Napoleon Dynamite (2004)

A listless and alienated teenager decides to help his new friend win the class presidency in their small western high school, while he must deal with his bizarre family life back home.

Director:

Jared Hess

Writers:

Jared Hess, Jerusha Hess

Stars:

Jon Heder, Jon Gries, Aaron Ruell

10 wins & 18 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jon Heder	...	Napoleon Dynamite
Jon Gries	...	Uncle Rico
Aaron Ruell	...	Kip
Efren Ramirez	...	Pedro
Diedrich Bader	...	Rex
Tina Majorino	...	Deb
Sandy Martin	...	Grandma
Haylie Duff	...	Summer Wheatly
Trevor Snarr	...	Don
Shondrella Avery	...	Lafawnduh
Bracken Johnson	...	Randy
Carmen Brady	...	Starla
Ellen Dubin	...	Ilene
J.C. Cunningham	...	Jock #1
James Stevens	...	Jock #2 (as James Smooth)

Storyline

Preston, Idaho's most curious resident, Napoleon Dynamite, lives with his grandma and his 32-year-old brother (who cruises chat rooms for ladies) and works to help his best friend, Pedro, snatch the Student Body President title from mean teen Summer Wheatley.

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Plot Keywords:

friend | high school | class | mustache | girl | 

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Taglines:

Same planet...different flippin' world.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for thematic elements and language

Details

Official Sites:

Fox Searchlight [us]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 August 2004 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bus otoko

Filming Locations:

Franklin, Idaho, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$400,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£60,839 (UK) (10 December 2004)

Gross:

$44,540,956 (USA) (4 February 2005)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fox Searchlight Pictures, Paramount Pictures, MTV Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min 86 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie was edited in producer Jeremy Coon's apartment using a $6,000 Macintosh with Final Cut Pro.

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Goofs

When Napoleon throws the grapefruit at Uncle Rico's van, it clearly bounces off the windshield, yet in the next shot it is still stuck on the windshield.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Kid on Bus: What are you gonna do today, Napoleon?
Napoleon Dynamite: Whatever I feel like I wanna do. Gosh!

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Crazy Credits

The opening credits are made entirely of various items such as plates of food, a notebook, pencils, and a roll of chapstick.

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Connections

Spoofs Taxi Driver (1976)

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Soundtracks

"We're Going to be Friends"
Written by Jack White
Performed by The White Stripes
Courtesy of Third Man Records/V2 Records/XL Recordings

User Reviews

You have to "get it" before you find it funny. And it is VERY funny.

The love/hate reactions I've seen do not surprise me at all. This movie is very different, it's own style... and it is PURE GENIUS. But it's definitely not for everyone... you have to back off and understand the mood and general feel of the movie before you have the context to find the actions of the characters funny. Then you will "get it". And what is this context I'm referring to? This movie explores the very essence of boredom and mediocrity as you follow the daily life of a dorky guy doing uninteresting things in a small, unexciting town. Napolean's constant, open-mouth, blank stare says, "I'm only tolerating this monotonous existence because I've got nothing better to do." It took me about 15 minutes into the movie and then I GOT it. The movie has no real plot because it isn't about an interesting story, it's about the real life that exists BETWEEN the interesting stories. Ever call up your bud because you're bored, then talk about what you're not doing, then decide to get together and be bored together, and spend the remainder of the evening trying to think of something to do to no avail? This movie is about this very type of thing... a tribute to the ordinary every-day stuff that you have no reason or desire to remember... like eating reheated leftover Hamburger Helper, or that old shirt you wear when you're working that you're not afraid to get dirty, or some magazine you flipped through to pass the time in the dentist's waiting room.

I constantly found myself saying, "This all seems too strangely familiar. I knew a guy like that. I've done stuff like that. I've been to a store like that. I've been in a house like that." This isn't the kind of movie to make you suddenly laugh out loud, it's a movie that will first make you chuckle, and then chuckle some more, and pretty soon you can't stop laughing as scenes and characters continuously remind you about the absurdity of watching random, stupid pointlessness. Why would something boring be interesting to watch? You'll just have to see it to understand.