Napoleon Dynamite

     Napoleon Dynamite written and directed by Jared and Jerusha Hess (husband/wife duo) is an insanely popular, cult classic, indie film.  

     If, by some weird circumstance, you haven't seen this yet, I'll warn you up front; it's one of those movies which are so dumb they're funny.  The first time I watched this, I really didn't get why people liked it so much, but you watch it again, and again, and again, and it gets funnier every time.

     This is a perfect example of what makes a good indie film.  Napoleon Dynamite simply relates to a large audience on a personal level.  There are no special effects.  The "big" actors are basically D-list celebrities.  Tina Marjorino (Deb) was in a few things before-the biggest you may know her from is Water World.  Efren Ramirez (Pedro)was actually in a lot of things before Napoleon Dynamite. I didn't even know that until I did this review. Jon Gries (Uncle Rico) had been in a ton of little roles before Napoleon Dynamite, but I didn't recognize him until this movie.  And then there are the cameo-like appearances by Diedrich Badern (Rex the karate guy), and Haylie Duff (Summer), but the movie focuses on the previously unknown actors; namely Jon Heder (Napoleon) and Aaron Ruell (Kip).  

     The Hess duo made this film for the Sundance Film Festival with a budget of $400,000.  This actually kind of surprised me because I thought it was just a couple of idiots with a camera filming in Idaho.  I even went to school with a bunch of the extras in the movie.  Most of the $400,000 went to the D-list actors, though.  Surprisingly, Jon Heder was only paid $1000 for his role as Napoleon!  When the movie grossed over $46 million, he renegotiated, and received fair compensation.

     Okay, so what made this so great?  The plot was basically a loser going through the typical problems of high school in a small town.  Napoleon lives with his grandmother and 32 year-old brother in Preston, Idaho.  When his grandmother breaks her coccyx during a four-wheeling accident, their uncle Rico comes to take care of them and ruins Napoleon's life.

     I thought the movie was supposed to be set in the 80's or 90's, but it was actually supposed to be set in 2004.  The 80's and 90's apparel and ambiance was actually supposed to signify that the small town is out of touch with the rest of the world, and stuck way behind in the times.  I still like to think of it as taking place in my childhood years, though.  The directors wanted to create a feeling of nostalgia with the out of date surroundings.  They could have just as easily said that the film took place back then.

     I guess what makes this film great is the hilariously stupid one-liners.  The story is relatable because nothing fantastic happens.  It's like watching a home movie.  The characters aren't over-acted.  Like I said, I honestly thought it was just a couple of idiots with a camera shooting in the town they grew up in.  It's great because it's so bad.

     The Hess duo followed Napoleon Dynamite with Nacho Libre, with a way larger budget ($32 mil), and less return ($80 mil).  Nacho Libre also has a cult following, but not nearly as big as Napoleon Dynamite did; 2.5 x investment vs 160 x investment. It just goes to show that more money, more well-known actors, and better equipment do not equal a better movie.  

     Napoleon Dynamite taught me that with a different idea, you can be successful.  It doesn't even have to be a good idea, just something that nobody has really done, and that people can relate to.

     I recommend Napoleon Dynamite to anyone who hasn't seen it, but you have to watch it more than once to really get it.  I give it