Written by Jared Hess and Jerusha Hess
Directed by Jared Hess

Films set in high school years generally fall into one of two categories. They either depict the partying life of those ever-so-popular or have the outsiders who try to crack it treated with disdain. The other side of the coin shows the outsiders as having a rough time of it in high school, but in the end their lives are actually a whole lot better than those whom seem to be elevated to star status in high school.

In Napoleon Dynamite, it’s a bit more of the latter. It’s not a movie with a moral, a la The Breakfast Club. It’s not about those on the fringe upstaging the cool kids, a la Revenge of the Nerds. The lead character, actually named Napoleon, is portrayed by Jon Heder, who’s coiffed his brilliant red hair into an out-of-control afro and stands a gangly head above most of his schoolmates. Top it off with thick glasses and some gross behavior, and you have nerd central.

Napoleon is a nerd living in rural Idaho. He’s a typical nerd in school, and he experiences what amounts to the usual agonies nerds in movies seem subjected to. He lives with his grandmother, uncle and brother (portrayed by Sandy Martin, Jon Geies, and Aaron Ruell), all who seem to be super-nerds themselves. In addition, he seems to want to prove himself to his peers, bragging about his summer in Alaska with an uncle.

Enter Pedro (portrayed by Efren Ramirez). He’s a kid from Mexico who transfers in. Despite their different worlds, the two seem to share a bond and become fast friends. In addition, Napoleon meets Deb (portrayed by Tina Majorino), a shy girl with a gift for creativity behind the camera.

Napoleon seems content with his niche in life, although there are the external pressures and conflicts he could do without. He seems to enjoy his time in the Happy Hands Club, which is open to a lot of suggestive interpretations. He doesn’t want to be cool; he doesn’t strive to be cool; he’s not the Anthony Michael Hall character from 80s teen movies.

There’s no heavy-duty point or moral message to Napoleon Dynamite. It’s more of a slice of Napoleon’s life as he’s attempting to find direction and find himself. He’s starting to reject where he came from as being all there is, but at the same time, struggles to strike out on his own. It’s only when he finds the solace of two friends who seem to be as unsure of themselves as he is that things seem to be changing for him.

The friendships aren’t conventional either. Pedro and Napoleon would seem like an unlikely pair, but they seem to gravitate together because they are there and treat each other better than others do. Sometimes in life, that’s enough.

Living in a small town now myself, I see a lot of the same things in Napoleon Dynamite that I would not have gotten living in suburbia, or I wouldn’t have regarded it in the same light I do now. High school was hard enough, but at least there were towns within driving or walking distance where one could escape the pigeon-holes or labels thrust upon the unwilling. That isn’t the case in a small town. Something happens and everyone knows about it – forever. Even if you go to the next town, chances are people here have relatives there, and word spreads fast. The only way to escape is to, well, escape to somewhere far away.

Writers Jared and Jerusha Hess build on this in the movie. For Napoleon’s brother, his only hope of a happy relationship comes from an Internet relationship. The reaction they are going for when his Internet love steps off the bus might be humorous, but in the end, it’s another example of how Kip has solved the problem of being marginalized in a small town. It works for him in the end.

The acting is great. All the actors have to do is hold the character throughout a series of events in their lives. There’s not a tremendous amount of growth in anyone, not even Napoleon. Sure, he finds a niche of friends that he never had before, but there’s no great revelation or change from the character seen at the beginning. Heder portrays him perfectly, with the right degree of awkwardness coupled with hostility from how he’s been treated in the past. He’s so used to being the butt of jokes that he lashes out first as a defense mechanism, and then this creates an air of hostility that makes him seem all the more the angry nerd. Heder is terrific with the physical aspect as well, walking a certain way and carrying himself a certain way that seems to accentuate the faults.

The DVD is loaded with tons of extras, building on the fact that this sleeper film has gained cult status. There’s commentary as well as a good featurette. Also included is the short film that was the precursor to Napoleon Dynamite.

There’s no life lesson or moral in Napoleon Dynamite. It’s just a slice of life in a small town which seems to have more than its usual share of outcasts and ne’er-do-wells. Napoleon’s dysfunctional family life is what it is, and there’s no judgment other than the fact that certain points are played up and exaggerated for the laugh. It’s a terrific film that’s a lot of fun.



SPECIAL FEATURES:

” Commentary with Writer/Director Jared Hess, Jon Heder, and Producer Jeremy Coon
” MTV Promos
” Peluca – the short film that was a precursor to Napoleon Dynamite
” The Wedding of the Century – “the making of” featurette
” Soundtrack Promo
” Deleted Scenes
” Still Photographs