Very funny and quite oddball. I love it!

Here's a review from a 40+ year old man. I've read lots of reviews of this movie that absolutely trash it. And obviously, it's become quite a "cult" hit amongst a younger crowd. In fact, it was my 17 year old son who insisted my wife and I see it. And we immediately loved it, from the delightful opening credits to Napoleon's first line "Whatever I feel like doing! Gosh!!"

It’s a simple plot. The unlikely-named Napoleon Dynamite is a high-school student who travels through life as a modest outcast, yet manages to find interests and activities that bring him some satisfaction. The movie more or less follows him through what seems to be a fair chunk of one school year, and charts his modest stumbles and accomplishments. No one undergoes monumental changes…but lots of folks undergo subtle transformations.

The critics who have trashed it frequently say that it makes fun of its characters...that it condescends to them. I'm surprised at that attitude. In so many movies, oh, let's cite "Revenge of the Nerds" as an archetypical example, the "nerds" are losers who aren't really. They're just different from the jocks or the "beautiful people," but by the end, they've changed, become winners and made fools of the bad guys. Everyone learns a lesson.

The fact is, these movies are untruthful, however "uplifting" they may be. We all know that in life, there ARE "losers." People with not a whole lot to offer the world in general. Napoleon and his family and friends ARE losers. And Napoleon KNOWS it. He doesn't seem to dream of being accepted. His ambitions (to draw, to be a martial artist / bow staff wielder, etc.) are things he is deluded about, but he seems to know it.

The movie isn't about how Napoleon rises from the lower depths to become some sort of hero. Essentially, we see him pull himself up by his own moonboot-straps, primarily to take a few steps into to a world where he connects with people. He's not about taking on society or arguing that he's "different but just as worthy", as the NERDS movies would.

When his brother Kip takes him to a Tae Kwon Do class, Napoleon is inspired by the ridiculous owner's words, "Everyone needs a buddy, no more flying solo." He goes out and makes friends with the friendless Pedro, and says to him, "We're pretty much buddies now, right? So you've got my back and stuff, right?" Napoleon just wants someone to have his back and vice-versa.

Later in the movie, Napoleon shows his character when he gets Pedro's back by providing entertainment during the school elections. I won't say more, except to say that Napoleon's bravery and reluctance are palpable in the hilarious and touching scene.

And what about his "enemies?" There is one jock who beats up on Napoleon for no good reason, and this guy never really gets a comeuppance. This guy doesn't get any support from others at school, either, and we certainly know that this "jock" is a loser too.

Part of this comes from the fact that the movie is set in a small town in an "obscure" state (Idaho), that appears to offer few prospects to anyone. No one dreams of going to Hollywood or becoming a star or a computer whiz, doctor, etc. etc. There aren't any dreams. (Although, to Napoleon and Pedro's credit, they seem to have quite a knack at agriculture...which may be what lays in their future; Deb is a natural entrepreneur.)

Napoleon, basically, is a loser comfortable in his own skin, and beneath his sullenness, is...a sullen teenager. He's a pain in the neck sometimes, but through his modest strength of character, he makes a close friend, and takes tentative (and VERY sweetly convincing) steps towards a first romance. But only tentative...the final shot of him playing tether ball with his female friend Deb tells us all we need to know about how ready he may or may not be for love.

Also, this is a rare movie that shows people who don't have a lot of money. The lack of money is dealt with constantly (they can't afford martial arts lessons, an extra car, a new suit, etc.) This is very refreshing, because in most movies dealing with teens, most of the kids (winners and losers alike) aren't exactly hurting for money.

The movie is packed with indelible characters (each more self-deluded than the next) and gentle affirmations of how there is someone for everyone...even Napoleon's more hapless brother Kip. It's also very funny (Napoleon teaching himself to dance, the farmer shooting his cow, the llama, Uncle Rico's almost pathological desire to travel back in time, etc.)

I don't know why this movie connects to today's teens. I'm not a teen, after all. But I sure see teens I know in Napoleon. His bursts of "Idiot!" ring quite true. But I appreciate the quiet, unexpected heart of the movie, and I believe the filmmakers aren't poking fun at these characters...they are just staying true to who they are. I also appreciate that the film is PG rated and doesn't need to show teens all obsessed with sex, drugs, inappropriate music, etc. They probably are, but the filmmakers aren't interested in examining the usual...they're shedding a little light in humorous corners we don't usually look.

This is a funny and touching film. Should appeal to any teen or parent of a teen anywhere.