Napoleon Dynamite

reviewed by Dave

As Napoleon Dynamite’s cult following grows exponentially (thanks to its recent release on DVD), I decided it was time to finally get around to seeing what all the fuss was about. Overall, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. I’ve become convinced the film is more fun to talk about and quote from than it was to actually watch.

I don’t mind minimal plots (Swingers is one of my favorite movies), but you should know going in that very little happens in Napoleon Dynamite. The title character pretty much hangs out in his small town in Idaho, goes to school, makes a couple new friends, and deals with his odd brother and uncle. If you’re the kind that demands an intricate story, this isn’t going to be your thing.

What’s left, then, almost feels like a string of short sketch comedy scenes. Napoleon befriends a new kid with a sweet bike. Napoleon feeds the family llama. Napoleon tests out a time machine his brother Kip and Uncle Rico ordered online. Napoleon plays tetherball.

Some of these little sketches fall flat (and much of the filler between them is forgettable) but the ones that do succeed are laugh-out-loud funny. If you’re wondering how a low-budget flick like Napoleon Dynamite achieved cult status, look no further than the string of short, funny scenes combined with a highly quotable script.

Much of the humor is based on Napoleon’s odd, deadpan delivery. The guy is a geek, and as he draws mythical creatures in his notebook and gives a current event on the Loch Ness Monster (one of the film’s highlights), you can’t help but think that some of his geekiness is intentional.

But the characters do manage to break out of their two-dimensional molds. They become people who you might know. The geek. The brother who changes his image for a girl. The quiet girl. The schemer trying to relive his glory days. The llama with a heart of gold.

Okay, I made up the last one.

Napoleon Dynamite isn’t perfect. Most notably, I think tighter editing could have trimmed out an unnecessary 10-15 minutes and the shorter run time would have worked better. But Napoleon Dynamite is actually pretty solid, even if there are moments that feel like rejected footage from a Wes Anderson film.

When I was in college, So I Married An Axe Murderer was the cult flick everyone quoted. It’s easy enough to see how Napoleon Dynamite is that film for the next generation.

What Works: The time machine, Napoleon's current event, lots of little small scenes and gags play out with hilarious results.

What Doesn’t: Some scenes, however, do fall flat. And while the pacing is intentionally slow, sometimes it's too slow.

Favorite Quote from Napoleon Dynamite: "Tina, come get some ham!"