars. You do the math! "Napoleon Dynamite" is one of those idiosyncratic cinematic gems that most probably will have an undying cult following (actually, it already has!). "Napoleon Dynamite" definitely does have dynamic unforgettable characters. Let's start with the Napster himself! Napoleon is a high school geek who is assertive enough to respond confidently to peers who bully him. That is no bull! His catchphrases, mannerisms, temperament, and nuances are unforgettable. Jon Heder's work as Napoleon was "kid dynamite". Heder is headed on the right thespian direction. Once upon a time in Mexico & then Idaho there was a teenager named Pedro. He is Napoleon's Mejicano compadre. He is also the new chamaquito who decides to run for class president. Efren Ramirez's performance as Pedro was phenomenal enough for me to "Vote for Pedro" as one of the best supporting acting efforts by a young actor in 2004. Then there's Uncle Rico wonderfully portrayed by Jon Gries. He moves into the dynamite household as a caretaker because Grandma Dynamite did not have such a dynamite time ATC riding when she fell and severely injured herself. Rico is enriched with character flaws that are a comedic delight. He is still mentally living back in 1982 when he was a high school quarterback, he quenches for steaks, and works as a door-to-door salesman. He is no "Rico Suave" when it comes to professionalism & safeguarding but he is most definitely a scene-stealer. This steak lover grades an "A 1 A" when it comes to the Comedia Arts. We cannot forget "Kip Dynamite", Napoleon's brother. Kip is the computer chat line addicto who logs in quite hilariously. Aaron Ruell as Kip does quite well with a top-notch performance. He even proves that he is not a "Kip of the old block". Writer-Director Jared Hess pumps enough creative Hess gas to create a brisk classic cult film that is quite simply the funniest film of the year. ***** Excellent

I caught you a delicious bass. Great film, hilarious throughout

Comedy, like sex, loses all upon explication. Why is Napoleon Dynamite funny or not? is not a question that I will not attempt to answer. You either "get it" or you don't, and there's definitely no shame in finding this film entirely banal.

The plot follows a simple and familiar structure: awkward teen experiences trouble at home and at school - awkward teen develops a friend with a fellow awkward teen - awkward teen meets awkward girl - awkward teen... and so on until the awkward teen is somehow "redeemed".

(Somewhat tangentially, I wonder what this film would be like if it was put into the hands of Todd Solondz. I imagine we'd have quite a devastating film, similar to "Welcome to the Dollhouse"...)

Perhaps it would be helpful to describe the type of humour that is found in Napolean. I find the humour to be similar to that found in "Waiting for Guffman", or "Best in Show", but somehow less gleeful (and certainly not in the same class). It relies on the viewer to appreciate social norms and the inherent "humour" in witnessing these norms being breached by the characters in the film.

I don't think much more can be said about this film that is objective. Personally, I found it hilarious, while at the same time I recognized that as a film it is pretty loosely assembled.

7/10. Recommended.

For the longest time, I refused to see Napoleon Dynamite because I did not want to get caught up in the buzz of a movie at the same time as crazed fans of the low-budget film. Eventually, I had to give in to my slight curiosity.

When I finally did see it, I was pleasantly surprised. It was very funny and down-to-earth. It showed the high school experience in a PG version from the perspective of the lowest people on the popularity scale- the geeks. I professed myself a geek until I saw Napoleon Dynamite and realized how not geeky I truly was.

This movie appeals to all types of people and for different reasons. Sometimes, such as in my case, you find a character who is geekier then you are, which boosts your self-esteem up a notch. Maybe, in Napoleon Dynamite, you were able to find a character you can identify with. Or maybe, as in the case of most of America who saw this movie, you found it comedic and original. Whatever your opinion of Napoleon Dynamite, it has undeniably become one of the biggest hits of 2004. Napoleon Dynamite is the little indie that could. It was made for about $400, 000 and it grossed $43.1 million at the box office. This movie has also spawned catchphrases such as "Whatever I want to do, Gosh!" Bottom line: It's a pretty good quirky comedy that focuses on the importance of friendship. I encourage those who have not seen it to see it and form their own opinion.

After hearing about Napolean Dynamite over the years I decided it was time I checked it out for myself. I seem to be one of those few people who neither loves it or hates it, but instead, I just kind of like it. The directors do a fine job of creating this deadpan kind of humour and maintain it throughout. Heder does a great job of getting those certain nerdy guy mannerisms down just right. All of the other characters are mostly along the same spectrum of quirkiness. I really liked the visual landscape the director, sets, and wardrobe people wove together, it's not only visually interesting but kind of beautiful. One central weakness for me was that most of the characters didn't experience any developmental growth or arc. Napolean's brothers character really suffers from this as he is visually transformed but this transformation is in no way supported developmentally. Nevertheless, I did enjoy spending this time with Napolean Dynamite.

Interesting to see weird characters of deep America and social integration problems. Happily surprised to see the dance on one of my favorite songs!

Talk about unusual leading men! Here is a film whose lead character owns a pet llama, who stashes warm Tater-Tots in his pants for future snacks, who lives in rural Idaho with his equally dorky older brother and cycle-loving grandma, and who passes his time drawing pictures of ligers and unicorns. An open-mouthed breather who resembles a curly-headed fish, he is Napoleon Dynamite, in the 2004 comedy of the same name; one of the quirkiest, oddest and funniest films to appear on the indie scene in years. Despite its no-name cast, this is a picture that manages to charm by dint of its oddball characters, offbeat style, deadpan humor and unusual soundtrack. During the course of the film, we meet Napoleon's Uncle Rico, a frustrated jock and online time-machine purchaser, and see how Nappy assists his best (only?) friend Pedro in his bid to be school president. The picture is consistently interesting, always unpredictable, and even features a surprising "skit" by Napoleon toward the end; I guarantee you won't see THIS one coming! In the lead role, Jon Heder is just perfect as the decidedly deadpan dork Napoleon; it's as if he was born to play this role. But then again, all the film's characters have been meticulously cast, down to the smallest bit parts, and all are memorable. The picture really is a bona fide winner, and surely a future "cult item." Oh...when you do watch this film, be sure to stick it through the closing credits. You wouldn't want to miss the very satisfying coda that comes after them, would you?

Napolean Dynamite, what a shocker. This movie is alright and not as great as many fans think. I mean its kinda weird and some of the jokes really fall flat. I rated this film 7 out of 10 because this film owns a taste of little town living, as a geek. The true hilarious moments of life included, this film tells about 3 true friends, and how unique there relationship is. Jon Heder's best performance in a film yet. A funny feature to the film is the 70's style clothes and equipment. Although the movie was supposed to be a small cheesy film, i don't even think they expected it to hit the big screen. This movie is highly overrated, its not the greatest or the worst, its decent in that some what sippin' way. And Jon Heder is in at least 4 more films right after this film was made, and i haven't seen his reputation change since the film. You should rent the movie and watch it, and as i have seen in the past, many will like it and many ill hate it

When a filmmaker uses the backdrop of high school, it's clear as to what he's after; going for broad appeal, rather than depth. After all, 90% of us will agree that we hated the four years we put in just as much as Hess did. And it's easy to map the shortcuts to film with shallow stereotypical characters. Music, clothes, hair...shortcuts in time we can all take back to a collective experience.

This plainly borrows from "Revenge of the Nerds", with only a modicum of the schmaltzy sentiment. The local Idaho bumpkins suggest 'Raising Arizona'. And the central idea of using 'performance' to transform the geek is entirely in line with such period stuff as "Can't Buy Me Love", or just about anything by John Hughes.

Yes, this is funny, but I can't pronounce it a great -movie-. What's missing is the layer of a 'performance' between us and the movie reality; something so well exploited in, say, "Better Off Dead". That movie was so goshdarn funny because of the multiple dissonant perspectives. Here, Napoleon's movie 'reality' is treated as one objective reality; it just happens to be full of hyperbole and exaggeration.

The old Monty Python Flying Circus television show is a model of brilliance and frustration: hilarious skits about anything and everything, always ending before the skit came to its natural end. Sure, the punchline was delivered and just about everything funny about the subject had been performed, however, I always felt cheated by a quick cut, the line "And now for something completely different," and then a new sketch would begin. I bring this up because the opening parts of Napoleon Dynamite reminded me of Flying Circus and their painfully unfinished sketches. There is humor still in these opening scenes, waiting to be mined, but instead, we are whipped ahead to the next scene, going through the same process again. Take, for instance, the scene where Napoleon (Jon Heder) first meets a Mexican immigrant, Pedro (Efren Ramirez), at his first day of school. Napoleon is impressed by Pedro's bike, leading to the two new friends to try "sick" tricks with the bike. Pedro leaps off a ramp and gets "like 3 feet of air, or something" (in actuality, it was about 3 inches, but Napoleon was duly impressed), then Napoleon crashes and burns trying to do the same thing. Suddenly, we've moved on to the next scene in their lives. I would have preferred just a bit more of that scene. If just felt like we moved on before the joke was over. Maybe I'm nitpicking. Or maybe my disappointment is in the fact that there was plenty of potential comedy here to find, and only a fraction of it comes through the film. The movie itself is harmless, occasionally hilarious (the scene where the farmer shoots a cow got the biggest laugh from me), and potentially insightful into the high school community. I'm not really sure what the final analysis was of high school (was it a good thing that Napoleon finally found acceptance from his peers by doing a dance that is supposed to make the movie audience laugh at him?), but the movie does show the outcasts in school and how they go through life. The best performance in the film is by Tina Majorino, who plays the shy and plain Deb. She does a great job of playing a reserved and awkward high school coed who does of feelings for one of the movie's characters. Her emotions come through the picture easily. The motives and feelings of the other characters are sometimes harder to figure. The Uncle Rico (Jon Gries) and Kip (Aaron Ruell) characters are more problematic. Uncle Rico is living in the past, and Kip is living online. They both are socially awkward, more so than even Napoleon, yet at the end of the film, they kind of get what they want, even if it means forgetting where they came from. This movie shows life in Idaho and has its roots in followers of the Morman Church, and is perfectly safe for families to watch, though Kip's online conversations would be more than PG if we could only look at that computer screen. Or if your family is a fan of cows, as there's a whole lot of steak in this film.

As a great fan of Jamiroquai, I watched it for only purpose - to see the dance sequence. I say it to point - I had no bias, on one ever told me anything of it.

And I say - bitter it is.

Though I never was that kind of nerd, I'm a loner. And in some cultures it is a norm - as I see, in Japanese it is, but both in US and in Russia it's a curse. So I see the whole picture as a tale of loneliness - maybe less talented, shocking and plot-driven as American Beauty, but same medically accurate. Main mass of the reviews are polar - or they call the ND Funny-to-hysteria, or boring. Probably as partially 'nerd', I feel deep compassion towards Napoleon. I can't laugh, since I've had both experiences - being outcast and being "the cool guy", but for the same reason it's impossible to be intact. Disturbing, moving your deepest soul strings - of a shame, anger and pride, that's what it was to me. Now, I can't understand, was it intentionally or not, but as I get it reviews differ because it shows reality, not one's point of view. Maybe that's the reason why there's no noticeable plot, which is major flaw to me. Also, the ending is amorphous, I see no 'happyend' for such a hero. He's or sacrificing something inside, or remain rejected, both painful - and I could't see clearly, what THE ending meant. And such manner of storytelling, realistic to absurd, doesn't go well with open endings.

Note: I watched the original version, not the extended one.

Also, Russian literature, which is native to me has a long tradition of mixing sad and funny. Maybe this helps seeing different sides.

As for recommendation, well, IMHO, if you never suffered from school society - you will laugh. Opposite also correct. But that has no connection to liking - if you had any experience, except being one in the crowd. Without understanding and compassion - which is easy even through phlegmatic, vacant-like stare of Napoleon, this is a waste of time. And this movie needs some concentration to get involved. So - this is not something to relax with. Don't make such a mistake. Oh, BTW, seems a really authentic mid-of-nowhere-late-80s picture. That also is a positive to me - since authors did it properly.

Worth watching twice.

I have no idea why I liked this film, but I really liked it. Absolutely nobody in the film is shown in a positive light. Everyone is a loser, a geek, a nerd, weak, pathetic, brainless, shallow, charmless or just plain out there. But starting from such a low level of expectation, these hopeless characters are able to shine. That's the bizarre thing about it - in a world where every person is pathetic, it only takes a tiny thing to redeem each character.

Napoleon's mind is buzzing with superheroes, ninja warriors, knights, mythical beasts, and yet his boring life couldn't be further from his ideals. As he confesses, "I have no skills" and he's right. He and his friends don't even know how to talk to each other - they look at each other sideways, body language screaming "run away!" and sentences short, clipped and painful. This is what it's like to be the loser, the bottom of the food chain.

Yet this is a film about triumph against adversity, the victorious underdog - a great Hollywood tradition, but turned on its head. No great hero emerges, there's no rallying cry of "we can do this if only we work as a team", there's no "love conquers all" just inept people bungling their way through. So is it worth watching? Well yes.

If you have a taste for the absurd, the surreal, for subtle and quite dark humour, you'll like it. There are a few laugh out loud moments, like the time machine Kip buys on the internet, Napoleon taking Pedro's bike off a "sweet jump", Kip testing the plastic bowl, Kip at the self- defence class. But the charm of this film is its slow pace, oddball characters and disjointed dialogues. The actors are amazing, totally convincing in their deadpan deliveries. It's peculiar and different but I think I like it.