Napoleon Dynamite, Explained | Analysis of Loneliness and Isolation

This video essay unpacks the themes of loneliness and isolation in the 2004 indie movie Napoleon Dynamite. Give this video a thumbs up and all of your wildest dreams will come true.

[@kel7444]

I’m glad I’m not the only one who feels sad when I watch this movie, even though it’s primarily a comedy. Why is it that the best comedy’s are usually lonely or sad

[@bengonzales1182]

It had a good ending though. Uncle Rico gets what's coming to him but gets his girlfriend back, Kip marries Lafawndah, Napleon gets Deb, Pedro is president, and that stuck-up blonde and her smirking bonehead boyfriend have to eat humble pie.

[@DurtDangle]

Your suppose to laugh not be sad lmaooo

[@ENigma-um8zw]

‘Tragedy plus Time equals comedy’ and yes sometimes times of comedy can in the same light be seen for its tragedy. But yeah we’re laughing with the movie but at the absurdity of the tragically captured social hierarchy of growing up, late adolescence and the times of high school and beyond in a rural suburban American anytown (but Idaho)

[@king_supreme1102]

I do pick up on that for sure

[@acidpain6059]

Not a dig at anyone in the film but their use of people that just look like normal people and not models or celebrities really sells the whole slice of America feeling the movie has

[@crinklyonion1410]

Napoleon Dynamite is one of my childhood movies that I absolutely love. I am constantly quoting that movie, and we always come back to watch it every once in a while. Looking back on it, I realize how much I relate to Napoleon. In High School, at least for me, it feels lonely. I have friends, and I am so happy and grateful that I have them, but it still feels isolating when it seems that nobody else seems to care, or worse, somebody who happens to have three classes with you seems to have it out for you for no particular reason, which is what happened in tenth grade for me, and made my entire year pretty miserable in those classes. I’m just happy that, unlike Napoleon, I had plenty of friends from the start who were all there for me, even when I was at my worst.

[@arsxnavlt]

Fantastic analysis of pretty much the greatest movie ever made! I never considered how the cinematography contributes to the theme of loneliness. Super interesting! This made me appreciate my favourite film EVEN MORE

[@rackfocus1898]

Thank you!

[@jayveesantos5398]

The portrait of three of them watching their schoolmates dancing is gold

[@rackfocus1898]

Agreed!!

[@king_supreme1102]

One small detail I always pick up on is that it seems like Uncle Rico wasn’t even the starting QB for football. He says “if coach had put me in the 4th quarter”, showing that he wasn’t out there to begin with. You could possibly say that maybe he was injured and coach wouldn’t let him come back in. But it always reads to me like he was the backup. Which makes his desperate clinging to the past even more sad. Seems like his “dream” life was never a possibility even back in those days.

[@drphibesrises]

Good analysis of the characters of this movie. Napoleon Dynamite's popularity as a film is explained by the fact that many people can relate to some part of their behavior. The way director Hess used his experiences and the development of these characters in his mind is brilliant. He broke the mold of the typical teen movie by staying away from toilet humor which shows those techniques are overused and honestly lazy just to make a movie. I wish more movies were made in this fashion as they would provide more entertainment and touch more lives than the aforementioned types of films. Thanks for sharing your perspective.

[@aliteralchad7128]

I needed a conversation about the melancholy I get from this middle American specific time and place that truly speaks to a certain group of people like I can picture the world Kip exists in that 90s internet chat room

[@rackfocus1898]

Great point! Don't think there have been enough films made about that type of experience.

[@doesitmatterwhoiam8838]

The time machine allowed all their modes of isolation to come together. For Rico it's a chance to go back to the past, for Napoleon its living out a fantasy, and for Kip its childlike wonder.

[@KMFDM781]

It's really hard for me to put my finger on when it comes to this movie. How it can feel nostalgic without having experienced a lot of the things that happen in the movie. I think part of it for me is how the mundane experiences in life can be a big deal to you at the time. Like going to get new glasses. Buying a sweet fanny pack at Goodwill. This kinda goes against how movies treat things with bombast and drama where there isn't really any in real life. A birthday party in any teen movie is going to be loud, lots of people, bangin music, etc. Real life is a few of your family and friends, modest cake, solo cups with juice or punch. It means a lot to you at the time but isn't the big drama event of a big teen movie. Also...these are normal, boring people in a normal, boring town that's 20 years behind culturally, like a lot of small midwestern towns. This movie is genius in finding the sweetness and the things that make these normal people's relationships work in real life and make it watchable and entertaining.

[@rackfocus1898]

well said!

[@Unam-et-Solum]

I always had the feeling that there is much more to this film. Thanks for putting in so out there so eloquently - really nailed it!

[@rackfocus1898]

Ah thanks so much! Really glad you enjoyed.

[@aliteralchad7128]

I literally googled this exact thing because I was looking for the exact feelings of melancholy that I get from this movie

[@davidjackson4133]

This is so good, thank you for making this. I had never thought about a lot of your points

[@rackfocus1898]

Thank you for watching!

[@ZetaReticuli_]

Funny you would point to loneliness as the underlying theme to this. One of the things I did get from this, and the characters, was a definitely a sense of disassociation. On the one hand, the fact that they were in a very small rural town added to it. However, you can also experience that living in a big city. I know that from experience. The movie Jacob's Ladder illustrates that very well, where the city actually feels very oppressive.

[@Stampo_]

A very good in-depth analysis of this classic movie! You brought up so many points I never even considered or noticed after watching this movie so many times myself. Thank you for sharing!

[@rackfocus1898]

Appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment! So glad you enjoyed it.

[@mohamedabdelfatah7297]

For some reason although i like this movie and always thought it was funny , it has also always raised my depression tenfold.

[@calundoconteal6851]

I loved this analysis! I never looked this deep into it, but I realize that that your explanation of companionship and acceptance of idiosyncrasy is basically why I love it. Thank you, hope to see more

[@rackfocus1898]

Thank you so much!!

[@jackmercer4244]

It wasn't a sad film, it's just the awkward stage that most of us go through. The interesting thing is that Napoleon won't get through the awkward stage because he is an outsider by nature, and he'll realize that it's ok to be an outsider because he found other outsiders that are like him, people who would rather play by themselves than try to fit in a team, as shown in the basketball courts. The ending was heartwarming when Napoleon was playing a loner's game of tether ball, but with a fellow loner. They were both were very happy to be alone together.

[@empathematics8928]

So good! Love the themes pointed out.

[@cyclopeluigi4922]

Keep up this great work !!

[@glennc100]

you nailed the essence of this classic...now I get why I love this movie.

[@38calibercoffee]

Wow. I felt your words. This is a great, great video. Thank you.

[@cristiancampos7807]

This was really insightful. Can't wait what you put out next

[@rackfocus1898]

Thank you, Cristian!

[@awesomeewok733]

That was a great video! I started tearing up at the end but I'm pretty sure that's because I like the movie

[@rackfocus1898]

Thank you for watching! The ending is so sweet - happy tears I hope!

[@terrorrbabbletwo]

Excellent analysis. Loved this movie when it came out and still do, even though a lot of my friends hated it at the time. I strongly believe that they just didn’t see the big picture and the hidden message. We can relate to each character in this movie in some way, shape, or form whether we realize it or not. The character evolution from beginning to end conveys a message of hope for the future and maturity, and we see each character maturing through their own unique situations in life. It left me wanting more, but sequels aren’t always necessary. This movie is approaching its 20th birthday, I hope the cast gets back together to give something to the fans.

[@jackmercer4244]

Another thing that most people would consider lonely is the whole town, but it's not a lonely town. It's just a slow paced society. Nobody feels lonely in the town because the slow pace is normal, and that's all they know. It's a place that I would escape to to get away from big city ghettos. I grew up in San Francisco in the 70s. My mom took me and my siblings to visit my aunt and uncle for one week in Delano California, before it became modernized. It was a slow paced town with hardly any cars driving by. It felt so good being there, I felt like I could breathe better. Another such place is the fictional town of Twin Peaks.

[@SpellboundWolf]

This movie is incredible. It's awkward. It's eternal.

[@dzillz3249]

AMAZING ANALYSIS!!!! PLEEAASEE keep it up!!!!

[@gavinfoote_Music_Surf]

This makes the movie more depressing than I remember.

[@Keith4Prez]

Fantastic video.

[@rackfocus1898]

Thank you so much!

[@dylan1552236]

This was excellent!

[@rackfocus1898]

So glad you enjoyed it!

[@zayne125]

Great analysis

[@dejja7376]

just watched napoleon dynamite and was very confused what the movie was about. Watching it, i felt a little bit sad. Like life for the characters is so monotonous and boring, maybe because i also live in a small town i can relate. Very cool video!

[@rackfocus1898]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@tracimcox]

I stumbled upon this video while looking up the "Nessie" scene from ND. (Just got a baby chick and named it Nessie, and of course had to show her the clip.) This was a great surprise, esp. for this English Ph.D. candidate :) wonderful and smart analysis--thanks so much for sharing!

[@rackfocus1898]

thank you so much!

[@MattyBnH]

Great video

[@Okbroski]

Was sad when this video was over

[@rackfocus1898]

Thank you for watching!

[@theintrovertedaspie9095]

Napoleon = stuck in his fantasy world; isolating his true self from others much of the time out of fear of others judgement. Kip = stuck in childhood; not acting or feeling mature and opting out of adulthood as well as the real world. Uncle Rico = stuck in the past; constantly fantasizing about what his life could've been at the expense of the present and what his life could be like NOW.

[@streak2099]

Great work.

[@rackfocus1898]

Thank you so much!

[@chigon89]

Maybe another five years or decade this film will be considered a classic in every way. Not just a cult classic

[@Ronaldo_Fortnite]

I don't really comment but this is a great video props to you

[@rackfocus1898]

Thank you so much! Really appreciate you taking the time to watch.

[@roberttreasure1986]

Almost everything in this movie is fantasy. Notice how Napolean keeps his eyes closed when describing his new suit as "incredible, fantastic, etc."? Deb dresses in costume like attire, as a Disney Princess for the Prom, with Cinderella puffed sleeves, instead of wearing a prom dress. She has food on her face when Napolean talks to her about the milk, and no one notices. Pedro says "I Iike her bangs" about Napolean's fantasy photo date, but she has no bangs. Napolean says, "I like them too."

[@KingPunKAss2001]

Wait how did kip came back in the cartoon series

[@aliteralchad7128]

Uncle Rico is truly the most tragic of these characters lol

[@PebblesOTB]

You cut away from the slap on purpose?

[@HAHA-kk2xy]

I'm legit kip 😂

[@DingaLingu]

Girl 😳

[@willswalkingwest7267]

Play me?