Napoleon Dynamite

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Napoleon Dynamite

PG

2004

1h 36m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

72%

Tomatometer

172 Reviews

74%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

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

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Critics Consensus

A charming, quirky, and often funny comedy.

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

12/26/2010

4/5

One-of-a-kind high school comedy for the family.

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J. R. Jones

Chicago Reader

07/24/2007

For most of its length this delivers a steady stream of uncomfortable gut laughs.

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Dave Calhoun

Time Out

06/24/2006

It's a cast of brilliant caricatures, and as such recalls the films of Wes Anderson.

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Rob Gonsalves

Rob's Movie Vault

09/19/2022

B

Those looking for credible developments should steer clear: the movie is all about the moment, the juxtaposition of the sublime and the absurd.

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

11/07/2020

10/10

The soundtrack is casual, catchy, and sensationally fitting, complementing the alternating weirdness and sweetness of the incredibly singular personas onscreen.

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Mark Jackson

Epoch Times

05/17/2020

4/5

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.

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Will L

@Will05 5d

Watch this movie once, and no matter how badly you hated it, watch it again. You’ll laugh your ass off.

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Michael J.

@MilesJoesph069 Feb 16

Even better on rewatch. It’s sad to think today Summer would just call ICE to beat Pedro

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Samuel P

@ILikeArson Feb 14

What do you want me to say? It's just good.

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Jim B

@RT52973177 Feb 3

Hilarious, unique, timeless. There's nothing else like it.

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Live T

@Livetill5 Jan 23

Can’t believe this movie is 22yrs old lol Napoleon Dynamite is a quirky awkward coming of age comedy movie. Napoleon and his friends navigate things like confidence, self image, loyalty and growth with a bit of tomfoolery tossed in 😂 is there a reason why everything in the movie is happening…absolutely not it’s just happening in front of your eyes. There’s no real direction other than looking forward to their school dance and the election of their newest class president.

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Spicy B

@HotMustard Jan 14

A totes adorbs, quirky, hilarious, completely quotable movie that's frickin' 22 years old this year, jeez! Rewatching it's ike a delicious warm bowl of comfort soup for those of us who watched it back in college/when it first came out. Freakin starved! Love, love, love. Gah, come get some ham!

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Jared Hess

Director

Jon Heder

Napoleon Dynamite

Jon Gries

Uncle Rico

Aaron Ruell

Kip Dynamite

Efren Ramirez

Pedro

Tina Majorino

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Napoleon Dynamite: Trailer 1

1:11

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Synopsis

In small-town Preston, Idaho, awkward teen Napoleon Dynamite has trouble fitting in. After his grandmother is injured in an accident, his life is made even worse when his strangely nostalgic uncle, Rico, shows up to keep an eye on him. With no safe haven at home or at school, Napoleon befriends the new kid, Pedro, 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 36m
Sound Mix: Surround
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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