NAPOLEON DYNAMITE | FIRST TIME WATCHING | MOVIE REACTION! 

I'm just now starting this reaction, but had to first say: oh man, I cannot wait to see Mary's utter bewilderment at this movie.

This movie is a bit weird because it depicts the oddity of some parts of middle America where life is a bit slower and personalities can be quirky. The moment I watched this movie it reminded me of when I lived in rural Idaho where friendships were deep but activities were bland and nothing really happened there of state or national importance. It sort of took that vibe from these areas and amplified the humorous aspects of it.

This movie is lightning in a bottle, I wouldn't expect another like it ever. It's a slice of Americana, a condensation of the director's childhood stories.

This was a movie that resonated the most with high school kids. It's weird and quirky, but they somehow captured the awkwardness of high school, and I think kids related to that. Everyone in high school when this movie came out was saying "gosh!" or "flippin' sweet" in the Napoleon Dynamite voice.

Thank you, Mary! 🦙 This was quite the cultural touchstone 19 years ago. I adore this sort of quirkiness.

"Your mom goes to college." That is my favorite line from the movie.😂

"I get diarrhea from whole" is the most hilarious/relatable thing I've ever heard Mary say.

The first time I watched this movie I thought it was just plain stupid. I watched it again a couple months later with my young daughter and we laughed out loud so many times. Now I love it.

The scene where Uncle Rico throws the steak at Napoleon on the bike-priceless! The time machine, also. Napoleon enduring the shock. LOL. Loved your reaction!

fyi, "Vote for Pedro" and Napoleon's dance were memes before memes had a name.

The scene where Kip rolls over the bowl and says "DANG IT!!!", has to be the funniest scene in this movie LOL!! Also, the guy eating eh sandwhich talking about he arrow head, that was 100% genuine LOL!! There are some RU-vid videos of him from after the movie came out

Knock it off Napoleon, make yourself a dang quesadilla!

One of my favourite offbeat comedies. No idea why. I can happily sit down and watch it every time I see it pop up on TV.

This movie is such a weird one, because people sometimes hate this movie on first watch and then love it on second watch. I really enjoyed it a ton because at its heart, it's a weird and quirky movie about people with few redeeming qualities, but that you find yourself rooting for without fully understanding why. The ending always makes me happy and lifts my spirits, and you wish a great dance really could solve all your life's problems. If you liked this movie and want weird movies, you should give Wes Anderson a try. I'd love to see you react to Moonrise Kingdom or Rushmore.

A lot of the situations were based on things that happened in the directors family growing up. His mom was embarrassed when she first saw it, but it's still a classic because it's so real

One of my favorites of all time and I don’t know why. It’s just so awkward and funny 😂

Grew up with a kid whose brother was just like Napoleon. Had the same speech pattern, mannerisms, and everything. He even had the winter boots. I think they were called “moon boots” in the 80’s.

Jon Heder, who played Napoleon, was also in the movie Blades of Glory with Will Ferrell.

Before even watching this let me say, this is one of my all time favorite offbeat comedies of all time. Uncle Rico, what can I say? Makes the movie for me.

For me, this film is almost a documentary. For the director, it’s almost an autobiography. Elements taken from the director’s real life include the film’s title, being the only boy in a sign language class, homemade dress with puffy sleeves, etc. His relatives, teachers and neighbors populate the film’s cast.

I grew up Mormon in Portland, Oregon. Because of that, family and other stuff took us to Idaho and Utah on a fairly regular basis. Lots of Mormons have family in those states. This movie did a good job of showing what it was like. Every time I went it felt like going 20 years into the past. When this movie was made in early 2000s it still felt like the 1980s in Idaho. 😂

the movie is a slice of life in small town, rural americana (there are small towns...then there are small towns in truly rural areas. there's definitely a difference). the low energy is to show the awkwardness of teens and to show how much slower and more mundane rural america is.

This film feels like when I was in 5th grade, 1992. It came out when I graduated from University but it was the biggest movie with the high school kids, and that "Vote For Pedro" t-shirt was everywhere.

This movie was like a cultural phenomenon when it came out. The comedy is so understated and intentionally awkward. At the same time, there's so many hallmarks of just being a dumb kid growing up in a small town in this film that take me back to middle and high school. It's good to see that no matter the country, some things are constant in teenagers. And yes, the midwest of the United States is full of very wide-open areas where lots of the space is taken by farmland, pastures, etc. It's quite beautiful honestly.

7:32 Tater tots and kroketten are different. Kroketten exists in America too, but we call it croquettes. Tater tots are made from potato (hence, "tater", as in "po-taters"). Tater tots are just hash browns in nugget form. And @9:55, those aren't fried calamari, those are fried onion rings. Onion rings are sold at every burger place. Calamari wouldn't be sold at burger joints and are harder to find.

The actor who played Uncle Rico is in a lot of stuff, including Real Genius(1985) and Taken I, II, & III. The actor who played Pedro is in the Crank movies with Jason Statham.

As a parent of a child on the autism spectrum, I watch for characters that are autistic. This movie usually tops lists of movies with autistic characters. I've seen this described as "an entire movie that's autistic".

I had to give you a thumbs up for not only knowing those 80's songs, but knowing the A-Team theme. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 Cheers!

The director, Jared Hess, followed this movie up with another funny, quirky comedy with Jack Black called “Nacho Libre”. That would be a good one for you to react to. Another comedy which stars Jon Heder, the actor who plays Napoleon Dynamite, is “Blades of Glory,” which about two male figure skaters who team up to compete in the Olympics. That would also be a good one to react to.

Mary much of the US is sparsely populated. I'm in North Eastern Minnesota and once you get into farm lands it is a house/farm every so often. Main county highways have more houses but once you are off them into less traveled areas the number of people really goes down.

I saw a comment on another reaction about why the town in this movie seems out of time. It's a phenomenon (can't think of the term) that happens in small rural towns. Where the fashion and other pop culture things are 10 to 20 years behind the rest of the country, specifically in the US, I believe that they exist all over the first world nations, though. The awkward vibes and the phenomenon I mention really make for unique film that, I feel, stood the test of time.

Gentlemen Broncos is a movie with a similar vibe. Worthy of a look imo

The actress that played Deb also starred as the little girl in Water World.

They're actually called tater tots. Potato -> potater -> tater. Tater Tots is actually a registered trademark for a specific brand, although it was so popular it has become a generic term like Kleenex for tissues. I doubt the school used the brand name deep fried potato cylinders. Probably some cheap off-brand instead.

This is such a sweet, quirky, fun little movie, i love it!

16:46 One of the rare instances that subtitles really actually ruin the gag. You were supposed to struggle understanding wtf he was saying, and rewind it over and over and debate with your friends what it was (like the rest of us). The subtitles robbed you the full experience. 😂

I loved this movie so much. When it came out, I remember I was at a party, had a bit too much to drink, and I was pulling everyone aside saying “You’ve GOT to see Napoleon Dynamite!”

Such a great film, and Dedrich Bader (Drew Carey Show, Office Space, Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back) as Rex just cracks me up! Jon Heder was also in the last Tremors film, though I almost didn't recognize him!

I remember when this came out. It is the type of movie you either love or hate. I saw it in the theaters 15 times. Then afterwards when it came out on DVD, whenever I was feeling down I'd pop it on. I'd It's the most ridiculous movie but I couldn't get enough! And you can't help but smile when the dance scene at the end comes on!

“Davey 🖕 this is for you”

This movie is such a one of a kind. It cracks me up so hard every time. I'm impressed that you enjoyed it. I'm sure it was a bit strange to watch for a European. All I can say to explain it is that in some far-away corners of the US, like rural Idaho, there are still remote towns like this where you can see rolling hills and mountains for like 100 km that just always seem to stay a few decades behind the times. This movie really captured that in a hilarious way.

This is a very quirky movie and it's very American. I'm not sure if it's suited for you. Statisticians actually have used this movie to coin a term; "The Napoleon Dynamite effect". It's because algorithms can't predict whose going to like this film. I really like it as it reminds me so much of my high school years even though they happened in the 70s. See... the Napoleon Dynamite Effect. This movie is about geeks and not only was I one all my friends were also geeks. If you want another movie from the geek chic genre try "Gentlemen Broncos."

If you like quirky movies like this that follow the characters day to day more than tell a story I HIGHLY recommend Me and You and Everyone We Know. I never see reactions to it, which is a shame since it's such a gem.

This is AMERICANA era late 80s early 90s nostalgia.....movie made in 2000s😊

I'm afraid to say that Mary does the voice pretty well. I would definitely watch Belgian Dynamite. LOL

part of the indie awkward teen wave of movies

I don't know what to say about this film but I will. It turns the biggest nerd into a hero. There is so little happening it actually makes sense brilliantly. The subtleties speak volumes in their own ways. And the soundtrack. I can tell that we are going to be friends 🎵

This was such a hilarious movie. But in a really low-key way.

Kip actually having a hot internet girlfriend is a pretty funny gag.

This was one of my favorite movies when it came out. Very original and quirky. Mary - you mentioned that you may be interested in seeing other movies of this genre. Check out Gentlemen Broncos. It's from the same director as Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre.

The peak portrayal of nerds in the early-2000s. Also the school is fairly large because it likely serves all grades

I have family in Preston. Idaho, where this film takes place and is based on. When it was screened my relatives saw the film. the film maker was worried that the humor was a dud because no one laughed at the screening and when asked residents thought that it was a parody of them since this is EXACTLY how Preston, ID is. Luckily people outside of southern Idaho thought it was funny and its been a classic ever since. Preston warmed up after its positive reception and for a long time they had a festival once a year called "Napoleon Dynamite Days" where you could get pics with uncle ricos van, tina the llama, go to the rex quan do gym and tour the town and see the sites.

The girl who plays Deb was in the EPIC Kevin Costner film WATERWORLD.

He didn't make her a cake. He built her a cake. LOL

So glad that you reacted to this! I saw the first half of this movie at a friends place. I had the exact same thing in my head - I don't know what I just watched. But it hooked me to the point where I had to go and buy the movie to watch the rest of it. And now it's a favourite. Thanks for your awesome reaction as always.😊

One of my most favourite films 😁 😁

I worked with couple of people who went to Preston high and they said this movie is pretty accurate in its depiction. 😂😂😂

This is a movie one either loves or hates. There is no middle ground.

I love when Kip just drives off after crushing the bowl. The best part is she was gonna buy no matter what because he offered her that great ship in a bottle! :D

Not random people asked to prom in the vast majority of cases. The students know each other from going to school in the same grades/ schools through grade school (8 yrs) before they even get to high school. Mostly people just go with whoever is their girl/boy friend at the time. Enjoyed the reaction. 🙂

Love it. It's a quirky sense of humor but enjoyable

The actor who played Uncle Rico is a vegetarian. He was constantly eating steak through the entire movie so if you watch closely you can see him spit it into napkins while pretending to wipe his mouth. Right after he throws the steak in Napoleon's face you can see him spit out a chunk and drop it on the plate next to him.

I watched this movie with a friend when I was a freshman in uni. I dunno what came into my head but... I printed HUNDREDS of "Vote for Pedro" flyers and asked my friend to help me tape them on walls all over the campus. We spent hours doing it, even in classrooms and toilets, the roofs, emergency exits... poor campus staff spent days collecting them... you could find some flying around for weeks... ah... youth's folly 🤣🤣

Yeah the U.S. is so big that between the big cities and small towns, there's always a time lag as decades change. This movie is from 2004, but it's set in rural Idaho, they were still in the 90's there at this time.

Idaho is roughly the size(and shape) of Great Britain and there are some parallels in its geography. Mountains in the north, a big river basin and farmland in the south. But everything turned up to 11. Its a wonder. But the entire population is just a hair more than Hamburg or Antwerp. Less than 2 million. And let me tell you, almost half of that moved to Idaho AFTER this movie came out. The emptiness would be post-apocalyptic if it wasn't for the wildlife.

I saw this movie in my 20's with a bunch of friends when it first came out on DVD and it was an absolute great time. We didn't live in a rural area but it was a smaller town and many parts were relatable. Good times.

It’s like watching Napoleon Dynamite react to Napoleon Dynamite. 😵‍💫

This movie was a sleeper hit. Nobody knew or was talking about it before it came out. I went to see it with my boyfriend when it opened at the theater in Los Angeles and it was empty, there were only 2 other couples and that's it.

16:47 I don’t know the story exactly, but supposedly they were filing on this man’s land, or he’s familiar with it. His remark about the arrowheads was unscripted, albeit true, as the camera was rolling. At least that’s what I gleaned from a director’s commentary, or something of the like. Thanks for subtitles indeed! Even as a native English speaker, I wouldn’t have had a clue as to what that guy said.

So happy you enjoyed this! I live in the US and graduated high school in 1999 so when I first saw this it reminded me so much of myself in school. I was a lot like Napoleon back then. I've watched this so many times I know it by heart 😂

Blades Of Glory is a good one with Napoleon and Will Farrel.

"I still don't know what this movie is about. What am I missing?" 😂 Absolutely nothing, Mary. That's the mystical allure of Napoleon Dynamite.

Mary, please, please watch A FISH CALLED WANDA. Starring John Cleese and Michael Palin (from Monty Python) and Jamie Lee Curtis. An absurdly great diamond heist adventure!

*Napoleon Dynamite was born from this line of comedy films:* the Bill & Ted movies, Wayne's World movies, Kevin Smith movies (Mallrats, Clerks), early Adam Sandler movies (Happy Gilmore, Waterboy), Wes Anderson movies (Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums), as well as films that resisted the popular trends like Office Space, Romy and Michele's High School Reunion, and Election. I think the comedic link of these movies is extreme awkwardness and lots of angst in the characters.

This came out when I was in my early teens and I still quote it sometimes. My wife has caught on and we'll both say "omg get your own tots" at each other xD

I think the only movie that comes close to this in having the same vibe is Pee-wee's Big Adventure == and I think you would utterly enjoy it!!!

14:22 Everytime that Kip brokes that plastic bowl, i remember an old story from my dad in his younger days He used be a door to door salesman in the 70's, and one day they were given to sell refractories dishes for ovens, but they weren't selling so the morale of the group was very low, then the company sent the regional manager to help with the sales. Dad say that they were really excited about it, because they were suppposed to win a big comission if all the refractories were sold. Anyway mr manager took one of the refractories, went to the first house in the block and a middle age woman answered, then he began "good morning, blah blah blah, now you have the oportunity to get one of this ultra durable refractories blah blah blah, and if you are no convinced of its durability, please wait to see a demonstration" the manager proceeds to slam the dish in the concrete, then it broke completely (tempered glass) and the housewife just closed the door. Everybody went silent and the manager came back screaming "pick up all of those f*king garbage and get the f*ck out of here!" Dad quit that job that same day.

This is one of those movies where the first time is just....wtf? But then you rewatch it, and realize how quotable and hilarious it is. "Your mom goes to college..."

Oh by the way Mary: Napoleon's dance at the end wasn't choreographed. Jon Heder just made it up on the spot, essentially. Which makes it even more impressive, honestly.

"I don't know what I watched, but I had a good time," perfect!

The older i get the funnier the scene of Pedro shaving his head gets 😅

I haven’t watched yet- but am about to. If you ended up enjoying this awkward indie vibe, I suggest ‘eagle vs shark’, it’s by the same director that made JoJo Rabbit, and is an awkward love story with deadpan but silly humour like this!

I just graduated from high school two weeks before Napoleon Dynamite came out and this movie was ALL people were talking about. If you were just in high school at the time, I'm surprised you never heard of it (maybe it didn't make a big splash in Belgium at the time). I remember trying to watch it at the time and found it annoying. I had never seen an indie movie like this yet, so it was very weird to me. This movie is the epitome of you either love it or hate it. But I'm a different person now, more open-minded. So, I gave it a watch with your full-length reaction last night and it's actually quite good. The opening credits (1:03) are very creative however the music makes it soooooo dated. It just screams that "2000s indie movie wave" vibe that was all the rage at the time (like the music in "Juno" 2007). Always thought movies from the 2000s are "too modern" to be dated, but nope, it's super dated. But the rest of the movie is quite funny and holds up very well.

Jon Heder (Napoleon) stars in a great comedy called Blades of Glory. He co-stars with Will Ferrell as a wacky ice skating duo. ❤

The other movie with the same director is 'Gentlemen Broncos' it's completely wacky even more than Napoleon Dynamite.

For good low key comedies check out the Wes Anderson universe of movies. Also the Christopher Guest universe is a must.

My first reaction was "what did I just watch", but upon a 2nd and further viewings, I thought it was great. I was also a fan of a couple of the actors from other roles. A few years later, there was a short-lived animated series that had the original actors doing the voiceover.

This takes place in Idaho. Remote, sparsely populated, vast open spaces, lots of farms, but full of life and honey little farm towns.

Jared Hess also directed, "Nacho Libre" & "Masterminds." Another director of films who specializes in the stylistic "dry" "deadpan" humor comedy genre is Wes Andersen. John Heder - (Napoleon) also co-starred w/ Will Ferrell in "Blades of Glory" & Billy Bob Thornton in "School for Scoundrels."

For the Europeans. American children in rural areas ride the same bus to school from age 5-18 unless you get a car and drive yourself to school. Idaho is one of those states that's so far west and north that trends get there way after they are cool, so much of the technology and items are from different times frames that are now starting to be cool in Idaho. So there is a feeling of not knowing when this movie took place. Because Idaho is timelessly out of place. And the USA is huge! My Brit wife couldn't understand Missouri is bigger than England. We drove 3 hours to Branson, Mo and hadnt even left the state. The states get even bigger as you head toward the western side of the country.

The most underrated comedy you should react to: Black Dynamite (a mock blacksploitation film). Funniest comedies of all time: This is Spinal Tap, Borat 1 and 2, and Bruno (by Sacha Baron Cohen the same actor who plays Borat but playing a gay character) Classic comedy for the Holidays: A Christmas Story.

I love this movie, such unique humor.❤

I love everything about your reaction to this Mary. A match made in heaven!

I'm sure someone has said this already but- Nacho Libre! Also by this director. Also a beloved movie to certain people.

Perfect reaction, Mary! I know you think the characters changed through the movie, but I suspect the change was in you! I know that's what happened to me - I fell in love with the characters by the end of the movie.

Lafawdah is a magical creature. She brings luck and happiness to everyone as soon as she arrives.

The first time I watched this movie I thought it was the worst movie. By the fifth time I watched it I thought it was the funniest movie ever! Vote for Pedro!!! 😅

I worked at an independent movie theater growing up. When this movie came out, it had zero...ZERO ticket sails on Friday and Saturday so Sunday was its last day. No tickets sold on Sunday either so after our annual meeting we all watched it. It's defiantly a product of its time but man when its funny its funny! Worth watching it once overall but the ending seals the deal for me. All 7 of us loved it but knew why it wasn't selling. A cult classic now, you either like it or simply dont get it. Glad you enjoyed it ;)

Mary, two movies come to mind that are like this. The first one is "Juno." I think you'll like it. The second one is "The Karate Kid." The original.

Unusual comedies: "Being John Malkovich", and "Stranger Than Fiction" ( starring Will Ferrell )