Even at the time it was polarizing. And yeah it basically was filmed in the style of a home movie. Movie cost 400,000 to make and made almost 50 million as a fun fact
I remember seeing it when it made it to DVD at some point and not making it all the way through the movie due to not enjoying it. I never tried to rewatch it after the fact.
When I was young my hair was longer and it poofed out. Add to that glasses and me being awkward and a bunch of people would call me napoleon dynamite. Definitely contributed to me not liking it that much.
There is a bit of hero's journey narrative in it. A loser with nothing goes on a quest to win the class presidency or whatever. Even rides towards the sun set on a white horse with the girl at the end if I recall correctly.
It’s kinda weird and boring and the characters are quirky enough to be funny but also relatable in a vaguely nostalgic, innocence of mid teens kinda way. No one is good or bad and the climax is Napoleon dancing in front of the whole school so his friend wins the student council vote. And then everyone clapped.
It’s like the Big Lebowski, where the absurdity gets funnier with each watch. Definitely fun to rewatch with friends when you see the jokes coming.
Everyone has "that movie" they're kind of ashamed to admit they've never watched. The Big Lebowski is that movie for me. I know I really need to make time for it one of these centuries...
First time I saw this movie I didn't get it. On rewatch I liked it, and over the years I feel like I've come to appreciate it more and more. Dunno what it is about it, I don't really enjoy any other movies like it.