Napoleon Dynamite | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

72% Tomatometer 175 Reviews 74% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings

In small-town Preston, Idaho, awkward teen Napoleon Dynamite (Jon Heder) has trouble fitting in. After his grandmother is injured in an accident, his life is made even worse when his strangely nostalgic uncle, Rico (Jon Gries), shows up to keep an eye on him. With no safe haven at home or at school, Napoleon befriends the new kid, Pedro (Efren Ramirez), a morose Hispanic boy who speaks little English. Together the two launch a campaign to run for class president.

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Napoleon Dynamite

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Critics Consensus

A charming, quirky, and often funny comedy.

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Critics Reviews

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Napoleon Dynamite | Rotten Tomatoes (1) Nell Minow Common Sense Media One-of-a-kind high school comedy for the family. Rated: 4/5 Dec 26, 2010 Full Review Napoleon Dynamite | Rotten Tomatoes (2) J. R. Jones Chicago Reader For most of its length this delivers a steady stream of uncomfortable gut laughs. Jul 24, 2007 Full Review Napoleon Dynamite | Rotten Tomatoes (3) Dave Calhoun Time Out It's a cast of brilliant caricatures, and as such recalls the films of Wes Anderson. Jun 24, 2006 Full Review Napoleon Dynamite | Rotten Tomatoes (4) Rob Gonsalves Rob's Movie Vault Those looking for credible developments should steer clear: the movie is all about the moment, the juxtaposition of the sublime and the absurd. Rated: B Sep 19, 2022 Full Review Napoleon Dynamite | Rotten Tomatoes (5) Mike Massie Gone With The Twins The soundtrack is casual, catchy, and sensationally fitting, complementing the alternating weirdness and sweetness of the incredibly singular personas onscreen. Rated: 10/10 Nov 7, 2020 Full Review Napoleon Dynamite | Rotten Tomatoes (6) Mark Jackson Epoch Times Geek extraordinaire Napoleon thinks he's dynamite, wearing his brown velour suit and other 1970s fashion faux pas like they were bestowed on him to be cooler-than-you in. You will be inspired to likewise walk to the beat of your own drum. Rated: 4/5 May 17, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Tyler C “Napoleon Dynamite” is directed by Jared Hess and is a poignant film of awkward and socially isolated characters trying to get by. The film’s themes of awkwardness and loneliness are something that everyone can understand in their adolescence even if they weren’t the geeky nerd like Napoleon Dynamite.One great pro of the film is that all of the characters seem to be played by “no-name actors” which makes sense given the film’s indie debut as a student film project. This really amps the comical awkwardness of its characters as you know deep down that the actors themselves were “nobodies” too, rather than seeing a big-name actor trying to “roleplay as a loser” which could leave a stinge of mental dysphoria in buying the premise of the movie that a big name actor could really be “a loser.” The social change that this film portrays is about nerd culture and the ostracization that they can feel and the loneliness and awkwardness that comes with it. In comparison to a film like “Do the Right Thing” by Spike Lee, Napoleon Dynamite reflects more on what it means to accept oneself over what it means to accept others even though both films are pop culture comedic films.However, the greatest pro of the film that everyone has come to know and love is its humor and comedy, which takes on what I’d call “Second-hand embarrassment humor” and is one of the earliest pioneers of this style of humor that people have come to love in other media, such as “The Office” show series. The film is great at making you feel like you’re reliving your own awkward past as you relive it through Napoleon Dynamite. Beneath the awkward humor, the film is about accepting yourself and the final culmination of Napoleon Dynamite’s dance for Pedro’s election serves for this thematic message. I can appreciate this dual nature of the film as it’s not just cheesy and fun humor, but deep down the movie still has a message it wants to tell and I believe that’s why people have come to really appreciate this movie. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 10/12/24 Full Review Oaklee D An enjoyable film, but I found it nowhere near as funny as what people are suggesting. Rated 3/5 Stars • Rated 3 out of 5 stars 10/05/24 Full Review r r The Hero Within: A Lesson from Napolean Dynamite As a person who loves awkward comedy in movies, I am disappointed to say this was my first time watching Napoleon Dynamite. Although bewildering at times, this film is a certified masterpiece. This cult classic was produced by Jeremy Coon, Chris Wyatt, and Sean Covel, written by Jared and Jerusha Hess, and directed by Jared Hess. It was released in 2004, and I am embarrassed that I watched it for the first time 20 years later. This movie is so great because while it is hilarious, it also serves to teach about the hero within all of us. This indie comedy is set in Preston Idaho during the early 2000s and follows Napoleon’s journey through the school year. Napolean (Jon Heder) is a quirky, awkward kid who befriends an equally awkward boy named Pedro (Efren Ramirez) who decides to run for class president. As the year goes on, we get to watch napoleons journey of nonconformity and remaining true to himself. The lighthearted tone to this movie was perfect for the time that it was created. Being released a couple years after 9/11, it provided people with an escape from the serious and political films of the era. Giving people a laugh during a serious and stressful time is what helped turn this movie into a classic. Not only is this film funny, but it provides a powerful message to spark social change. Watching Napoleons' journey taught me that anyone can be the hero, you just must remain true to yourself. In most films the underdog is usually smart, charming, or attractive setting unrealistic standards for life. However, with the release of this film, it paved the way for a new character type that more accurately reflects the world. In the end, this movie helped teach the lesson that anybody can be the hero of their own story. The message of being accepting reminds me of Spike lees “Do the Right Thing”. Although that film did not end on the high note that Napolean dynamite did, it still pushes the message that we should be accepting of one another. With such a diverse array of characters, we see the direct effects of being different and not accepting of it. Down the road, it leads to violence, which is why it is so important to realize that we are all human. The best part of the movie, to me, is their use of deadpan humor. This cinematic device was a smart choice from Jared Huss and is what makes the movie great. Seeing Napolean unbothered by bizarre situations or nonchalantly trying to flirt with deb is part of what makes the movie so funny. There aren't many movies that make use of deadpan humor, perhaps because it can be difficult to execute. However, this film did it perfectly, and I wish there were more like it. At the end of the day, the greatness of this film is undeniable. This is one of my new favorite movies, and I can't believe it took me until today to see it. If you are like me and have been living under a rock, do yourself a favor and see this movie. I would rate it higher than a 10/10 if that were possible. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/01/24 Full Review Comedy S My favorite movie of all time. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/26/24 Full Review Nick R Hilarious comedy, goofy acting, and just dumb fun! This movie is classic and can be quoted endlessly, while also setting the bar for indie filmmaking. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/18/24 Full Review Audience Member pointless and slow. over hyped. must be a troll movie Rated 0.5/5 Stars • Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 09/15/24 Full Review Read all reviews

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Cast & Crew

Jared Hess Director Jon Heder Napoleon Dynamite Jon Gries Uncle Rico Aaron Ruell Kip Dynamite Efren Ramirez Pedro Tina Majorino Deb
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Synopsis In small-town Preston, Idaho, awkward teen Napoleon Dynamite (Jon Heder) has trouble fitting in. After his grandmother is injured in an accident, his life is made even worse when his strangely nostalgic uncle, Rico (Jon Gries), shows up to keep an eye on him. With no safe haven at home or at school, Napoleon befriends the new kid, Pedro (Efren Ramirez), a morose Hispanic boy who speaks little English. Together the two launch a campaign to run for class president.

Director
Jared Hess

Producer
Jeremy Coon, Chris Wyatt, Sean Covel

Screenwriter
Jared Hess, Jerusha Hess

Distributor
Fox

Production Co
Access Films, Napoleon Pictures Limited

Rating
PG (Thematic Elements|Language)

Genre
Comedy

Original Language
English

Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 17, 2004, Original

Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 14, 2014

Box Office (Gross USA)
$44.5M

Runtime
1h 26m

Sound Mix
Surround

Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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