MOVIE - NAPOLEON DYNAMITE - Review Rating $$$$$ (OUT OF 10)
STARRING - Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite), Jon Gries (Uncle Rico), Efren Ramirez (Pedro), Aaron Ruell (Kip), Tina Majorino (Deb), Haylie Duff (Summer), Ellen Dubin (Ilene), Emily Kennard (Trisha) & Diedrich Bader (Rex).
DIRECTOR/CO-WRITER - Jared Hess
Based on a 9 minute short film, by Hess, called Peluca.
Napoleon Dynamite, a so-called "indie" film, more closely resembles amatuer hour at the Improv than it does quality independent filmmaking. This movie is a dumb-downed version of American Pie without the charm. Napoleon Dynamite is really a series of vingettes, very loosely tied together, by a script that not only lacks fresh insight but barely bothers to explain how the characters find themselves in the situations they do. The production values are sub-par, as well, even for an independent film.
They are moments, in the movie, that you can't stop yourself from laughing at. But, and this is the important point, you will be laughing "at" the characters instead of with them.
Some may consider Napoleon Dynamite to be a cult classic but it's really just juvenile drivel.
Running time - 86 minutes
Alternative Reviews:
Roger Ebert's Review
Peter Travers / Rolling Stone Review
Rotten Tomatoes Reviews
7:12:31 PM  |
|
