Napoleon Dynamite

Viewed 7/3/4
Written 7/12/4


Jared Hess’ overly comical look at high school loserdom and exaggerated vision of lower class middle America, suggests two things: A.) While Hess may have been an angsty, alienated student he still operated and interacted with a depth far superior to that of the nearly-retarded Napoleon and B.) Hess did not live in an underprivileged home. This creates a bit of a conundrum for the film seeing as Napoleon and his miscreant friends are meant to be a downtrodden-yet-noble, identifiable-yet-laughable group of rejects. In writing this I can already name (I won’t) several students from my own pre-college academic life that spring to mind while watching Pedro, Napoleon, and Deb. These are people that at the same time I felt sorry for, liked, and picked on (One of which was said to have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich stuck to the wall of his squalid living room). The end result is a juvenile and simplistic look at young-adulthood, an adult director working through the locus of his middle school self.

In fact, only thing Hess and Napoleon Dynamite have in common is the desire to be liked and accepted. Napoleon would love to be liked and popular or get chicks (with his “skills”) and Hess wants desperately to be ranked among the likes of Wes Anderson, Harmony Korine, and Todd Solondz. I think it’ll be more likely to see Napoleon Dynamite on a midnight movie bill alongside Supertroopers and Wet Hot American Summer than on critics’ lists with Rushmore and Welcome to the Dollhouse.

But let’s get real here: Napoleon Dynamite has very little, if anything, to do with plot, character, or human emotions. It is a film about things and quirks. Jared Hess clearly puts his all into the production design of the film. His effort to re-create a fantasy version of the late 80s to mid 90s creates a far more appealing brass ring than say, interesting or realistic challenges or problems. From the opening credits, presented in a sequence of a series of unappetizing and low-class food items, to the small mid-west affectations that many people of my generation have grown up with, to the pat nerd-dances-cool-and-earns-approval ending we are proven that if a Meade Trapper-Keeper could be a lead than Hess would have it made.

Despite the fact that Napoleon Dynamite misses the mark a bit in terms of sincerity, identity, and let’s face it, humanity, it is hilarious nevertheless. Basically every time Napoleon (Jon Heder) delivered a line I laughed more heartily and honestly than I do for most of my favorite comedies. While unsubtle acting magnifies the shallow nature of the film the dialogue and delivery redeem it. Think of it in terms of your funniest friend doing the funniest imitation in the funniest voice ever

After all, its not important that Napoleon’s date Trisha callously ditches him at the dance: instead it is important that Napoleon stuffs a mouthful of Big League Chew (blast from the past!) and later swallows it while wearing his awkward, yet pseudo-vintage-chic formal wear.

Review by Brett A. Scieszka