Vote for Pedro ⭐

Napoleon Dynamite is the movie of my generation. It’s probably the most unorthodox movie on my “Top 10 Favorite Movies” list, but it’s also the one movie I knew I had to put on my list no matter what. With it being as high as number five on my list. Today is my birthday and Napoleon Dynamite is the movie I’ve selected to share with everyone. I actually had no idea Napoleon Dynamite even existed when it first came out in 2004. At 9 years old, I wasn’t exactly paying attention to quirky teen movies. Even though the movie was a “sleeper hit” that a lot of people were talking about. It actually took me 4 years to finally see the movie and it changed my life. I probably would have seen it eventually, but it actually wasn’t my choice the first time. My 7th grade social studies teacher showed us Napoleon Dynamite as a reward movie near the end of the semester. Needless to say everybody loved it, but little did I know it would end up being one of my favorite movies. I knew I wanted to watch it again, so I showed it to my brother and he loved it as well. I became such a big fan of the movie that I watched it every time it came on TV. To the point where I memorized every line of dialogue in the movie…

Napoleon (right) and Pedro (left) pass out flyers

Napoleon Dynamite actually doesn’t have a plot. In the way that when you really think about it, nothing of particular importance happens in the movie. There’s no major conflict or explicit character development to speak of. There are minor conflicts of course, and a few characters change a little bit by the end, but Napoleon Dynamite is really more of a series of unrelated events. Events following the daily lives of these quirky characters who live in Preston, Idaho. Napoleon Dynamite is an unpopular outcast with a variety of quirks. He’s tall, wears glasses, has curly blonde hair, and his eyes are usually half open. Napoleon also never smiles or shows much emotion. His skills include doodling mythical creatures, warriors, and the occasional liger (“bred for its skills in magic”). He also enjoys dancing, playing tether ball, and eating tater tots. While his pet peeves include forgetting to wear chapstick, feeding the family llama Tina, and bullies. Along the way Napoleon makes friends with Pedro and Deb. Pedro is an equally unpopular, mostly monotone, hispanic student whose just moved to Idaho. Deb is a shy girl who wears a one sided ponytail and works as a glamor shot photographer. Napoleon also has an unusual home life. He lives with his adult brother Kip, who spends most of his day chatting online with babes, and grandma, who gets injured at the beginning of the movie. So their Uncle Rico, an ex-football player who lives in the past, has to look after them. The biggest plot points involve a school dance where Napoleon and Pedro try to look for dates. And a school election where Pedro runs against popular girl Summer. Aside from that, every other scene in the movie is mostly random. The only minor conflict in the movie is with Uncle Rico messing with Napoleon’s life. Napoleon Dynamite is a comedy that gets most of its humor from unusual offbeat situations. With every character contributing in some way to the movies humor. Now that you know the story, this is why it’s the movie of my generation…

Napoleon (right) dances with Deb (left)

Napoleon Dynamite is one of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen. When I watched it the first time, I could barely contain my laughter. I feel like every generation has a movie that everyone knows and quotes all the time. My classmates used to quote Napoleon Dynamite all the time. One of my friends even dressed up as Napoleon for a school dance. It’s the main reason I love the movie so much. Napoleon Dynamite is rated PG and all my teenage friends still appreciated it. Napoleon was funny because he said things like gosh, idiot, flippin, and fat lard. Just about every line of dialogue in Napoleon Dynamite is quotable for one reason or another. I could try to quote all the best lines, but there are far too many to name. The offbeat soundtrack is also a highlight. As a character, Jon Heder gave Napoleon a distinctly hilarious personality. Since I’ve seen the movie so many times, I learned to perfectly imitate Napoleon and every other character in the movie. Fun fact, I actually did a Pedro impression during my drama club’s goodbye speech. There just such oddball characters that make me laugh every time. As I’ve mentioned, Napoleon Dynamite is filled with many uniquely random moments. The opening title sequence that uses found objects like food and school supplies. The “Happy Hands Club,” the Rex Kwon Do scene (“bow to your sensei!”), Napoleon getting a job, wearing a brown suit for his school dance, the time machine scene, the lunch room scene, and of course the election. Which ends with what is easily the most iconic moment of the movie. When Napoleon dances for Pedro’s skit. It’s such a famous dance that I hope to learn one day. Lets just say I’m definitely voting for Pedro. There’s also a bit of romance between Napoleon and Deb. Who make an adorkable couple. As well as the bizarre pairing of Kip and his internet girlfriend LaFawnduh. Kip being a pail nerd and LaFawnduh being a tall black lady. The odd couple dynamic is hilarious (don’t miss the after credit scene). Napoleon Dynamite originated from a short called Peluca (also directed by Jared Hess) and it became so popular that it spawned a short lived animated series. Napoleon Dynamite is such an accidental success that I dare call it genius. Though there are some people who didn’t get the movie. All I’ll say is, as long as you accept the deadpan randomness of the movie, you’ll enjoy it. What I really love about Napoleon Dynamite is how relatable it is. Being a bit of a nerd who loves drawing and dancing. I feel like the movie was made especially for me. If Napoleon Dynamite has any moral, it’s to always be yourself no matter how weird you might be.

Napoleon dances