What’s great is even though Napoleons insanity would be a bit too much for me, Deb is a bit awkward, but not anywhere near his level. She reminds me of a few of my best friends. Seeing her nod with that little smile is like seeing a best friend fall in love with someone who would never let them down.
My favourite thing about Napoleon Dynamite is this final scene. Everything in the film builds up to it. There's not a mean bone in this films body. Not even the characters are Hollywood mean. The main antagonists do little more than trade insults and a one off racist remark. Don makes fun of Napoleon and Napoleon later throws a button he asks Don for and Don simply shrugs it off and walks away. There's nothing vicious or hate fueled about anything done. Sure, there are bullies in it, but that's real life and they have no effect on life outside of their respective areas (like Don in school) and it's nothing that actually permanently affects the characters. It's all harmless at its core and that core has a warm heart at its center. But the VERY best thing that makes the movie is what this scene represents: After all the trials and tribulations faced in the film, Napoleon ends the film exactly the same. Not in a mocking "loser" sense, but to show he never sold himself out. Napoleon never tried changing to fit in. Sure, he lied to the cool kids, not to fit in, but to try to convince them he did things just as important as them, even if they weren't true. Everyone knows the feeling of being uncool and saying something to show you aren't some mega loser. You don't do it to fit in, you do it to say you and the things you do matter. Napoleon doesn't care for popularity or even normality. He has his own world and he just wants to show he is someone, in and out of it. At the end of the film, Napoleon doesn't care to be cool or fit in. He cares about playing tetherball and spending time with Deb. Napoleon is content with who he is and the film doesn't change him to make a generic happy ending where he's suddenly the loser turned cool kid or suddenly fits in or whatever. He's still a geek. He's still dealing with flippin' idiots. He's still Napoleon. And that's not saying he got no character development, it's showing he didn't need it in that way. Most people seem to have moved past this movie, as it was a big trend for a while and then died, but I never moved past it. I genuinely loved it at its core from the first time I saw it back in 2005 as a seventh grader and still do, even more, to this day. Not in that "ironic" way. It's really a wonderful movie because it never tried being more than what it was and never tried being an unrealistic (if ridiculous) romcom or anything. It never felt forced or unnaturally resolved and not all the problems of the characters are gone at the end. They'll all still go on with their lives and have day to day problems. Napoleon, Deb, and Pedro will go back to school and still be outcasts and made fun of but they don't care because they're uncompromising and just want to live their lives. Everything about this film was done properly. Every actor was perfectly cast. Every line was perfectly delivered. Every scene felt natural (again, if ridiculous.) But the ending is where all of that culminates. It's just a nice scene of the same Napoleon and same Deb at a nice little park playing tetherball together and smiling as the film zooms out to the perfect song for the moment.
You summed it up so perfectly. I've talked to a few people who cannot stand this movie and to each their own. But I've loved it since I first saw it, a true one off.
Looking back I can say that the end of high school is the end of childhood. I was in the military 2 weeks after my high school graduation. By the time I came back home, I was a completely different person. After seeing the real world the magic I had in my childhood home....... was gone. Life is still awesome, but it is all different through adult eyes. KIDS....... relish your high school days because it is the last of the magical days.
This is probably the most beautiful ending to a comedy movie I've seen behind the ending to tootsie. I just love the wonderful shot of napoleon and deb playing together as the camera slowly zooms out and my favorite song from the 80s accompanies their game of tetherball.
This scene is perfect from beginning to end, in nearly every way for me. Starts with Deb's smile. Napoleon's semi-non sequitur given where he is. When and where did he catch this delicious bass? More importantly, he did it for Deb, and her smile widens. They could be in or near relationship status, but it's just as likely they're just good friends. Then, "Wanna play me?". But what's he asking here? It could be subtle and sly and even subconscious way of asking "wanna be gf and bf?", but again it's just as likely tetherball is the only thing on his mind. And Deb happily accepts. Then the tetherball game itself starts, and the way this plays out is significant. It starts awkwardly, with neither player seeming to be very skillful or competitive. If it ended with them awkwardly playing I'm sure the audience would unironically go "awwww, those two cute nerds, sure they suck but they suck together it's so sweet" but then Napoleon reminds us of who he is. Suddenly, Napoleon turns on and shows his "sweet skills", masterfully setting up the ball and hitting it with legit power. He intentionally aims the ball away from Deb to keep her out of harm's way. After the ball wraps around the pole, they high five like good friends. Scene ends. Now while all this is happening, pay attention to the music and the camera work. The song is a perfect choice, the 80s vibe matching the tone and setting, the lyrics expressing a promise to make someone fall in love even though they're awkward. The camera pans out and we see the beautiful landscape, sky, and lighting. It reminds me of how beautiful the world looked to me as a kid, and really shows off the setting. I could go on and on about this scene alone but I've said enough about it. This is a great scene.
This movie is genius and so simple should've won an Oscar. Also proves don't need special effects to make a great movie. Hell of alot better than any Michael bay trash.
What’s interesting is that I would probably never end up as friends with Napoleon, because he’d be a bit too much for me... But Deb is exactly the kind of person that would be my best friend. Her level of awkwardness is the same level as a lot of my favorite people, and I feel a stronger connection with her than most characters from any media. So the movie for me is less about seeing Napoleon get the girl, but the Deb getting the guy. When I see her nod and smile, I’m so happy for her. I can watch it over and over.
Grew up not far from the placed they filmed this, have not lived there in decades, at the ending when they are pulling away and you see the mountains, I got such a nostalgia pang.......
WalleywolfIdaho I grew up in the Sandpoint area and I remember watching this movie in the 7th grade and how we quoted it ALL the time and eventually as I got older I realized that this movie nails what it's like to live small town Idaho.. DEEP nostalgia every time these scene comes on
