Napoleon Dynamite

Title Napoleon Dynamite
Director Jared Hess
Writer Jared Hess and Jerusha Hess
Starring Jon Heder, Jon Gries, Aaron Ruell, Efren Ramirez, Tina Majorino, Diedrich Bader
ISBN 024543534839
Distributor 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Copyright Date 2008 (DVD)
Interest Age 13+
Rating PG
Genre Contemporary Life
Plot Summary
Napoleon Dynamite is the quirky tale of Napoleon, a teenager living in Idaho with his older brother Kip and his llama-owning grandmother. The plot is fairly straightforward: Napoleon teams up with his friends to elect Pedro as school president. But neither Napoleon nor his friends are particularly popular, so they have to be fairly creative about it. This is a story about any high school, in any town, populated by the bizarre, the silly and the tragically sociall awkward. Will Pedro be elected school president? Will Napoleon ever gain any skills? Will Kip every hook up with his internet girlfriend?
Critical Evaluation
Though there is very little plot development to this film, it is still extremely funny and a cult-classic in it's own right. The character of Napoleon is hilarious, seemingly oblivious to his own dorkiness and awkardness. He is a character unlike any other in teen movies: he is neither the stereotypical intellegent nerd, nor the social outcast that he might be in another film. Instead, he is a unique person, unable and unwilling to conform to the standards of high school. This film is less a story than a small chunk out of a strange family and their endearing lives. Teens that enjoy off-beat, eccentric, oddball humor will enjoy this film and will delight in the climax that is both hysterical as well as inspiring.
Reader’s Annotation
"What are you going to do today Napoleon?" "Whatever I feel like doing, GOSH."
Curriculum Ties None
DVDtalking Ideas
1. Do character sketches of Pedro and Napoleon encouraging the audience to read more to find out what happens.
Challenge Issues
None
Why did I include this DVD?
MTV Movie Award, Best Movie; personal favorite.