Napoleon Dynamite: What's It REALLY About?

So, it’s been twenty years since the release of Jared Hess’ breakout debut comedy- Napoleon Dynamite. On paper, this is a movie about a dorky high-school kid in a rural Idaho town who helps his best friend run for class president while looking for love and dealing with his creepy uncle. But, if I believed that was all this movie was, I’d be talking about something else- but here we are.
Now, this is a movie that most everybody has either seen or at the very least is familiar with. And, while I agree that not every movie has to be some deep and robust metaphor for life and the human condition, I do think that there is an interesting angle for Napoleon Dynamite that hasn’t necessarily been explored yet. So let's dive into it right here!
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#napoleondynamite #JonHeder

[@manicassassin4542]

Had a date planned. Got stood up. Went to the movie anyhow while alone. Laughed uncontrollably. No regrets.

[@Window4503]

A date who won’t see Napoleon Dynamite with you just ain’t worth it

[@mistadude]

Just like napoleon at the dance

[@manicassassin4542]

@@mistadude exactly why I left with a smile

[@ithink3979]

You had two options, 1 go home and sulk. 2 be like Napoleon and get on with your day. Glad you chose the latter. It's the only way to be, man. 👊

[@jasonhuttermusic424]

Isnt a great how a good movie will do that?!

[@ronnicarter882]

Saw this movie with my Son in the theater. Had a really good time with him that day. I miss you, Son.

[@jway9097]

Where did you lose him?

[@stevemeaney9372]

@@jway9097jeeeeeeez dude lmao

[@copperandgold4674]

If he’s gone, I’m sorry for your loss. If you just haven’t seen him, it’s never too late.

[@dakotajensen181]

Skill issue

[@eoinoconnell185]

@@jway9097 It would be great if he replied ''Oh he's just gone to the store''.

[@NancysInsiderTradingTips]

The culture of growing up in a rural town. And they nailed it.

[@H..M..]

I think Letterkenny does a good job creating a similar oddball world for Canadian hicks.

[@joeybaseball7352]

They actually interviewed a bunch from the town the movie was shot in, which also happens to be where Jared Hess grew up, and none of them thought the movie was funny. They all just thought it was an accurate representation.

[@jolie7neige]

Exactly what I was going to say. Having spent my later childhood and teen years living in a rural town, I can say without a doubt this movie is such an accurate portrayal of how it is--everything out of date by years, older homes, creepy uncles, trying to fit in as an outcast, etc. I find it hilarious, relatable, and endearing.

[@NancysInsiderTradingTips]

@@jolie7neige the door to door bracelet selling showed they really did their homework/ the writer really wrote the script rooted in authenticity.

[@cytherians]

@@joeybaseball7352 That makes a lot of sense. You don't find your own circumstances funny. It's too familiar.

[@cyberpimp29]

Pedro is NOT an exchange student. His entire family moved to the Pocatello Idaho region including his cousins with the sweet hook-ups.

[@welfaiewfb8802]

Pedro was a LEGAL immigrant

[@cyberpimp29]

@@welfaiewfb8802 yes sir

[@cyberpimp29]

@@welfaiewfb8802 I dont know how they do things dowm there in Juarez, but here Preston, we have a little thing called pride. Smashing in the face of an effigy of Summer Wheatley is a disgrace to you, me, and the entire gem state...

[@D-Fens_1632]

A while ago I saw some woke reviewer talk about how the "cringey racist principal" scene didn't age well and is "hard to watch."

[@cyberpimp29]

@@D-Fens_1632 The principal was not a rascist but he was definitely a Summer Wheatley simp

[@aprilcoursey4533]

The strange thing is that I kept expecting Uncle Rico to do something truly shady, but he never outwardly did. I think he was just as misunderstood as any of the characters. He just wanted to be loved, admired, and successful.

[@mooseknuckle4007]

What about when he pulled up on highschool girls summer and Trisha and told them “If y’all ever need ANYTHING than give me a call.”

[@aprilcoursey4533]

@@mooseknuckle4007 I think the writer's point was to elude to him being creepy, without him actually being creepy. He went and got his Glamour Shots and didn't do anything inappropriate. He's just weird

[@aprilcoursey4533]

It's genius, really. The writer plays on your Spidey senses about a chomo, but is he? It creates a dramatic effect where there isn't proof of there being a reason for your paranoia. We are the broken ones who perceive ill intent

[@schalkvandermerwe3838]

Yup, he's the 'peaked in highschool' character. Part of him thinks he's more cool than he is (ungrounded), but part of him just knows he needs to make more money to better his circumstances (grounded). I just wish the part at the end of the film where the lady on the bike stops and smiles at him as if she recognises him and cycled there as if she was looking for him had a bit more reason why.

[@sabrinastrong291]

@@aprilcoursey4533*allude

[@justbenelson]

Funny story: This movie was released when I was in college. I was at home during Christmas break recovering from a hernia operation, writhing in pain and on Vicodin. Confined to the couch and thoroughly bored, I asked my Mom if she'd be willing to head out to Blockbuster to pick me up a movie to watch and she came back with Napoleon Dynamite. I was oblivious of the movie and there's no way my Mom would've picked it out herself, so it must've been a recommended title by a Blockbuster employee. She popped it into the DVD player and from the moment I saw Napoleon, I knew this movie was going to be gold. I was in pain throughout the entire movie because I was laughing so hard. I thought I was going to tear my stitches! It's one of those movies where you absolutely don't get the humor and you hate it, or you do and you love it.

[@joeybaseball7352]

I saw in the theaters 6 times. I've never before, or since, ever watched a movie in the theaters that many times. And I saw it while it was still underground. I had to go to a small, hole-in-the-wall dollar theater to see it, because it wasn't playing anywhere. I had heard rumblings about it, saying it unlike anything you've ever seen. So I wanted to check it out. There was just something so interesting about it. And then suddenly the movie blew up. And more and more major theater chains starting carrying the movie. To the point where it got so huge, basically every theater was showing it. And theaters with stadium seating were routinely being sold out. I think a lot fid multiple viewings. And it's not even like it's my favorite film. I don't even think it's the best film that came out in 2004. 2004 was the best year for film ever. It definitely was for comedy. So many classic comedies were released that year. White Chicks, Harold and Kumar, Meet The Fockers, Shrek 2, Soul Plane, Dodgeball, Barbershop, Christmas with the Kranks, Spongebob Squarepants, Mean Girls, Anchorman, 50 First Dates, Shark Tale, etc. But I just became weirdly obsessed with Napoleon Dynamite. I was from the city. My life was nothing like that. It was a culture shock to me. I didn't think it was real, until I live in the middle of nowhere, and it was very true to life.

[@GabeHandle]

I first saw it while walking through the electronics section of a Kmart with my friends. It was playing on the TVs and it hooked us immediately. We must have stood there like idiots for 20 minutes.

[@Troy_Lmafo]

Napoleon and vicoden is always a good time!

[@jaymiller9254]

The only other phenomenon movie when it came out was borat.

[@tsriftsal3581]

Your opinion is correct

[@alisonarias978]

“Build her a cake or something” most underrated line in the movie 😂❤

[@GrosvnerMcaffrey]

"6 dollars? That's like a dollar an hour"

[@patandmacmusic]

“You almost forgot the crystals”

[@Godzillafan1980]

I blew chunks watching this then I came 😮

[@rpc717]

I caught you a delicious bass.

[@13donstalos]

I like: "Go eat a decroded piece of crap"

[@gradeahonky]

At first you think the movie is making fun of Napoleon, and then you realize it's celebrating him

[@kirbyculp3449]

It's about Pedro the Warlock.

[@camerongage1237]

One reason Napoleon wore outdated clothes and had outdated things at home was because his family was poor and he had to get things at the thrift store. The other kids were more affluent in town. Deb and Pedro were some of the few kids who were close to or at his level. It all gave the appearance that they were behind the times.

[@jeffreypage1361]

I love the scene where Kip is making nachos with what appears to be government cheese.

[@yeahsteeeve]

I went to college with a kid from rural Idaho. He said the area he was from was just like this. Everything felt 10 years behind.

[@circleinforthecube5170]

@@yeahsteeeve i really like that, 2020s is a boring decade with no identity

[@joethecounselor]

Those of us born in the 80s and who lived not having everything everyone else had also felt this. It was a throwback to a throwback when we all had to scrape to try and be cool, but there was just no faking it. Only genuine friendship could make it through.

[@JLStanton1968]

The Deseret Industries in Preston where Napoleon goes to get clothes is pretty awful as far as Deseret Industries go. Dis are Mormon thrift stores btw. Preston is pretty laid back. My ex grew up there so I got to know it well. She worked at the Chicken farm one summer and broke her leg on the tetherball playground. Her aunt, who was awesome, was the nurse who gave Napoleon his chapstick. She’d carry a roll in her bra and offer it to anyone who asked.

[@79thump8]

My wife graduated high school with a guy that became friends with John right before the movie was released. They were at a party in LA and John was a down to earth good guy and talking about a movie he had coming out that he thought would connect with people. Man was he right.

[@spitfire0781]

What’s this got to do with anything but being a one up

[@negativeindustrial]

@@spitfire0781 Dude is trying to open up about the time his wife boned Napoleon Dynamite and you’re just talking shit?

[@Stathio]

Man, he sure was right!

[@John_Fx]

yet you misspelled Jon.

[@goodmorningsundaymorning4533]

​@@spitfire0781 has nothing to do with being a one up. If you took it that way then you're very insecure. These are the comments that are interesting and they're better then a bunch of NPC comments reciting lines from the movie.

[@nickdee5764]

“Grab my arm. The other arm. MY other arm!” Rex Kwondo

[@ASpooneyBard]

"Alright, now watch me. I'm just gonna' break the wrist, walk away. Break the wrist, walk away:" [girly slap]

[@pussycats456]

🤣🤣🤣

[@TheProdigy_916]

Low key best character in the film

[@jamesbennett5189]

I love that line too.

[@sproggs]

No way. Napoleon throwing the action figure out the bus window is objectively one of the funniest moments in cinema history. Fucking gold every time.

[@kevmoful]

I laughed because in grade school we did that sorta thing. Appalachia leaves few options for entertainment.

[@RobertWF42]

Yes lol. Also, the farmer shooting the cow & the kids in the bus screaming in horror. 😅

[@MrWrl101]

I did this with a cassette tape in High School so that scene makes me laugh so hard.

[@seansense]

what do you think it symbolizes?

[@cheergiver]

I was a small town dork. Very relatable movie. I learned quickly to just be myself and not care what other people think.

[@jesseroggio7260]

Same here. If you don't compromise and stay yourself they eventually have more respect for you.

[@impulsivepuppy]

My favorite line from this movie is "Tina! Come and get your ham!!" This became the way I told my kids it was time for dinner in my house throughout their entire childhood.

[@ASpooneyBard]

I still occasionally use "eat the FOOD you fat lard" when I'm feeding my cats.

[@Brick_Soup]

My parents still do this lol

[@get8bit]

Are you raising fat lards? 😂

[@keithmarlowe5569]

I tell the dog "eat your food Tina".

[@sonoftorin]

lol same

[@19mitch54]

The moral: if you can dance, you're not a dork.

[@user-fr8kf5uu9y]

Still a dork. A dork with skills is a dork in need of.

[@joethecounselor]

Yeah, still a dork, but a dork everyone is jealous of. Also you need to be a genuinely good person. Who can dance. Then you're a cool dork.

[@obadiahsmith2345]

If you look like Frankensteins monster while doing it , you are.

[@kstark321]

I can tell this is an autobiography of the writers because it really nails small town life. I didn't think I'd like the movie based on the trailers but it was so spot on with it's small town satire.

[@Notius]

It funny, I grew up in a decent sized city but my best memories of my childhood in the 90s was going to my grandma's in a tiny midwestern town just like in Napoleon Dynamite, thrift stores and dirt roads heading out of town included. So when I saw this movie in the summer between middle and high school it blew my mind. It still gives me fond memories of going to "rummage sales" and other shopping with my grandma, even though it's been over a decade since her passing.

[@robertbeckman2054]

Even Rico, the selfish uncle, receives a good ending. If I’m not mistaken, that’s his on/off girlfriend who, in the past, broke up with him for constantly being stuck in 1982 football. She loves him and is there at Rico’s lowest moment to give him another chance.

[@heatherb9588]

No he’s alone in his van

[@Ease54]

Played by his real life wife, I think.

[@ixfr123]

That was also my understanding. Even Rico got what he really wanted in the end - his girlfriend coming back.

[@billl1127]

@@Ease54 That's actually Kip's real life wife.

[@NESADDICT]

It blew my mind when I saw Napoleon throw the action figure out the window on a string because…..I use to do that.

[@beegsquare4123]

Throwing stuff out of the bus was a staple of my time in school tbh😭

[@miscellania4263]

Bro, so many little things a lot of people didn't quite understand in this film I 100% think were just the absurd little things Jared Hess and his friends experienced growing up which I can totally relate to also being raised in a small town which was certainly "culturally behind-the-times" compared to the coastal cities 😂

[@bigrigJim]

when that happened I sat back because I knew instantly I was going to like the film.

[@AFriendOfYours0]

I wonder if kids still do that. On my bus a kid threw a bottle of his pee out of the window onto a car and now I’m always cautious when driving past a school bus.

[@BarkerVancity]

yeah me too.. thats hilarious.

[@theaccursedj.e.2723]

I love this film for its absurdism. Anyone who comes from a small town knows that each one has its own cast of unique (or downright weird) individuals. Napoleon, Pedro and Deb are a perfect example of true friendship.

[@canyoudigit3000]

While some people may think of the liger scene to be random, one of the larger towns an hour north of Preston is Lava Hot Springs. In 1995 an exotic animal compound named Ligertown (in Lava Hot Springs), that cross bred big cats had a breach and the animals escaped. While most of tje animals were killed fairly quick after the breech, it was big news in SE Idaho. I imagine rumors got spread that an uncaught Liger was killing livestock up in the hills and mountains. Napoleon likely heard about the breech as a kid and it stuck with him.

[@absolutelysobeast]

Thanks for the info dude

[@hectorbartlett567]

Every decade you get a few classics ... This is one of those absolute cult classic!

[@galacticsnufferpuss6851]

I was 20 when this movie came out and I instantly loved it. And yes, many of us still used Walkmans, VCR's and wore "outdated fashion" at the time. It's not only part of the movie's charm it's also what makes it so real. This movie - if not already - is a time capsule.

[@TerribleChaos]

Nobody used walkmans in 2004.

[@BarkerVancity]

nobody was using a walkman in 2004. discmans where even on there way out, as mp3 was already out. vcr, sure, but none of my friends then even knew what a betamax was.

[@trevor_mounts_music]

@@TerribleChaos I had a walkman AND a discman in 2004 😂

[@galacticsnufferpuss6851]

@@BarkerVancityUm I just told you I was was. Sorry I wasn't rich enough to have an iPod or mp3 player back then.

[@galacticsnufferpuss6851]

@@TerribleChaosI'm betting you were a fetus in 2004. Stop challenging my reality. I had one and I used it because I was poor.

[@elijahboehlke3739]

“Do the chickens have large talons” -napoleon dynamite Literally best line of the movie

[@Stevel_]

I don't understand a word you just said.

[@wstine79]

Never buy time machine off the internet.

[@negativeindustrial]

And, if you do, insulate your ball bag before using it.

[@used_bandaid]

Don’t forget the crystals if you do buy one.

[@grandetaco4416]

So the idea is to kill the customer that way they don't demand refund?

[@er1ck13]

"I could've told you that" kzbin.info/www/bejne/bYO4gWaQpp2hl7ssi=MDKeamPx31aJDFgT&t=1017

[@ASpooneyBard]

I coulda' told you that. Ugh...

[@BarefootPeasant]

It came out the year I met my girl, and we went to see it three times while it ran at our theater. It felt like we laughed non-stop each time. I started a new job a few years later, and shockingly, no one there thought Napoleon Dynamite was a good movie. Seriously, no one! But the Hangover was the funniest thing ever. I hated that job.

[@Selrisitai]

I love both movies.

[@johnhazard9491]

N.D. > The Hangover

[@audreyquinn73]

I hated "The Hangover" but "Napoleon Dynamite" is hilarious. I don't blame you for hating that job or disliking your coworkers. 😂

[@honkytonkinson9787]

One of the best low budget movies ever! GAWSH!!

[@user-fr8kf5uu9y]

I think it's more like....Gall!!

[@goodmorningsundaymorning4533]

Definitely.

[@Calc_Ulator]

No, Shed (2019).

[@MoonbearStartiger]

I feel like what I love about this - it's kinda just about unconditional friendship. They end up all friends but there's no big cliche "hero's journey" - I LIKE that it's about remaining who you are. I get really tired of films that force this "It's time to grow up and change" thing, so I loved the hopefulness of this film. It comforts me because they're ALL so awkward yet that makes it relatable. And yeah, I really just want some friends who like me for me, and as an Autistic adult... that's REAL!

[@Stathio]

I hear that. I hear that so much!

[@Allystargirl]

“He does want friends, he just doesn’t want to change who he is” I resonated with that so hard, I was also socially awkward and outcasted, and I really wanted good friends who would appreciate me for me. I loved this movie :)) it really does feel like growing up in a small town, which I did.

[@lemsip207]

I liked it as there weren't the usual tropes in there. To me they were more like anti tropes as they went against common tropes in films and TV dramas. The online girlfriend turns out to be a beauty in real life and Kips gets on well with her when they start dating. Napoleon didn't seem too fussed about making friends as he seemed to dislike those who disliked him and then he made friends with fellow outsiders such as Pedro. He would rather have had no friends than bad friends he would have to assimilate with. That's a lesson we should all learn. I used to assimilate to keep in with friends and then found it wasn't working for me. I still see grown women in groups choosing to eat and drink the same things in pubs and cafes which I find strange with long extensive menus. Back then we would only do that as there wasn't much choice on the menu especially in pubs that served lunches. The ploughman's lunch was the only light option as there weren't the filled baguettes and paninis that you get now as well.

[@lindakay9552]

Imagine being 44 years old and only seeing this movie for the first ever, in January of this year, in a motel room on TV. 😂

[@Chazcott]

I’ve seen great movies and documentaries in hotels, and I typically never forget the for some reason lol

[@jackbits6397]

When he said he was 12 when he first watched this really made me realize how old I am. I watched this movie for the first time with my now in their mid 20s kids. Haha. It's timeless.

[@JayTrace401]

Can I come hangout bro

[@JungleScene]

I can only dream of seeing this for the first time again.

[@mini_chimp_in_a_suit]

​@Chazcott same i remember waking up at like 3am freezing and watching a documentary on the great depression I was like 12 and my dad and I traveled to go watch the state finals for high school football

[@owlsongfiberarts8660]

It's about aspie kids in a small town who find each other and aren't isolated and made fun of anymore. They share their special interests, and find love.

[@Shah-of-the-Shinebox]

I remembered seeing this when it came out with my best bud. We were both about 15, and while some of the humor went over our heads, we kept revisiting it over time and as of today, we constantly quote it. Its either a movie you get or you don't.

[@paulbaresel6784]

I showed this movie to 5th grade students at a Catholic school. I thought the principal would be angry,. He instead sat and watched the whole movie and we discussed the greater lessons. The kids just thought it was hilarious. I now teach those same kids at a Catholic high school and I teach these kids in their high school years. They tell me, "Thanks for showing me 'Napoleon Dynamite.' It prepared me a lot for high school." Such a good movie. :)

[@miriamrobarts]

Aww, that's cool that it helped them out.

[@erinwhipple4666]

When this movie came out my dad took me and my brother to see it. When we got home he was like “I need to show you guys something” and then pulls out pictures of him in high school. He was a literal carbon copy of napoleon dynamite 😂

[@KiKi-tf8rv]

Having grown up in the area, I can confidently say this is 💯 an Idaho biopic.

[@thegreathkf2383]

I lived in fruitland Idaho, other side of the state. I agree.

[@jokeroneninesevenzero]

"Your mom goes to college!"

[@nickdee5764]

Gets me every time.

[@wvu05]

20 years later, I _still_ don't get what Kip meant.

[@thecausalgamer7916]

@@wvu05Deb was saving money by selling stuff for college Kip overheard her say “saving money for college” and mocked her by saying “your mom goes to college”

[@wvu05]

@@thecausalgamer7916 I get that he's trying to mock her, but it still makes no sense.

[@thecausalgamer7916]

@@wvu05 it’s not supposed to make sense he was just antagonizing her.

[@Reven-xm3gb]

I remember this movie came out when i was in middle school. i was a skinny socially awkward autistic kid with glasses and i got picked on a lot. the film really expressed how life felt back then for someone in my postilion and it felt nice to be represented. i was in the same special ed math class as a kid who also felt this way and it was a thing that made us friends...wonder how he is doing...

[@TheProdigy_916]

I think I’ve quoted this movie at least once a week for two decades now.

[@jackbits6397]

it's has the best memes/gifs that I still use today.

[@monogamousbonobo3923]

Guilty!

[@apcoburn]

This one and the other Hess movie, Nacho Libre… both get quoted quite often by me

[@deeraymond3069]

Yes 🙌🏽 About once a month I follow up a statement with …”GOSH!!!”

[@teklife]

ND is so unbelievably well made in every way, cast, costume, sets, music, writing, dialogue, gags, etc. hard to believe such a slick movie was made on such a modest budget (for films).

[@behindthespotlight7983]

My dad is a recently retired concert promoter. He had to visit several Blockbusters to find this on DVD the summer of its release to satisfy the rider of a band whose West Coast tour dates he had. The idea of my Vietnam Era dad trolling Blockbusters for Napoleon Dynamite to keep the band happy, cuz the show must go on, charms the crap outa me ☺️

[@challism]

The first time I saw it, I was in the theater. I didn't think it was funny, but everybody else in the theater did. The second time I watched it, I couldn't stop laughing. I can't believe it's been 20 years already.

[@cambuchina3079]

Saw Ronni's comment, made me think of my dad. Im 22, got a kid on the way of my own. He died back in 2020. Nothing better than bein 11 or 12 laughing about Uncle Rico w the steak and my dad smacking my cargo shorts saying "Hey man, give me your tots". Its the little things that leave a big mark. Im glad he had that moment w his son and I had multiple with my father. God this movie is a gem to me

[@Zetirix]

First time I saw this movie, I was so pissed off that I wasted so much time watching it. Then when I rewatched the movie... I got it.

[@TEGRIDY_FARMS]

Dumbest movie on a first watch. Top 10 funniest on a rewatch

[@robertbeckman2054]

I had a similar experience. I was newly married, and my in-laws had it on a few times. Each successive time I watched it, it turned from an annoyance to thinking of it as a soon to be cult classic.

[@tracyblackfox152]

You know I felt the same. They had this on in the breakroom where I used to work and all I thought is this is effing stupid...but it interested me enough to actually buy the dvd, watch it again and like it.

[@Stathio]

I felt the exact same, and this isn't the first time I've heard other people say it either- super weird and interesting that so many people seem to have this exact experience! I remember the first time I finished watching it thinking "Is that it? Why does everyone love this movie? That was ok, but mostly just a load of nothing." Then a while later, I saw that it was on TV, and immediately decided to watch it again and had an absolute blast and totally loved it! Maybe the second time you watch it, you then kinda know not to watch it for the storyline specifically, and instead soak up the vibe, performances and characters more, and realise that it's kinda more about hanging out with some awkward, lovable weirdos. That's a good time.

[@DJRezonance]

same lol

[@jdmjedi777]

I was just watching this movie the other day with my daughter when I realized that I was the same age she is now, when my dad took me to see it in theaters. I had to BEG him to take me to see it. We were both laughing uncontrollably the whole movie, and it became one of my favorite memories with my dad. That moment with my daughter made me realize how far along life has come, and I definitely shed a couple of tears to Napoleon dynamite 😅

[@user-vi2og3cm2d]

That moment when he shadow-kicks the air, after the bully turns & walks away.... I must've seen that exact scenario a dozen times growing up

[@Freddys_Freezing_Pizza]

I think part of the message is that you can be socially awkward or weird and still be a leader. The best leaders are comfortable in their own skin and don’t waste energy trying to project whats socially acceptable.

[@user-fr8kf5uu9y]

LaFawnda and Kip forever, yo!

[@Gelinnawen]

LaFawnda’s family at the wedding always cracks me up

[@cade83642]

It's Lafanduh!

[@Snakesnarl]

I am currently 34. When this movie came out, it was EVERYTHING

[@Brad-ku9yu]

Same. And yes, yes it was. I still have my original ticket stub.

[@sallybradshaw4576]

I think one of the things about Napoleon Dynamite that sets it apart from other movies about teenagers and high school is that we aren't really ever in Napoleon's head. There is never any narration, and the camera work does everything it can to isolate Napoleon. The reason Napoleon feels so real is because we have the same perspective towards him that we have towards any socially awkward kid we know in real life. A newer movie would probably have tried to give us voiceover or a backstory to try to make us relate to Napoleon, and the movie would have been worse for it.

[@barbrajones349]

I missed seeing it in theaters because I was pregnant and had to be home on bed rest due to some complications. Later when our son was three months old we went over to my sister and brother in laws and they told us we just HAD to see this movie they were so excited about. So we watched the DVD that night at their house and my husband and I have been huge fans ever since. We've seen it so many times and know every line. It's like re-visiting a comforting old friend. Our son is 19 (turns 20 later this year) and he likes it too and so does his little sister! Happy Anniversary Napoleon Dynamite cast and crew and fans!

[@philmakris8507]

You're missing all the references and humor about the LDS culture, customs and lifestyle throughout the movie.

[@dorseykindler9544]

Tell us a few. Please!

[@aerialpunk]

I'm curious about these too!

[@schmeckelgruben776]

I missed all that. Your comment is the first clue ever.

[@BloodSweatandFears]

Please tell us.

[@bennnnu380]

I just commented how this movie as a Mormon highschooler was even more special to us. And of course we knew someone who somehow knew Jon and Jared.

[@skryp2415]

Pedro wasn't a foreign exchange student..his family was there

[@danieldaniels7571]

Exactly. I don’t get where this video creator got that wrong conclusion from.

[@juanluisvegasalazar8767]

That goes to say that, even though Pedro and his family have been in the USA for a long time, they somehow still aren’t Americans in the minds of many. Very, very hard topic to untangle this “what makes you an American” question.

[@jn1mrgn]

The video creator obviously comes from a much different background and doesn't understand the world where Napoleon Dynamite takes place. I lived it.

[@miriamrobarts]

@@juanluisvegasalazar8767 It doesn't say whether Pedro's family had been in the US for a long time or not. As far as I can remember, all we know is: Pedro & his family just moved to town, and he's originally from Mexico. My impression is that they moved straight from Mexico. In the scene after he makes the piñata effigy of Summer, Pedro says, "I don't understand. In Mexico, we do it all the time." I think the video creator just took the facts that he's new & has an accent & is from Mexico and thought that he's a foreign exchange student. Either way -- with a new student or foreign exchange student -- it's the same concept that he wouldn't know anyone, and would need someone to show him around.

[@petercollin5670]

ND is a movie I heard about before I ever saw. It doesn't make sense when somebody tries to explain it to you. I got it and loved it right away. The title sequence with the school lunches was perfect. When I was in HS and growing fast, food was all I could think of, and what they served on those trays could make or break my day. I was Napolean Dynamite when I was a teenager. The moral of the movie is that even the dorkiest kids get to have their small victories.

[@lemsip207]

I went to see it as I had been to the cinema a few weeks before to see a different film and saw the film poster there and thought that was a film I would like to see. I didn't even see the trailer. So glad I went as I laughed so much at the early scenes which were about describing the character of Napoleon. Then as the film got going it then became more about Kip and his new girlfriend and Uncle Rico who creeped me out and was the very opposite of Kip and Napoleon. Then it became more about Napoleon and his new friends.

[@J-Man1313]

First time I saw this movie I loved it. The second time I saw this movie I loved it more. The more I see this movie the more I love it. It never gets old and always makes me laugh and feel good about life. Great video!!!

[@jackshittle]

I saw it when it came out & loved it. I'm 52 now & still love it.

[@dwcinnc]

I think the funniest scene is Deb running across the lawn after she shoves her display case of cosmetics at Napoleon. Just the way they cut that running scene is so funny to me.

[@Trailblazer162]

I saw this in the theaters when I was 19 with my older brother who is now passed and it's one of those times I'll never forget. Being in the very top right side of the theater above the entrance, I remember there wasn't many people there either. Definitely on my top 50 movies.

[@kyfifer]

I went to the movies by myself in college and saw this. There were like 5 other people in the theatre. Laughed my ass off. Nobody else made a sound - this made it even funnier. There are legit people like Napoleon out there. I went to school with them. Felt the isolation like them too. Great movie. I still just laugh and laugh.

[@squallrino6387]

Little fact that has gotten lost in time, this was one of the first movies to leak online well before it's release in the movie theaters.

[@ashurmom2969]

My brother wanted to watch this with me when it came out, as soon as Napoleon threw the action figure out of the bus I was sold… we did the same thing with his Star Wars figures on a family trip to Florida in the 70’s, sold 😊

[@thomasvikingpoetcolvin4990]

Literally the opening song/credits tell you exactly what the movie is about.

[@jonnybarnard8578]

At every opportunity, when one of my friends ask some variation of "what do i do?" I always reply with " build her a cake or something" and yes I do the accent, it doesn't work without the accent 😂

[@thegloriousryius]

I think the point is: no one deserves loneliness. Even uncle Rico gets his gf back.

[@Isthisjoebiden]

A lot of people deserve loneliness. If you don't know how to treat people, you deserve to be alone until you do. People shouldn't have to be abused because you feel entitled to company

[@xenotbbbeats7209]

My brother bought me a special DVD of this because I loved the movie so much. I about fell over when you reminded us that it was released 20 years ago.😮

[@gerechoppers]

The characters in the movie were so real world and genuine. Everybody went to school with kids like this. So much more relatable to real life vs. something like Beverly Hills 90210. One of my favorite things about the movie was I can’t remember one curse word in it. Just a clean enjoyable movie that I was able to enjoy with my son for years. We still quote movie lines from it all the time. This is probably one of the most brilliant films of all time. Certainly in my top 5.

[@BruceLeroyUK]

Bow to your Sensei! Bow to your Sensei!

[@QuixoteX]

Not a beta max. That is VHS. I think calling Rico a villain is an oversimplification .

[@miriamrobarts]

I thought it was just a VCR / VHS. I agree, he can be an antagonistic character without being a villian. Uncle Rico never hurts anyone intentionally. He cares about his nephews and wants them to be happy.

[@MRC_5000]

i love movies that refuse to tell you, if something is rather funny, sad or plain weird... and this is one of them ("the wolf of snow hollow" being another great one)

[@jackbits6397]

The thing that always struck me about this movie is even the cool kids seem a bit off and would have been "mid-tier" at a suburban school.

[@miriamrobarts]

* tier

[@jeremyryannoel]

When I was in music college, we had a choir director that graduated from BYU. In addition to this upload, he basically stated that Napoleon Dynamite tips its hat to LDS culture in the Midwest. Also take note of how many actors studied/graduated from BYU, Ricks College t-shirt, etc.

[@edwardsanchez3708]

Crap 20 years!!!??? I love this movie and still watch it occasionally. Sometimes i tell people their mom goes to college and they have no clue what im talking about

[@youtuber9626]

always drink 1% milk because you're not fat.

[@honkytonkinson9787]

You could totally be drinking 2%!

[@lel261]

​@@honkytonkinson9787or whole!!

[@wvu05]

You could drink whole if you wanted to.

[@Hopeful_Husker]

@@wvu05I tell my wife that 😂

[@brivaneijm]

I have to say that I thought this video was going to fall short of any interpretation of this movie, but I think that you’ve truly captured the true meaning of this film. Thanks for that.

Still a classic. Vote for Pedro !

[@GreenManalishiUSA]

Great analysis. I too see Napoleon Dynamite as a movie that, beneath all its quirkiness, is essentially about the power of friendship and belonging. All of the characters find their place in the end: Napoleon and Deb, Pedro and his family, Kip and La Fawnda, Grandma and her dune buggy riding pals, Rex and his partner, even Rico and the girl on the bike. The movie's sweetness and wholesomeness, along with its weirdness, make it one of my favorite films of all time.

[@dareallando]

Got to see some of the actors in a meet and greet once; a fun fact: they all took bets over if the bowl would break or not when it was ran over. The steak-throw scene took only 3 attempts! And Lyle the farmer wasn't originally an actor- he was literally the next-door farmer that they decided to hire on the spot lmao

[@travisgreene6956]

Born and raised in Preston Idaho! And when the farmer was seemingly just rambling when they were eating lunch he didn’t even know they were filming. He was just trying to tell them about the arrowhead he found over where he was pointing 😂

[@langleymiller]

One thing I don’t think we talk about is the cinematography and setting. Preston is like a character, they do such a good job of communicating the stifling and dated feeling of the town. The shot with Rico’s van in the field is weirdly gorgeous.

[@horatiomh]

One of my favourite films of all time and I'm 70 years old

[@annesmith9642]

Me, too.

[@georgemccune2923]

Adding to what you said about the tether ball scenes. When Napoleon is alone the film the shot is very unsaturated and bland and later with Deb the color of the shot is more alive and bright.

[@thehomiejeff]

Me and my HS French class have to hold the record for watching Napoleon Dynamite the most times! We literally would watch it everyday junior year in either English with French subtitles or vice versa while our teacher took a nap! And I think I’ve just realized that he might not have even known French lol

[@Chazcott]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@nancyacker5747]

I watched this movie with my daughter and I really liked it. Such quirky interesting characters. Love how proud Pedro's family was when he won school president. I can't wait to watch it again.

[@estancianews7837]

I knew his brother years ago. I didn't realize until recently that I knew Napoleon Dynamite's brother. Life can be strange.

[@Mochalolo1928]

Maybe that final Uncle Rico scene could be about him getting a chance to be his authentic self and find happiness… he’s at his lowest being back living in his van, injured arm, business ventures failed, and here comes a lovely woman who can clearly see he’s living in a van in the middle of nowhere… and she still stopped to say hello. He has a chance to be real and get to know this woman and maybe change his whole life!! But only if he can use what he’s learned from Napoleon and Co. about being authentic and putting your best foot forward ❤

[@jarretlingle2553]

I thought she was someone from a previous relationship returning to him. In that context, it makes no sense. In your explanation it does.

[@Mochalolo1928]

@@jarretlingle2553 I had always thought that, too!! This video is the only reason I thought what I just typed and it put it into context for me as well lol

[@xjudgexdreddx]

I was actually coming to say something similar. Midway through the movie Rico is telling Kip about how his ex left him because he was stuck in ‘82. The movie reinforces this with his constantly reminiscing about his glory days, lamenting his team’s loss at the championship and not going pro, and filming himself throwing passes. At the very end, it’s heavily implied that Rico, with his injured arm, is forced to confront the reality that those days are never coming back and that he has to move on. The woman riding her bike represents his future. The smiles they give each other seems to imply familiarity with each other, that it’s not their first time meeting one another. If it is indeed his ex, she seems to be giving him another chance, and he seems excited to give it a shot. If it seems like I’m filling a lot of blanks, it would be in keeping with the overall narrative tone of the movie. So much of what we learn about the characters is implied, there’s actually very little exposition, and the exposition we do get isn’t simply information dump, It’s delivered in a way that feels natural to the scene and it builds on their character and their world.

[@denniscool6224]

@@xjudgexdreddx glad someone called this out was going crazy watching this and him not realizing that

[@PoesRaven73]

When I watched the movie and got to the point where the girl rides up on Rico on her bike, I thought “Was she in the movie earlier? Are we supposed to know who she is?” I was confused.

[@Seaglassandsage]

One of my all time favorite movies.

[@user-fr8kf5uu9y]

I wanted Joe Dirt and Napoleon Dynamite to join forces. ..... That stupid base ball movie with Schneider doesn't count.

[@jahnbon]

Wow. Thank you. This assessment made me cry, and it made me thankful for my friends. Nice work.

[@mbcoll8154]

The visual of them looking at the school dance was how they were outsiders but also had each other.

[@Zombiesnyder13]

Jared Hess is now directing a MINECRAFT movie

[@JoBloOriginals]

He is! He was off shooting it while we did the Sundance interviews.

[@Dr_1212]

Vote For Pedro 😎👍

[@ashurmom2969]

I have the t shirt! 🥸

[@tarag7292]

He'll make your wildest dreams come true.

[@rev.jimmywonko9615]

I still constantly tell people, "Can't find my checkbook. Hope you don't mind I pay you in change."

[@markrickerbyadventurestories]

I’ve always loved this movie too and I think you totally nailed it here. We all have a little Napoleon in us, especially during high school, and the need for friends and love and acceptance never really dies. Great job. You have a new subscriber and fan.

[@user-un1wx1ed9e]

It is very easy to forgive others their mistakes; it takes more grit to forgive them for having witnessed your own.

[@andreosorio5758]

It's about how Stanley Kubrick faked the moon landing.

[@IemonIime]

Excellent video, full of rich commentary and editing. Exquisite.

[@TheNewSchmoo]

One thing people rarely speak about is how brilliant the choreography is in Napoleon's dance number.

[@Glynthepin]

Thank you for this video. Great to see your analysis and views. The computer guy at work lent me the DVD and when I went to take it back, he said he had another copy, so I kept the DVD. This allowed me to watch it many times. I would have not bought the DVD based on my first watch. Having viewed and discussed several times with the computer guy and others, for me the film is all about relatability. It captures the quiet desperation of many small town teenagers home and school life. It also benefits from not being a big budget Hollywood movie attempt to portray the same thing. As the advice is given to budding authors, write what you know. Napoleon Dynamite, certainly has an autobiographical authenticity, that a big budget Hollywood movie could never produce.

[@magiclantern66]

Thanks for a great video. One word that is never mentioned here, nor in the movie. Is "autism". I showed it to some friends once, and when we paused it halfway through, they weren't really getting it. I explained that the heroes of the film were autistic, and we were seeing how absurd the "normal" world is from their perspective. They enjoyed the rest of it after that.

[@pandakicker1]

So because I was awkward and had no friends I am autistic? 0.o

[@magiclantern66]

@@pandakicker1 It seems to me that Napoleon, his brother and his two best friends are somewhere on that spectrum. I certainly didn't mean any offence by making that observation, but I'm very sorry if I caused any.

[@pongop]

Wow, excellent analysis and commentary on one of my favorite films! It's nuts that it's been over 20 years. It'll never get old.

[@FiGNewtonWilliamsJr]

I went to school with a kid who was straight up Napoleon. This was in the 90s before the movie, but this kid was so much like the character. He even tried to fly a paper airplane on a string out of the bus window one time lol. Sidenote, I still say "peace-out" exactly like Kip does in the movie, to pretty much anyone when leaving. Great video man!

[@Machtyn]

The drawing hit home to me. I don't know if I was that bad. But I know I've produced some hideous drawings where I wanted to practice shading and it just did not work out right.

[@Gelinnawen]

When you watch this movie, stay for the credits “The Promise” by when in Rome (I think) was and is one of my favorite 80’s tunes ❤ 🎶

[@Gelinnawen]

Also want to mention the end music “Music for a found Harmonium” by penguin cafe orchestra ❤

[@RonaldKragnes]

@13:20 "Pedro, just listen to your heart. That's what I do." - Napoleon Dynamite

[@Ulrna]

It is sophisticated metaphorical journey through the ancient Greek and Roman pantheon of gods and subsequently the relationship between gods, half-gods and heroes. The rural setting is gripping and thought-provoking.