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, Efren Ramirez, Jon Gries

10 wins & 22 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
Jimmy 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:

high school | family relationships | tater tots | two word title | stuck in the past | 

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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

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 August 2004 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bus otoko

Filming Locations:

Sykesville, Pennsylvania, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fox Searchlight Pictures,Paramount Pictures,MTV Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min 92 min (original)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Two houses were used for the filming of Napoleon's house: one for outdoor shots, and one for indoor shots.

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Goofs

Although Napoleon takes several large gulps from the bottle of Gatorade, the level of liquid never decreases.

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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

There is a 5 minute scene after the credits.

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Connections

Referenced in Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Return: At the Earth's Core (2017)

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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

Not Realistic?

This movie is quite possibly the funniest movie ever. It doesn't have much of a storyline, but in this case, it doesn't matter. I keep reading reviews that say it isn't believable. Anyone who has attended High School in the last 10 years knows that this movie portrays exactly what it is like. Who doesn't know someone exactly like Napoleon? Or Pedro? Or Summer? Or Deb? Or Don? There are Napoleons, Pedros, Summers, Debs, and Dons in EVERY American High School. One of the funniest parts about this movie is that it IS so accurate. And who hasn't run across an internet geek like Kip? This movie is filled with jokes about our culture today. I haven't met one person yet who has seen it and not liked it. Talk about a cult classic in the making. The film uses witty humor, and a little goofy humor. It's the PERFECT film for light comedy. If you're into those kind of films that make you think a lot, this one definitely isn't for you. On the other hand, if you laugh at things like Napoleon getting psyched for a milk-testing contest, or lying about hunting wolverines in Alaska, exaggerating about his bow staff skills or his brother bragging about chatting online with "babes" all day, you can't go wrong. (10/10)