Napoleon Dynamite

Napoleon Dynamite is a 2004 film directed by Jared Hess. Napoleon Dynamite, a lovable, unpopular high school age guy who just wants to fit in. There's Deb, the girl who keeps showing up with her junk on the front porch. There's Kip, Napoleon's geek brother who's searching for love through chat rooms. There's Rico, Napoleon's jock uncle who just seems to want to ruin Napoleon's life. And then Pedro shows up. The new kid in town. He's from Mexico, he has an awesome bike, and he's the only kid in school with a mustache. When Napoleon befriends Pedro, and Pedro decides to run for class president, Napoleon gets his chance to show his stuff and prove that he's got nothing to prove.

In the movie review I found it talks mostly about the role of Napoleon Dynamite. It tells how Napoleon Dynamite is the biggest dork in high school and how he lacks social graces. In high schools today, there are different clicks. You have your jocks, the cheerleaders, the band geeks, and the plain old outcasts. Not many nerds have the nerve to go up and talk to girls or stand up for themselves. Napoleon Dynamite's character is different from the rest of the nerds. He attempts to make friends and also brings in a new style: moon boots, parachute pants with zipper-pouch pockets, a shrunken sky-blue T-shirt with a silk screen of galloping horses, thick and heavy 1970s eyeglasses, and red curls that he parts with a comb.

In chapter 10 of our textbook, it talks about the importance of acting. Every movie I watch, I always check to see who the actors/actresses are. If it involves people I don't care for, I most likely won't pick that movie to watch. Acting is so important when picking a film because it is the main part of the movie. Each actor/actress's goal is to make their character seem like a real to us. The texts states that in order to achieve this goal, actors must be able to project sincerity, truthfulness, and naturalness in such a way that we are never aware that they are acting a part.

The text also talks about the differences between film acting and stage acting. One particular way film acting differs from stage acting is that it requires two kinds of acting. One is referred to as action acting. This type of acting is required for the action/adventure films. This type of acting is shown through reactions, body language, physical exertion, and special skills. The second type of acting is known as dramatic acting. This type of acting calls for sustained, intense dialogue with another person and requires an emotional and psychological depth. Dramatic acting is used throughout Napoleon Dynamite. It is used between Kip and his Internet lady. It is also used between Napoleon and Deb.

There are three types of actors: impersonators, interpreters and commentators, and personality actors. Impersonators are actors who have the talent to leave their real personality behind and to assume the personality of a character. I'm not too sure what each character in Napoleon Dynamite personalities are, but each actor did a great job at playing their character and really getting involved with that role. Interpreters and commentators play characters closely resembling themselves in personality and physical appearance. The last type of actor which is personality actors are actors whose talent is to be themselves and nothing more.


Rotten Tomatoes (2004). Napoleon Dynamite. Retrieved from http://www.combustiblecelluloid.com/splicedwire/napoleond.shtml