Dir: Jared Hess. Starring: Jon Heder, Efren Ramirez, Aaron Ruell, Tina Majorino, Diedrich Bader.
Are you fed up with comedies where the central character’s supposed to be a bit of an idiot, has trouble finding a woman, and yet just happens to look like a movie star who gets paid ten million a flick, and who would in reality have women throw themselves at him at every opportunity?
Then Napoleon Dynamite’s the film for you. Celebrating Geekdom in it’s extreme, Jon Heder’s got to be this years most unlikeliest anti-hero by far, all giant curly hair, goothy teeth, and a habit for getting pissed off over the slightest incident. He lives with his grandmother, and older brother Kip, until Grandma’s involved in a motorbike accident and Tupperware salesman Uncle Rico moves in to help look after them.
There’s a very slight narrative to the film, which concerns Napoleon and best and only friend Pedro trying to find dates for the school disco, but really it’s a selection of skits featuring Napoleon lurch from one situation to the next. It’s charming though, and importantly it never feels forced, the film ponders along at it’s own pace, and is delightfully funny. Occasionally the humour is slightly squeamish, and you’ll certainly feel for Napoleon in places, but most of the time it’s good natured and genuinely very very funny.
Not a conventional comedy by any means, but if you fancy seeing something a little different than Hollywood usually offers up, something with charm and which manages to be consistently innovative and surprising all the way through, then Napoleon Dynamite is the film for you.
Alex Finch.
Comments?
Contact Us - About Us - Recommended Links - More Links - Forums - Search This Site